Thanking life-long Artesia resident Veronica Bloomfield for her presentation, “Artesia, Then & Now” were (l-r) Rotary member Sharun Carlson, Bloomfield, President Sug Kitahara, and members Becky Lingad and Artesia Councilman Tony Lima.
By Larry Caballero
Veronica Bloomfield has lived in Artesia her entire life and loves its history and diversity. When asked by the Rotary Club of Artesia-Cerritos President Sug Kitahara to speak on the topic, “Artesia, Then & Now,” she was thrilled.
Her family has always been involved in the city, including her grandfather who was one of its first photographers, and her mother who is active in the Artesia Historical Society. “Artesia has a small town feel, and yet it’s close to big cities,” said Bloomfield. “I don’t want to live anywhere else.”
She teaches in an elementary school in Whittier, has earned a Masters Degree in elementary education and has a major in cultural studies.
Bloomfield said that Artesia gained greater access to Los Angeles and other Southern California cities when it became a stop on the Pacific Electric “Red Car” Railway in 1905, which connected Los Angeles to Santa Ana.
It carried freight at night, giving the farmers and merchants a method to send and receive their products via rail and maximizing usage of the rail lines.
In the 1920s and 1930s, immigrants from the Netherlands and the Portuguese Azores Islands started many dairy farms in Artesia, creating one of the most important dairy farming areas in Southern California. Throughout those years and well into the 1950s, Artesia maintained its small town rural environment. Artesia has always been an ethnically diverse community, which included Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Mexican, Japanese, and Anglo residents.
By the 1970s there was a significant increase in immigration of Chinese, Korean, Pilipino, Indian and Pakistani, many settling or starting businesses in Artesia.
Bloomfield said everyone should drop by and enjoy shopping in the ethnic stores and fashion.
