Brea, City in Orange County, California.
Brea is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, roughly 33 miles (53 km) southeast of Los Angeles. Streets run through residential neighborhoods with low-rise buildings, while the center gathers shops and restaurants around a shopping mall.
The Tongva inhabited this area before Spanish expeditions passed through in 1769 and made first contact. After asphalt deposits were discovered, the Union Oil Company built facilities here, causing the settlement to grow and become a city in the early 20th century.
Public artworks line streets and parks, letting you encounter them freely as you walk through neighborhoods without admission. Many sculptures and murals show everyday scenes and nature motifs, blending into residential blocks and business districts.
The city center is walkable, with most points of interest close together and sidewalks providing access. Parking is available near the shopping mall, and public artworks are accessible around the clock.
The name comes from the Spanish word for tar and recalls natural asphalt springs that once shaped the landscape. Visitors can still see dark patches in the ground at some spots where the material used to emerge.
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