Title supplied by cataloger. Compton was originally part of the territory known as Rancho San Pedro, which had been granted to Juan Jose Dominguez by the Spanish Crown. The territory was settled in 1867 by a band of 30 pioneering families that were led to the area by Griffith Dickenson Compton, and it was soon developed into a farming village. Originally named "Gibsonville" after F.W. Gibson - one of the tract owners, the name was changed to "Comptonville", - after Griffith D. Compton, and was eventually shortened to Compton. The city was incorporated on May 11, 1888, with a population of 500 people; as of the 2000 census, Compton's population stood at 93,493. Exterior view of Compton City Hall in 1926. The ornate 2-story building has numerous arched windows and dentil molding all around; several palm trees surround the building. Two people stand along the sidewalk on the left, and part of a railroad track is visible at the lower forefront of the photograph. Seven years after this photograph was taken, on March 10, 1933, a devastating 6.4 magnitude earthquake took lives, toppled schools, and caused major damage to the main business district - including the City Hall which was shaken into twisted ruin, and was eventually razed and re-built. Photograph dated September 1926.
Type
image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;16 x 26 cm. Photographic prints
Compton City Hall (Compton, Calif.) City halls--California--Compton Municipal buildings--California--Compton Palms--California--Compton Streets--California--Compton Automobiles--California--Compton Pedestrians--California--Compton Dwellings--California--Compton Lost architecture--California--Compton Compton (Calif.)
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