Woodworth Group Archives


Return to the Woodworth Places page

Woodworth  House,
6820 Foster Bridge Road
Bell Gardens, CA
 Located in the center of the Los Angeles area.


      The Woodworth House was built by Wallace Woodworth, prominent merchant of Los Angeles.  

      Wallace Woodworth was born 28 July 1832 in Essex, Vermont, to John Dennison Woodworth and Samantha Williams.  Wallace was the grandson of  Nathan, son of Amasa, son of  Ebenezer, son of  Benjamin, son of  Walter.  He died in Los Angeles, Calif., 13 September 1882; and is buried Evergreen Cemetery, Los Angeles.    Although the home is now located in what is now known as Bell Gardens, the town of Bell Gardens did not incorporate until 1961, and until then the home was a part of greater Los Angeles.

For detailed information about Wallace Woodworth, see:
  http://mybellgardens.com/woodworth_house

          The once wide open space around the mansion is replaced by a residential area and industrial park.

A Google Earth panoramic street view of the mansion area is shon below.  The old pickup is parked in front of the next door warehouse.

The mansion had for years been a place of social activity and free swimming for youth.  However, it fell on hard times during a period when a new caretaker, living there free, did not care for the home as agreed upon.   See
http://articles.latimes.com/1993-05-16/local/me-36106_1_bell-gardens

For a while, the Bell Gardens city surplus trolleys were stored in its parking lot.
 

The mansion is now the home of the El Rancho San Antonio Historical Society, (323) 927-5055




     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
This is what we now know as the Woodworth House.
Additionally one of his nine children, Vicente, married and built a two-story adobe home in 1850, located at 6360 Gage Ave. A daughter of Don Antonio Maria married Stephen C. Foster, Mayor of Los Angeles in 1854 and lived in an adobe house just east of 6820 Foster Bridge Road, now marked by a parking lot sadly.

County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors
SUPERVISOR WALLACE WOODWORTH
 

Term:      1868 - 1871
District:   Not Applicable
Born:       July 28, 1832
Died:       September 13, 1882
Wallace Woodworth served as county supervisor for one term.  He was elected to office in 1868 to a two-year term.  On September 1, 1869 elections were held for the County's newly devided four district supervisorial seats.  Woodworth was not re-elected , but all the incumbents remained in office through 1871.
Woodworth was born July 28, 1832, in Johnstown, Ohio, where he grew up and attended public schools.
In 1853 when he was 21, Woodworth moved to Los Angeles County and became manager of his uncle's ranch.  Woodworth got involved in the cattle business, making money buying and selling on a large scale.
In 1858 he left the ranch and formed a partnership with W.H. Perry.  The firm of Perry & Woodworth made and sold cabinets and furniture on Main Street.  In 1867 the firm organized a natural gas company, and established the first working gas jet lines in Los Angeles
Woodworth's business success and prominence in political circles led to his election to the county supervisorial seat.  After leaving County service, Woodworth later became a member and president of the Los Angeles City Council.
In 1872 his company deversified into the lumber and millling business.  Woodworth amassed a larger fortune, and was considered one of the wealthiest men and landwoners in the County.
During this time, Woodworth continued his involvement in politics.  He was staunched Democrat, and in 1180 was a delegate to the county convention in Los Angeles, the state convention in San Francisco, and the national convention in Cincinnati.
In the last few years of his life, Woodworth took up framing and specialized in the growing of grapes, oranges, and olives.
His credits included membership in the Masonic Temple, donating to the local orphanages and being considered one of the early pioneer businessmen of Los Angeles.
On September 13, 1882, Woodworth died.  He was 50, and was survived by his wife Carrie, and two daughters: Hazel and Juanita.
Source: Bell Gardens Library.