Lowriders on parade help the SoCal city celebrate its anniversary.
The city of Cudahy, California, was named for its founder, meat-packing baron Michael Cudahy (who also lent his name to a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin), who purchased the original 2,800 acres in 1908 to resell as one-acre lots. These "Cudahy lots" were notable for their dimensions-in most cases, 50 to 100 feet in width and 600 to 800 feet in depth, a length equivalent to a city block or more in most American towns. Such parcels, often referred to as "railroad lots," were intended to allow the new town's residents to keep a large vegetable garden, a grove of fruit trees (usually citrus), and a chicken coop or horse stable.
By the early 1960s, increasing property values, as well as changes in zoning permits and property tax assessment formulas, led many Cudahy residents to sell off their homes to real estate developers who radically developed the once lowly populated town. Where the typical Cudahy lot originally contained only a small one- or two-story house, most parcels today contain at least two duplex or triplex apartment buildings, and oftentimes a two- or three-story apartment building that stretches the length of the property, containing dozens of units. From the 1970s onward, these housing units have been filled almost entirely with working-class Latinos, and today Cudahy boasts one of the highest Latino population densities of any incorporated city in the United States.
Cudahy is a relatively young city, having been incorporated as recently as 1960. The city celebrated their incorporation anniversary this past November with a parade that included several lowriders and classic rides. The parade was lead by City Manager George Perez, who owns a classic '64 Chevy Impala convertible. Other rides on hand included those of the Majestics Car Club, who put it down with five of their cars. Rollerz Only C.C. brought out a few as well, and a group of bomb riders who just love to come out and have a good time were there with their classic cars. All in all, there were about 25 classic rides driven in the parade route.
The parade had a little something for everyone. The kids and teens got a thrill as they got to see the lowriders hitting switches. The people also enjoyed the show that the Aztec warriors put on for the crowd. All in all, it was a good parade celebrating 45 years of incorporation in the city. We would like to thank the city for inviting us to their celebration and credit the city for keeping it real and giving back to the community.