What role has industry played in the development of Carson?
In the 1920s, while still very much an agricultural community, Carson was already home to a number of oil refineries and other heavy industry. The fruits of World War II and the postwar population explosion in Southern California included a steadily growing industrial base in Carson. In the 1960s, this element of the community was strong enough to obstruct the efforts of some citizens to have Carson incorporated as a city; similarly, the eventual support of the Carson-Dominguez Industrial Council was critical to reaching this goal in 1968. Following incorporation, the city was eager to welcome new industry, although it was not so eager to deal with the aftereffects of some enterprises, particularly those such as auto dismantling plants and landfills which had located in the area when residents had no say in whether they might do so. In the 1990s, Carson was actively seeking to clean up the city’s image and environment, pleased that most heavy industry was gone and current operations (w
