Bellflower: Parks, Local History and Fire Museum

Place Name and Settlement History

The name Bellflower comes from the Bellefleur apple orchard cultivated by pioneer settler William Gregory in the northern part of the city. “Bellefleur” literally means “beautiful flower” in French. The place name therefore points both to a specific agricultural connection and to a French word meaning. Bellflower was originally settled by small communities of Dutch, Japanese, and Portuguese dairy farmers. The apple orchard and dairy farming represent two distinct agricultural aspects of the area’s early history; the communities mentioned also give the beginnings of settlement specific connections to their places of origin.

Parks and Trails

Butterfly Garden Park is a pocket park on the south side of Alondra Blvd., west of the San Gabriel River, and covers just under one acre. Its features include permeable surfaces, a planted infiltration basin, and native plants that attract butterflies. A walking path and benches round out the park; butterfly-shaped paving elements carry the theme into the design. Here, the park’s name is reflected in specific planting and design features, while the path and benches add to its profile.

Riverview Park has a different connection to the river: it lies directly along the west side of the San Gabriel River and spans 16.2 acres. Its amenities include a bike route, a quiet walking path, two information kiosks, and a demonstration garden featuring California native plants. The planting consists exclusively of drought-resistant and native plants. The difference in trail options is clear: the Bellflower Bike Trail is 2.4 miles long, intended for cyclists and pedestrians, and connected to the San Gabriel River bikeway path; Riverview Park offers a bike route and a quiet walking path within its grounds.

The parks also contrast clearly in size and planting: Butterfly Garden Park covers just under one acre, while Riverview Park spans 16.2 acres. Butterfly-attracting plants and related design features define the former; Riverview combines drought-resistant and native plants with a demonstration garden and two information kiosks. This makes it easy to distinguish the smaller, butterfly-themed park from the much larger park with its garden and trail features.

Play Areas at Pirate Park and Palm Street Park

Pirate Park and Palm Street Park offer two different types of play areas. The children’s playground at Pirate Park is fully fenced and about 4,000 square feet in size. Its pirate theme includes a pirate ship, a fort, a skull cave, a climbing bridge, and a treasure chest. Palm Street Park features a large, multicolored interactive children’s playground, as well as bike racks, picnic tables, and demonstration gardens featuring California native plants. By comparison, Pirate Park centers on its fenced, themed play area, while Palm Street Park combines a playground with bike racks, picnic tables, and planted gardens.

Los Angeles County Fire Museum

The Los Angeles County Fire Museum is located in downtown Bellflower. The collection includes historic fire engines, including Squad 51 from the television series Emergency!, as well as uniforms, badges, helmets, photographs, and other artifacts from Los Angeles County’s firefighting service. The exhibits therefore range from historic vehicles to personal equipment and photographs. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Check the opening hours again before your visit, as they may change.

Discover more destinations: Rancho Palos Verdes, Stevenson Ranch, Artesia, Whittier, Hidden Hills, Montebello, Rowland Heights, Vernon

For the main travel overview: Los Angeles.