La Puente, meaning “The Bridge” in Spanish, is a city in east Los Angeles County, California, about 20 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, with a 2020 population of 38,062. The area was originally inhabited by the Tongva people in a village called Awingna. In 1769, the Spanish Portolá expedition passed through and built a bridge over the San Gabriel River, giving the area its name.
The land later became part of Rancho La Puente, granted to John Rowland and William Workman in 1842 after the secularization of the missions. La Puente was historically known for its fruit and walnut groves and once had the world’s largest walnut packing plant. The city also had a small airport called Skyranch from 1944 to 1951. Today, La Puente is heavily urbanized, retains some historical landmarks, and has aging 1950s-era strip malls, with redevelopment efforts ongoing but limited success attracting large retailers.









