Downey, California

Introduction to Downey California

Incorporated in 1956, Downey is a city in Los Angeles County, in Southern California. Downey is approximately twenty minutes southeast of Los Angeles and twenty minutes northeast of Long Beach.

Downey was founded by, and is named after former California governor John Gately Downey. He founded Downey in the 1870s. Downey was home to the First Taco Bell restaurant, and is the home to the oldest surviving McDonald's restaurant in the world, the fourth McDonald's which was built in 1953. Karen and Richard Carpenter, of the singing group the Carpenters, attended Downey High School after their parents moved to Downey in 1963.

Downey received a "League of California Cities Helen Putnam Awards of Excellence" in 2001 for "Economic & Community Development". Downey has three schools recognized as "Distinguished Elementary Schools" by the "California School Recognition Program". The schools are the C.C. Carpenter Elementary school, the Edith Unsworth Elementary school, and the Rio Hondo Elementary school. In addition, three others received awards as "Honorable Mention Schools", including the Alameda Elementary school, the Ed C. Lewis Elementary school, and the Maude Price School. Downey's West Middle school also received an award in the "Distinguished Middle and High Schools" category.

Downey Arts, Culture, and Entertainment

Downey residents can take advantage of all of the arts and entertainment attractions of Los Angeles and surrounding Los Angeles County. Some of the attractions of note in and around Downey include:

• The Carpenters Collection at the Downey City Library
• The Civic Light Opera
• The Downey Civic Theatre
• The Downey History Center
• The Downey Museum of Art
• The Downey Symphony
• The Krikorian Theatre
• The Rio Hondo Golf Club
• The World's Oldest McDonald's

Downey is conveniently located near many professional teams, including:

• The Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League (AFL).
• The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB).
• Club Deportivo Chivas USA and the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer (MLS).
• The Lancaster JetHawks, and Inland Empire 66ers of Minor League Baseball (MiLB). The JetHawks are a Class A Advanced affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the 66ers are a Class A Advanced affiliate of the Seattle Mariners.
• The Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
• The Anaheim Mighty Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL).
• The Los Angeles Storm, and Southern California Seahorses who play in the United Soccer League's (USL) Premier Development League.
• The Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA.

Downey is also only thirty minutes south of Pasadena, home to the Tournament of Roses Parade and the NCAA's Rose Bowl every January first.

Nearby Cities and Towns

High Points

Downey strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in California):

Category	Trophy
Racial Diversity (vs. Peers)	Top 9%