ROOTED HERE
The history of Downey
Downey connects a downtown dining district with neighborhood shops, public performance spaces and a spaceflight legacy. Start with a local kitchen or cultural stop, then explore the streets around it.
People who shaped Downey
Follow the sourced timeline and use museum and library collections to explore Downey in more depth. Read the historical source.
Watch the city’s history
FROM THE ARCHIVES
A look at the significance of the Inspiration space shuttle ahead of its Downey move
A local history film shared by CBS LA.
Watch on YouTube ↗Famous people born in Downey
See all 48 famous people
- 1865
Agricultural subdivisions
Rancho land was subdivided for agriculture in 1865 as settlement developed in the area.
Local history source ↗ - 1873
A railroad town
The Southern Pacific Railroad reached the area in 1873, helping establish the town between earlier settlements.
Local history source ↗ - 1956
A city incorporates
Downey incorporated on December 17, 1956.
Local history source ↗ - 1999
An aerospace chapter closes
Rockwell International closed its Downey plant in 1999, ending a major chapter in the city’s aerospace industry.
Local history source ↗
See the history for yourself.
Choose a museum or cultural stop and check its current visiting schedule before traveling. City history source.
For deeper research, the Downey library resources is a starting point for archival material and research help. Historic photographs have their own permissions; we link to the collection instead of treating every old image as free to reuse.
Selected milestones researched September 13, 2026. This is an introduction, not a complete account of the city’s history.