About this landmark

A commercial corridor born from a ranching settlement.

Bellflower Boulevard, the city's main commercial artery, developed from what was originally Somerset Avenue. The thoroughfare stands on land that was once part of Somerset Ranch, a 4,000-acre property bounded by Alondra and Artesia Boulevards. Around 1904, developer Emil Firth subdivided part of the ranch into one-acre farm lots, and Frank E. Woodruff later purchased more than 1,000 acres of the same property, selling town lots at $70 each. The name Bellflower itself derives from the bellflower apple, grown in local orchards in the early 20th century.

Rails and early commerce

In 1904, rancher Jotham Bixby deeded a right-of-way through Somerset Ranch to the Pacific Electric Company, resolving a dispute that had stalled the rail line. The Pacific Electric line through the area officially opened November 6, 1905, connecting the settlement to Los Angeles. Bellflower incorporated September 3, 1957, becoming California's 348th city. The commercial district spread beyond Artesia Boulevard during the postwar expansion of the city. Clark Street emerged as a second major shopping street in the 1950s. Downtown stores retained customer loyalty through personal service, despite the opening of regional shopping centers nearby.

SteelCraft Bellflower represents the modern downtown. Built from 14 repurposed shipping containers, the 15,000-square-foot outdoor venue sits at the intersection of Bellflower Boulevard and Oak Street. Completed in early summer 2019 and designed by the architecture and landscape-architecture firm Studio One Eleven, the project includes a barn-inspired shade structure, a pet-friendly courtyard, a performance stage, and a tot lot. The project won a 2021 Westside Urban Forum Retail/Restaurant Design Merit Award and is currently operating with multiple food and beverage vendors.

Downtown revitalization efforts

The City's Economic Development Department is working with property owners to form Property-Based Improvement Districts (P-BIDs) covering two areas of the boulevard corridor: a North P-BID for Downtown Bellflower and a South P-BID for the boulevard south of Artesia Boulevard. P-BIDs use funds for district marketing, security, and cleaning, funded through annual assessments that property owners themselves oversee.

The city references comparable successful BID models—Belmont Shore, Bixby Knolls, and Old Pasadena—as it develops its own districts. SteelCraft Bellflower's presence has drawn significant foot traffic; the project reportedly averaged 1,500 customers a day and doubled visitor numbers to downtown since opening.

Insurance connection: Home and fire protection

Downtown commercial buildings and residential properties in historic districts face exposure to fire and property damage. A homeowners policy covers property damage—dwelling, other structures, personal property, and loss of use—plus liability coverage. The dwelling limit should reflect rebuilding cost, not market value. Replacement-cost policies pay rebuilding expenses, while actual-cash-value policies deduct depreciation and can leave owners significantly underinsured. Homeowners are advised to verify replacement costs with contractors and update coverage annually as building costs change. Eligibility and policy limits depend on the individual policy. The issued policy controls.

Explore the official downtown Bellflower website

Primary sources: Bellflower's official city history page, the city's P-BID page, Studio One Eleven's project page on SteelCraft Bellflower, and Wikipedia's Bellflower entry.