Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Strawberry Fields Forever

In South El Monte is a strawberry field where Durfee Avenue meets Rosemead Boulevard.

The field is about 14 miles from downtown Los Angeles.
(Click on images to zoom in)
It is a vestige of the once agriculturally-dominant landscape.
This area is a microcosm of the early 20th century industries:  agriculture and oil.
A stone's throw away is the Montebello Hills, where oil pumps are still producing.
A short drive eastward on Durfee Road leads to Whittier, which has two sites of tremendous distinction in providing for a populous 21st century Southern California:  at the northwestern face of the Puente Hills operates the largest landfill in the country, called the Puente Hills Landfill.  On another face of the Hills is the largest cemetery in the world, Rose Hills Memorial Park.  The park began in 1914 as the 18-acre Whittier Heights Memorial Park. 
I can see Rose Hills from my house.

2 comments:

  1. Very good photos of Rose Hills. To my knowledge, Rose Hills is still the single largest cemetery property in the US. Rose Hills has been been purchased by SCI corporation, but retains the famous Rose Hills legacy.

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  2. What happened to the old Rose Hills Sign I could see from my house on West and Deland in Pico(later Pico Rivera) off Durfee...this was a land mark sign along with the Pico Rivera Water Tower (that I climed once to erace some words put there about my girl friends honor..scared don't like heights.

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