Watts, Los Angeles

Watts
Neighborhood of Los Angeles
The Watts Towers, created by Simon Rodia
"Welcome to Watts" sign on Central Avenue
Watts Location of Watts, Los Angeles Show map of Southern Los Angeles Watts Location within Southern Los Angeles Show map of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Watts Location within Southern California Show map of southern California Watts Location within California Show map of California Watts Location within United States Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 33°56′30″N 118°14′30″W / 33.94167°N 118.24167°W / 33.94167; -118.24167
Country	United States
State	California
County	Los Angeles
City	Los Angeles
Government
• City Council	Tim McOsker
• State Assembly	Mike Gipson (D)
• State Senate	Steven Bradford (D)
• U.S. House	Nanette Barragán (D)
Area [1]
• Total	2.0 sq mi (5 km2)
Population  (2000)[1]
• Total	34,830
• Density	17,350/sq mi (6,700/km2)
ZIP Code	90002, 90059
Area code	323
Website	Watts Neighborhood Council

Watts is a neighborhood in southern Los Angeles, California. It is located within the South Los Angeles region, bordering the cities of Lynwood, Huntington Park and South Gate to the east and southeast, respectively, and the unincorporated community of Willowbrook to the south.

Founded in the late nineteenth century as a ranching community, the arrival of the railroads and the construction of Watts Station saw the rapid development of Watts as an independent city, but in 1926 it was consolidated with Los Angeles. By the 1940s, Watts transformed into a primarily working class African-American neighborhood, but from the 1960s developed a reputation as a low-income, high-crime area, following the Watts riots and the increasing influence of street gangs.^[2] Watts has become a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood with a significant African American minority,^[3] and remains one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in Los Angeles despite falling crime rates since the 1990s. Notable civic activities by residents of Watts include the "Toys for Watts" toy drive, the Watts Christmas parade, and the "Watts Summer Games" athletic tournament, as well as a local theatre and a dance company, in an effort to improve the neighborhood.^[4]

Watts is noted internationally for the landmark Watts Towers by Simon Rodia, which are a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument and also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The neighborhood has also been featured or referenced in numerous forms of media, particularly West Coast hip-hop music, and movies and television shows set in Los Angeles.