Monrovia is a city in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County, California, and the fourth-oldest general-law city in the county, incorporated in 1887. Originally inhabited by the Tongva people, the area became part of Mission San Gabriel in 1771 during Spanish colonization. After Mexico’s independence and the secularization of missions, Rancho Santa Anita, which included modern-day Monrovia, was granted to Hugo Reid and later changed ownership multiple times before William N. Monroe purchased land in the 1880s to establish the town of Monrovia.
The town grew quickly, with banks, hotels, churches, and schools built within months, and by incorporation in 1887, Monrovia had 500 residents. Rail connections to Los Angeles began in 1888, and the Pacific Electric railway reached Monrovia in 1903, improving commuting and contributing to population growth. Between 1920 and 1930, Monrovia’s population nearly doubled from 5,480 to 10,890 as construction expanded after World War I. Today, Monrovia is a residential community with a population of over 37,000.









