Compton, CA

Known as "Hub City" due to its location in the geographical center of Los Angeles County, the city of Compton has local access to four major freeways, making it a convenient packaging and shipping center. In 2006, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger designated Compton as one of 23 Enterprise Zones in the state, providing tax incentives for industrial growth that established the city as one of the fastest growing business centers on the West Coast.

Compton garnered a reputation as a dangerous, high-crime area in the late 1980s and early 1990s, due partly to a scandal-plagued police department that disbanded in 2000. However, the recent "Birthing a New Compton" campaign has seen the city emerge as a leading industrial center on the outskirts of Los Angeles. While many areas of the city remain underdeveloped or in disrepair, current residential and commercial development trends suggest that this city-in-transition is poised to become a major urban center in Los Angeles County in the coming years.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Compton is divided into four quadrants created at the intersection of Compton Boulevard and Alameda Street. This area, considered Downtown Compton, features the Compton Civic Center Plaza, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, Compton Courthouse, City Hall and the recently renovated Public Library.

• Northwest Compton: The northwest quadrant of Compton, which borders the unincorporated West Compton neighborhood at Wilmington Avenue, is primarily residential, featuring bungalow-style homes and high-density apartment complexes. Much of the area is currently under construction, including a planned shopping and business center along Alameda Drive and a gated community on North Tamarind.
• Northeast Compton: This area has been designated a ccommercial district since the 1994 construction of the Compton Fashion Center, an indoor shopping mall with hundreds of vendors along North Long Beach Boulevard. There is also a number of historic homes and landmarks in the area, including the Angeles Abbey Memorial Park and cemetery. Built in 1923, this cemetery features a wide range of architectural styles including Byzantine, Moorish, and Spanish. The Eagle tree, a natural boundary marker for the early settlers in the area, was planted in 1858, just west of North Long Beach Boulevard. It features a plaque donated by the Daughters of the Golden West in 1947.
• Southwest Compton: Southwest Compton has traditionally been the industrial center of town, with only scattered residential areas. It is currently home to the Walnut Industrial Park, a large multi-business manufacturing center built in the 1990s, and the Gateway Towne Center, a mixed-use residential and commercial center. Construction has recently begun on the Alameda Court Town Home development, which was planned and built by the city government. Landmarks in the area include Woodlawn Cemetery, a Los Angeles County Historic Landmark since 1946, and the Compton Airport at the intersection of Alondra and Wilmington. The Crystal Hotel and Casino at the intersection of Compton Creek and Highway 91 serves as a major entertainment center for local residents and visitors.
• Southeast Compton: Southeast Compton has mixed residential and commercial zoning, with small bungalows and apartments accommodating students at the local college. The campus of Compton Community College is a prominent presence in the area, with the western edge of campus currently being developed into a commercial shopping zone, featuring outdoor plazas and local vendors designed to accentuate the campus lifestyle. The eastern edge of campus consists of designated green spaces along the Compton Creek Watershed. Farther east of the campus lies unincorporated East Compton and the Compton Par 3 Golf Course, both with scenic views along the Los Angeles River.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Walnut Industrial Park is home to many major corporate headquarters, including 3M, Xerox, Datsun, and Ralph's, which are all major local employers. Education and healthcare are also top industries in the area.

FAMILY FUN

• Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum in the Compton Airport features an interactive museum, children's center and adult flight school.
• The Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy offers workshops and training programs for young baseball players from around the city on the campus of Compton Community College.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

• The Summer Jazz Jam and Summer Soul Jam concerts, held in August on the Compton Golf Course in unincorporated East Compton, is an annual festival that began in 2004 to support the "Birthing a New Compton" campaign.
• The Compton Dance Theatre in Northwest Compton is home to a dance academy and performance center that offers several shows throughout the year.
• The Compton Visual and Performing Arts Center along Alondra Boulevard is used as an art gallery and live theatre stage by local artists.
• Eazy-E Day is held on March 26th to commemorate the death of local rapper Eric "Eazy-E" Wright.

EDUCATION

Compton Community College, which became a satellite of El Camino College in 2006, offers two-year degrees in a wide variety of fields.

LOCAL MEDIA

• The Compton Bulletin, a daily newspaper, is the only local print media publication.
• KJLH 102.3 FM (hip hop and soul) broadcasts out of Compton.