The City of Industry in Los Angeles County might seem self-explanatory, being primarily known as an industrial hub, yet its creation is steeped in a compelling and tumultuous history.
Originally, the area known today as Industry was an unincorporated agricultural zone in the La Puente Valley, under the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
Ranchers cultivated crops such as oats and alfalfa during this period, but the landscape changed dramatically in the 1900s.
A pivotal figure in this transformation was Clifford Clayton Stafford, also known as C.C. Stafford, who established a successful feed mill in La Puente during the 1920s.
Thanks to its favorable location near railroads and access to labor, his business flourished, reportedly generating over $1 million annually from its 15 employees by supplying hay, grain, and other goods to ranchers and dairies across California.
However, Stafford’s success took a dark turn when he faced legal trouble for rape.
This trial, occurring in 1929, attracted considerable media attention, and the aftermath severely impacted his son, James Marty Stafford, shaping his ambitions for power and influence.
After taking over the family business, James Stafford became one of the most significant figures in Industry’s history, despite not being acknowledged on the city’s Wikipedia page.
Soon, he joined the L.A. County regional planning commission, which played a critical role in the proposal of new city formations.
When residents from La Puente’s suburbs expressed interest in incorporating into a city, James Stafford—who realized the proposed boundaries included his property—moved into action.
Fearing the potential loss of his land, James organized the few landowners from La Puente Valley’s industrial corridor to petition for a separate city, with backing from the county.
This new city would focus on manufacturing and production rather than residential development, leading to its fitting name: Industry.
The Southern Pacific Railroad, an essential landowner in the region, supported this initiative, perceiving residential encroachment from La Puente as a threat to its industrial interests.
With James in a decision-making position on the planning commission, his influence eventually led the commission to recommend approval of Industry’s cityhood petition.
La Puente incorporated in August 1956, followed by Industry on December 4 of the same year; however, the city’s certification was quickly halted by the courts amidst legal disputes from La Puente residents worried about the impact of Industry’s incorporation on their community.
Tensions remained high, with lawsuits initiated by concerned residents like Walter F. Pyne, who alleged that James Stafford’s influential role in forming Industry presented a conflict of interest.
In addition to this, the question of the city’s voter base arose, as state law mandated a minimum of 500 registered voters for city formation.
To address this issue, nearly 200 patients and staff from the El Encanto Sanitarium, a private mental institution within the proposed city limits, were included in the census.
However, Pyne’s lawsuit claimed that the inclusion of these patients was illegal due to concerns regarding their ability to make informed voting decisions.
In a strategic move, the Southern Pacific Railroad decided to offset the conflict by having a real estate agent secretly buy out Pyne’s property, effectively nullifying his lawsuit rights.
Ultimately, Pyne dropped his suit, and a resolution was reached between La Puente and Industry, allowing Industry to officially become a city on June 18, 1957.
James Stafford, while never holding an official political position, continued to impact the city’s policies and development, with many of his connections occupying elected roles in the newly formed city government.
For instance, the attorney who assisted James during the lawsuit later served as Industry’s inaugural city attorney.
Following his father’s pattern, James Stafford’s career was marred by legal troubles in the 1980s when he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a large-scale kickback scheme.
Evidence revealed that he had accepted $750,000 in bribes to facilitate preferential deals for builders in the city.
This complex history showcases how Industry emerged not from a straightforward vision of industrial development but through a web of corruption, influence, and strategic maneuvering—an amalgamation that makes the city’s origin story as multifaceted as it is intriguing.
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