The origins of Hawaiian Gardens are shrouded in lore. The oft-repeated story is that the name was first given to a fruit stand (and possible moonshine distillery) located near the dusty corner of Carson Street and Norwalk Boulevard in 1927 – but I found newspaper ads promoting the Hawaiian Gardens tract in 1923, so at least we can clear up that inaccuracy. There is an old photo that purports to be the fruit stand in question, thatched roofs and all; I have no cause to doubt that, although there’s nothing to support the claim that the stand’s never-identified proprietor came from Hawaii himself. At any rate, Hawaiian Gardens grew out of that corner and eventually incorporated in 1964 as the smallest city in Los Angeles County. (It’s around one square mile.) Hawaiian Avenue itself was named in 1958.
Find it on the map:
