El Monte

El Monte is a residential city in Los Angeles County, California, that stretches between two rivers across roughly 25 square kilometers. The streets run in a grid pattern, interrupted by small parks and shopping centers scattered throughout the urban area.

The area was first a mission outpost before gold prospectors passed through in the late 1840s and a frontier town took shape. In the early 20th century, the place developed into a Los Angeles suburb with a growing population.

The name likely comes from an early campsite that settlers established on a hill between the rivers. The city still carries this Spanish name today, though the landscape is now shaped by residential blocks and commercial streets.

The streets are mostly flat and easy to walk or cycle, keeping in mind the typical distances of an American suburb. Public buildings and larger shopping centers are usually along main roads and clearly signposted.

Between 1919 and 1942, a lion farm with around 200 African lions operated here, and many of them appeared in Hollywood films. The animals were rented out for shoots and lived on a fenced property at the edge of town.

Location: Los Angeles County

Inception: 1852

Elevation above the sea: 91 m

Shares border with: Temple City, Avocado Heights, South El Monte

Website: http://ci.el-monte.ca.us

GPS coordinates: 34.07333,-118.02750

Latest update: December 13, 2025 17:11