COMPTON CREEK

The Compton Creek is located in Southeast Los Angeles County and runs through the City of Compton. The 3.3 mile watershed was first constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers north of Del Amo along Alameda beginning in 1936 and concluding in June 1937. Form 1938 to 1939 the channel was extended from Artesia to Alondra and then to just north of El Segundo.
Compton Creek is a vital tributary to the Los Angeles River and has the distinction of being one of only two fly-ways in the entire 51-mile stretch of the river. The California brown pelican and the California lest tern, both federally endangered species, are among the wildlife that take advantage of this fly-way, increasing the biological and ecological value of this small section of the creek.

In the 1930's Compton was a rural community with rich farmland where many of the residents kept livestock including cattle and horses. It was a place where children could play in water that flowed through the Creek, which now according to researches is not fit for human exposure. The history of the City of Compton can be traced back to the earliest missions and ranchos of Spanish California. Most of the present corporate area of Compton was part of the Rancho San Pedro, first granted in 1784 by Spanish Crown to Juan Jose Dominguez, a retired soldier. In 1867, a group of settlers, let by Griffith D***enson Compton and William Morton, traveled from northern California in search of milder temperatures. They settled in the area presently known as Compton. The city was officially incorporated in1888, which makes it one of the first incorporated cities in Los Angeles County.
While we cannot return to the lifestyle of yesteryear, the Compton Creek Regional Garden Park will create a safe, beautiful environment-one that offers a place to play for children, a focal point of recreation and leisure for adults, and a source of pride for the entire community.

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