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(The following excerpt information was taken from "City of Vernon," prepared by Pete Moruzzi for the Los Angeles Conservancy tour publication Cruising Industrial Los Angeles, October 1997) A Quick History of VernonIndustrial From The StartVernon was founded and incorporated in 1905 by James J. and Thomas J. Furlong, both ranchers, and John B. Leonis, rancher and merchant. John Leonis was of Basque origin, coming to Southern California to work for his uncle Miguel Leonis, whose original 1862 adobe dwelling in Calabasas was designated a City of Los Angeles Cultural-Historic Monument. John Leonis established his own ranch on unincorporated county land southeast of Downtown Los Angeles.  The Founding Fathers - Furlong, John B. Leonis, Furlong Recognizing the significance of the three major railroads running through the area, railroad executives were convinced to run spur lines of f the main lines. The adjacent three miles were incorporated as an “exclusively industrial” city. On September 16, 1905, the City of Vernon was officially founded as the first industrial city in the Southwestern United States. The city’s name came from Vernon Avenue, a dirt road that crossed its center. The Sporting CityWhile waiting for industry to develop in the area, the founders of the city thought of marketing Vernon as a “Sporting Town.” In 1907, on land leased from Leonis, entrepreneur Jack Doyle opened what was billed as the “longest bar in the world.” It had 37 bartenders, 37 cash registers and a sign advertising, “If your children need shoes, don’t buy booze.” Next door Doyle opened the Vernon Avenue Arena where 20-round world championship fights were held, starting in 1908. The Arena trained some of the best fighters of its time, including such greats as Al Wolgast and Packy McFarland. Vernon was one of only two cities in Los Angeles that was “wet” (i.e. where the sale and consumption of alcohol was legal). All the other incorporated cities within the county were “dry” by statute, and alcohol was illegal in the unincorporated areas of the county as well. Last call for Doyle’s Bar was June 30th, 1919 when over 1000 people swilled their last pre-Prohibition drink. The Vernon Chamber of Commerce now sits atop Doyle’s onetime establishment. In 1909, the Vernon Tigers joined the Pacific Coast Baseball League. The tigers were owned by prosperous meat-packer Peter Maier, who then built the eponymous Maier Park for the team. The home field of the Tigers was located next to Doyle’s Bar which had its own entrance to the park.  Vernon Tigers In early 1919, Maier sold a controlling interest in the Tigers to Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, and actor in the silent film era. When the team became known as the Hollywood Stars, Hollywood began taking collective notice of the team, thanks mainly to Arbuckle’s ownership. After a 1925 season, the team was sold to San Francisco interests and moved to that city to begin play in 1926 as the Mission Reds. Heavy Industry & ElectricityAfter 1919, Vernon returned to being exclusively industrial. Two giant stockyards opened, one owned by John Leonis, and meat packing quickly became Vernon’s signature industry. Twenty-seven slaughterhouses lined Vernon Avenue from Sosto Street to Downey Road until the late 1960’s. In the 1920’s and 30’s, heavy industries such as steel (U.S. and Bethlehem), aluminum (Alcoa), glass (Owens), can-making (American Can) and automobile production (Studebaker) grew in the city. The 1940’s and 50’s added aerospace contractors (Norris Industries), box and paper manufacturers, drug companies (Brunswig), and food processors (General Mills, Kal Kan). Giant meat packers (Farmer John and Swift) continued to prosper in Vernon. A strong, unionized labor force meant excellent middle class incomes for thousands of families in the surrounding areas.  Studebaker Plant In 1932, the city differed with Southern California Edison over industrial rates for electricity so John Leonis orchestrated a Vernon bond measure which authorized the construction of the city’s own Light & Power plant, which is still in operation today. Low-cost power and water, along with low taxes, attracted businesses to Vernon. The Malkenhorst EraIn the late 1970’s, the city of Vernon hired Bruce Malkenhorst as Assistant City Clerk/Assistant Finance Director, following his success working with the City of Manhattan Beach and as an executive in the private sector. Within three years he was promoted to City Administrator responsible for managing the entire operation of the city including its financial affairs.  City Clerk, Circa 1977, Bruce V. Malkenhorst, Sr. During his time in Vernon, Malkenhorst improved the efficiency of its City government and, under his leadership, Vernon became the lowest cost city in which to operate a business in California. During his time in office, Vernon could claim the development of:
Malkenhorst was also instrumental in developing programs that helped business grow, including a Pacific Rim Business Outreach program that supported the export of products produced by Vernon businesses. Over the 27 years of Malkenhorst’s tenure, the Vernon City Council increased his responsibility to the point where he was the only City employee reporting to the City Council. Malkenhorst retired from the City of Vernon in early 2006. On November 15, 2006, a County level investigation into public corruption charges in Vernon resulted in Malkenhorst being charged with misappropriation of public funds for allegedly taking $60,000 of city money for personal use. That case is continuing to work its way through the legal system. Since Malkenhorst’s departure there have been significant changes in the structure of City Government. Wanting to ensure a continuing business-friendly environment in the City, the Vernon City Council appointed Mr. Eric Fresch as the Acting City Administrator in late 2006. Fresch, who had been the City Attorney for the past three years, and involved with Vernon since the 1980’s, is a strong supporter of maintaining Vernon as an exclusively industrial city. The City Council adjusted reporting relationships so that a total of six department heads reported directly to the City Council – City Administrator, City Attorney, City Treasurer, Director of Health & Environmental Control, Director of Personnel, and Finance Director. In conjunction with these changes, Mr. Jeff Harrison was named Acting City Attorney (he had been Chief Assistant City Attorney since early 2006). Fresch was subsequently named City Administrator, and he continues to be the head of City administration. Recent HistoryThe city of Vernon was meticulously planned fro its very beginning as an industrial city. As a result, it is today recognized as one of the most strategically located manufacturing and shipping centers in the world. Throughout the years, the city of Vernon has grown and changed to accommodate the needs of industry. Today, smaller industrial/commercial establishments including fashion design, garment making, film production, electronics and waste recycling are characteristic of the business community of Vernon. The city recently celebrated its 100 year anniversary and has maintained its exclusively industrial nature. The Vernon Chamber of Commerce and the City of Vernon work diligently to improve the business environment and to create a stronger and more cohesive community for everyone. Links:
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