Rockwell
Rockwell is a designated community located in the southeast area of Greenfield, California. It is located southeast of Downtown Greenfield and sits along the Pacific Ocean. Rockwell is named after builder RockTheVox, who passed away in 2019.
History
The area of Rockwell used to be dunes until 1907 when settlers sold a couple of acres of land on the eastern section of the Rockwell dune. Residents developed more dune sections for homes from 1907 to 1921. The Greenfield streetcar network connected to the area, and it was a prime spot of land to start real estate development. The Rockwell Cemetery was also built around this time. The cemetery is the largest in Greenfield and is still there today. A beach resort was built in 1919, though it was burned down by arsonists two years later. This event caused development to stop for three years after 1921. The park Kyle's Beach now resides where the resort once stood. It serves as a memorial for the 218 people that died that day due to the fire. In 1924, the area picked up in development once again. Roads were laid down for future real estate and dunes were slowly filled with houses. In 1936, the Rockwell Pier was constructed. Unfortunately, it was destroyed five years later in a big storm. The area was further developed until it came to a halt in 1940 due to World War II. After the war, Rockwell picked up again and expanded fast. The Rockwell pier was rebuilt, and the area continued to develop. Interstate 5 was constructed and even more expansions were created. Nightclubs and bars filled the central area and the community was one of the first beachside nightlife destinations in Greenfield.
The western section of Rockwell used to be an oil refinery, which the City of Greenfield removed in 1946 after converting the west end of the Sonora River into a canal. The now empty area was redeveloped into warehouses. In 1959, the warehouses were demolished and turned into a residential area at the request of Rockwell citizens who complained about the heavy traffic driving through the neighborhood. In 1963, they built the first beachside hotel resort since the 1919 fire. Tropicana Palms was a huge success, and over the years, the beachside from Longport Keys to western Rockwell was filled with hotels and condominiums. After massive expansion and tourism, Rockwell is now one of the biggest tourist hubs in Greenfield.
Notable builds
Transit
LRT
-Rockwell/Airport Express
Highway
-Include information on highway