The City of Duarte is a small progressive community located at the base of the picturesque San Gabriel Mountains, approximately 21 miles northeast of Los Angeles. At 6.8 square miles and a population of 21,486, Duarte isn’t the biggest city in the valley. But it just may be the best.
Duarte is a richly diverse community of stable neighborhoods and friendly neighbors. Lush green foothills, parks, hiking and bike trails and beautiful new social and recreational gathering places enhance the livability of the community.
The City of Duarte is also host to a world-renowned cancer research center and a nationally recognized hospital dedicated to improving the physical and mental well being of its residents.
The Gabrielino Indians once inhabited the land that is now known as the City of Duarte. In 1841, the governor of Alta California granted to ex-Mexican Corporal Andres Duarte and his wife nearly 7,000 acres of prime land in the upper San Gabriel Valley. He named the place Rancho Azusa de Duarte.
In the mid-1800’s, most of the Rancho was sold to help defray Andres Duarte’s debts. One of those who purchased land was Dr. Nehemiah Beardslee, who started the first school in Duarte and laid out the first section of Duarte’s water lines. Much of the remaining land was divided into 40-acre plots and sold individually.
Many of Duarte’s earliest pioneer families came to Duarte in the mid-1800’s for their health , the pleasant climate, and the fertile soil. English settlers, Americans from the Midwest and deep South, Latinos who remained from the Rancho and Japanese immigrants enabled Duarte to grow into a thriving agricultural community specializing in citrus production.
Two of the country’s premier medical institutions were started in Duarte in the early part of this century. In 1913, the Jewish Relief Association started a tuberculosis sanitarium on 40 acres of land South of Duarte Road. This later evolved into the world-renowned City of Hope Medical Center, a recognized leader in fighting cancer and other catastrophic diseases. In 1930, a group of Carmelite Sisters established the Santa Teresita Rest Home, known today as Santa Teresita Hospital. From four small cottages, this medical facility has developed into one of the finest hospitals in the region.
In 1957, a dedicated group of community members led the fight for incorporation, and on August 22, 1957, their efforts paid off with the formation of the City of Duarte and the Duarte Unified School District. The leadership of the Duarte City Council and the Duarte Unified School Board helped the previously fragmented community to come together, set goals and establish priorities for the newly created City of Duarte.
Learn more about this city.
City of Duarte, CA official site
City of Duarte, CA Chamber of Commerce
City of Duarte, CA newspaper
County of Duarte, CA official site
State of California official site