Temple City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, located northeast of downtown Los Angeles near the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. It is part of the west San Gabriel Valley, along with nearby cities such as Pasadena, Arcadia, Alhambra, San Marino, and San Gabriel.
The city began on May 30, 1923, when Walter P. Temple bought 400 acres of land east of San Gabriel, originally part of Rancho Santa Anita owned by Lucky Baldwin. He developed the area into a community where ordinary people could afford to buy homes. Temple laid out streets named after his friends and family, built a park along Las Tunas Drive, and funded improvements like paved roads and electricity. He also persuaded the Pacific Electric Railway to extend its line to the new town, helping it grow. The statues along Rosemead Boulevard today honor that early rail connection. The Women’s Club of Temple City was later founded in 1925, marking one of the community’s earliest civic groups.









