Of the various Workmans who made their name in 19th century Los Angeles, the granddaughter of San Fernando founder Charles Maclay claimed that Gramps named Workman Street after William Henry Workman (1839-1918), who at the time (1874) was a member of L.A. City Council – then known as the “Common Council”. He would be elected mayor of Los Angeles twelve years later; read more about him at Workman Street in Lincoln Heights. That said, since most streets in this neighborhood honor L.A.’s earliest movers and shakers, the true namesake for this street might be Workman’s uncle, the original William Workman (c. 1799-1876), a pioneer financier who met a tragic end: see Temple City’s Workman Avenue for the story.
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