Los Angeles City Council, 1889–1909
Contents
The Los Angeles City Council, 1889–1909, was the legislative body of Los Angeles, California, under the first charter of the city, granted by the Legislature in 1889. The first election under that charter was held on February 21, 1889, and the last on December 4, 1906.
Two-year terms for the City Council began and ended in December, except for the first term, which started in February 1889 and ended in December 1890. ""The term of office was lengthened to three years effective with the municipal election of December 4, 1906," which was the last year this ward system was in use. It was succeeded by an at large-election system.
Alphabetical
Geographical
The city was divided into nine wards, with a councilman elected from each one by plurality vote, as follows:
1st Ward
Boundary
". . . northerly by the north city boundary between the Los Angeles River and the east boundary of the city; easterly by the east boundary of the city, between the northern boundary of the city and Mission Street; southerly by Mission Street, from the east city boundary to its intersection with Mission road; Mission road, from its intersection with Mission street, to its junction with Mission road, to the Los Angeles River; westerly by the Los Angeles River, from Macy street, northerly to the north boundary of the city."
Officeholders
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- H.V. Van Dusen, 1889–90
- Francis M. Nickell, 1890–94, 1896–98
- George W. Stockwell, 1894–96
- William Henry Pierce, 1898–1902
- Owen McAleer. 1902–04
- Fred L. Ford, 1904–06
- Reuben Wiger Dromgold, 1906–09
2nd Ward
Boundary
". . . northerly by the north city boundary, from its west boundary to the Los Angeles River, easterly by the Los Angeles River from the north city boundary to Downey avenue; Downey avenue, from the Los Angeles River to San Fernando street; San Fernando street; from Downey avenue to Upper Main street; Upper Main Street. from San Fernando Street to Marchessault street; Main street, from Marchessault street to First street; southerly by First street, from Main street to Canal street; thence along Canal street to Diamond street westerly to the west city boundary, from Diamond street to the north city boundary."
Officeholders
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- George P. McLain, 1889–90, 1900–02
- Daniel Innes, 1890–94
- Meredith Pinxton Snyder, 1894–86
- Fred L. Baker, 1896–1900
- Chauncey Fitch Skilling, 1902–04
- Percy Vernon Hammon, 1904–06
- Edward A. Clampitt, 1906–1909
3rd Ward
Boundary
". . . northerly by Diamond street, from the west boundary to Canal street; Canal street, from Diamond street to First street; First street, from Canal street to Main street; easterly by Main street, from First street to Seventh street; southerly by Seventh street, from Main street to west city boundary; westerly by the west city boundary, from Seventh street to Diamond street."
Officeholders
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- William Hartshorn Bonsall, president, 1889–1892
- Frank Styles Munson, 1892–96
- Zachariah D. Mathuss, 1896–98
- Louis Fisher Vetter, 1898–1900
- Frank Walker, 1900–1902
- Oscar Eugene Farish, 1902–04
- Sidney W. Hiller, 1904–06
- Walter J. Wren, 1906–09
4th Ward
Boundary
". . . northerly by Seventh street, from west city boundary to Main street, easterly by Main street, from Seventh street to Washington street; southerly by Washington street, from Main street to west city boundary; westerly by west city boundary, from Washington street to Seventh street."
Officeholders
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- Jacob Frankenfeld, president, 1889–90
- William Henry Rhodes, 1890–94
- Samuel H. Kingery, 1894–96
- Herman Silver, president, 1896–1900
- Pomeroy Wills Powers, president, 1900–02
- Theodore Summerland, president, 1902–06
- Niles Pease, president, 1906–09
5th Ward
Boundary
". . . northerly by Washington street, from the west city boundary to Main street; easterly by Main street, from Washington street to south city boundary; southerly by the south city boundary from Main street to the southwesterly corner of the city; westerly by the west city boundary from the southwesterly corner of the city to Washington street."
Officeholders
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- Austin C. Shafer, 1889–90
- John Quincy Tufts, 1890–92
- Freeman G. Teed, president, 1892–96
- Charles Hulbert Toll, 1896–1900
- William Miller Bowen, president, 1900–04
- George A. Smith, 1904–06
- Albert Joseph Wallace, 1906–09
6th Ward
Boundary
" . . . northerly by Ninth street, from Main street to the Los Angeles River; easterly by Los Angeles River, from Ninth street to the south city boundary; southerly by the south city boundary, from the Los Angeles River to Main street; westerly by Main street, from the south city boundary to Ninth street."
Officeholders
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- A. N. Hamilton, 1889–90
- C.H. Alford, 1890–92
- George Douglas Pessell, 1892–96, 1898–1900
- Leroy Milton Grider, 1896–98
- A.A. Allen, 1900–02
- James Potter Davenport, 1902–04
- Arthur D. Houghton, 1904–06
- H.H. Yonkin, 1906–09
7th Ward
Boundary
". . . northerly by First Street, from Main street to the Los Angeles River; easterly by the Los Angeles River, from First street to Ninth street; southerly by Ninth street from the Los Angeles River to Main street; westerly by Main street, from Ninth street to First street."
Officeholders
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- J.T. Brown, 1889–90
- Daniel Michael McGarry, 1890–92
- Thomas Strohm, 1892–94
- James Ashman, 1894–98
- Benjamin Samuel Lauder, 1898–1902
- Edward Kern, 1902–06 (resigned)
- Harry Lyon, 1906–09
8th Ward
Boundary
". . . westerly and northerly by Main street, from First street to Marchessault street; Upper Main street, from Marchessault street to San Fernando street; San Fernando street, from Upper Main street to Downey avenue; Downey avenue, from San Fernando street to the Los Angeles River; easterly by the Los Angeles River from Downey avenue to First street; southerly by First street from the Los Angeles River to Main street."
Officeholders
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- Theodore Summerland, 1889–92
- John Tracy Gaffey, 1892–94 (resigned)
- Hugh J. Smith (appointed), 1894
- Thomas Savage, 1894–96
- Edward L. Hutchinson, 1896–98
- Robert Asa Todd, 1898–1904
- Bernard Healy, 1904–09
9th Ward
Boundary
". . . northerly by Macy street, from the Los Angeles River to its junction with Mission road; Mission road from its junction with Macy street to its intersection with Mission street; Mission street from its intersection with Mission road, to the east city boundary; easterly by the east city boundary, from Mission street to the southeasterly corner of the city to the Los Angeles River; westerly by the Los Angeles river, from the south city boundary to Macy street."
Officeholders
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- Robert E. Wirsching, 1889–90
- Samuel Rees, 1890–92
- George W. Campbell, 1892–94
- Evert L. Blanchard, 1894–1902, 1904–09
- Frank U. Nofziger, 1902–04
See also
- Los Angeles Common Council, 1850-1889
- Los Angeles City Council, 1909–1925
- Los Angeles City Council, 1925 to present
References
For the boundaries: "The Election," Los Angeles Times, February 6, 1889, page 2 A library card may be necessary to access this link.
For everything else: Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials 1850–1938, Municipal Reference Library, March 1938, reprinted 1946.