The City of Duarte is a small progressive community located at the base of the picturesque San Gabriel Mountains, approximately 21 miles northeast of Los Angeles. At 6.8 square miles and a population of 21,486, Duarte isnt the biggest city in the valley. But it just may be the best.
Duarte is a richly diverse community of stable neighborhoods and friendly neighbors. Lush green foothills, parks, hiking and bike trails and beautiful new social and recreational gathering places enhance the livability of the community.
In the mid-1800s, most of the Rancho was sold to help defray Andres Duartes debts. One of those who purchased land was Dr. Nehemiah Beardslee, who started the first school in Duarte and laid out the first section of Duartes water lines. Much of the remaining land was divided into 40-acre plots and sold individually.
Many of Duartes earliest pioneer families came to Duarte in the mid-1800s for their health , the pleasant climate, and the fertile soil.
English settlers, Americans from the Midwest and deep South, Latinos who remained from the Rancho and Japanese immigrants enabled Duarte to grow into a thriving agricultural community specializing in citrus production.
The City of Duarte is also host to a world-renowned cancer research center and a nationally recognized hospital dedicated to improving the physical and mental well being of its residents.