This book studies Los Angeles County and its government since World War II. A special focus is given to the “Titans of Temple Street,” the five-member Board of Supervisors that determines policies and actions for many issues throughout the county, especially for residents who do not live in the county’s 88 cities. It is the largest of all U.S. counties, with a population of more than 10 million, more residents than 41 states, and an annual budget of more than $44 billion, more than all but 19 states. It has served as an innovative example of county government since the early 1900s.

From 1974 to late 2006 Tom Sitton was on the curatorial staff of the history department of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. He has authored five books and many articles on the political and social history of Los Angeles and Southern California. He lives in Chino Hills, California.

Tom Sitton
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 263
Bibliographic Info: 15 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2023
pISBN: 978-1-4766-8865-7
eISBN: 978-1-4766-4913-9
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments vii
Preface 1
Introduction 3
1. The Postwar Era and the “Five Little Kings” 7
2. Messing with the Environment 30
3. The County and Its Cities 46
4. From Watts to Whittier Boulevard and Beyond 58
5. 1970s Scandals and County Family Fights 75
6. Reforming the County Government Structure 94
7. Taxpayer Revolts 111
8. The Decade of the “Solid Three” 123
9. Development Unchained 145
10. “Fiefdoms Under Fire” 160
11. Another Change in Leadership 172
12. Los Angeles County Government in the New Millennium 192
Epilogue 202
Acronyms and Abbreviations 205
Chapter Notes 207
Bibliography 239
Index 251

• “…one of the most impressive feats of primary research I have encountered.”—Jerald Podair, professor of history and Robert S. French Professor of American Studies, Lawrence University