Englishman William Workman (c. 1799-1876), co-owner of the sprawling Rancho La Puente, once operated a flour mill – “Workman’s mill” – where the San Gabriel River now meets San Jose Creek, near the present-day interchange of the 60 and 605 freeways and about four miles west of Workman’s home (see Don Julian Road). The earliest mention of the mill I could find was in 1867, when Workman’s son-in-law (and banking partner) F.P.F. Temple advertised his “new road” from Los Angeles to San Bernardino via “Workman’s mill”. It was known as The Los Angeles and Workman Mill Road by 1895 and within a few years would simply be called Workman Mill Road.
Find it on the map:
