The city today known as Paramount was originally identified in 1781 by Mexican settlers of New Spain. It was organized under two old Spanish Ranchos; on the west, Rancho San Pedro, and on the east, Rancho Los Nietos (now portions of the cities of Santa Fe Springs and Whittier). These ranchos were established under the Spanish Empire and granted by King Carlos III in 1784. In 1834, Rancho Los Nietos was partitioned into five smaller ranchos including Rancho Los Cerritos and Rancho Los Alamitos, which both encompassed parts of Paramount.
After the Mexican–American War California was ceded to the United States. The then-unincorporated community of Paramount was created in 1948 when the United States Postmaster General ordered the merger of the post offices of Hynes and Clearwater (Pitt 1997:381). The name was taken from Paramount Boulevard, the main north-to-south surface street extending through the city. The city officially incorporated January 30, 1957 following a successful "Save Paramount for Paramount" campaign to fight annexation by Long Beach, Bellflower, and South Gate.
While the Paramount economy was based largely on the hay and dairy industries, the high cost of land led to their local demise. The last Paramount dairy closed in 1977.
What is the Paramount Chamber?
It is an opportunity.
An opportunity for you and your company to join the business people of this community who are working together to accomplish what they know they cannot achieve alone.
What does it do?
If the Chamber achieved nothing more than the potential that can be derived from community networking, then membership in the Chamber would be invaluable. However, the Chamber does much more. It provides resources, services, and information difficult for individuals to obtain on their own. The variety and scope of Chamber activities are unlimited, depending on the needs of the community.
Why invest in the Chamber?
Your tax-deductible investment entitles you to a wide range of benefits. The Chamber is a full-time salesperson promoting your business every day. Our job is to save you time and money while providing you opportunities for growth.
How do I join?
It's simple, click on the application link in the upper right to download the application. Print it out, fill it in, then return it to the Chamber by mail with a check for your investment amount. Determine your investment amount by matching your company designation or the number of employees to the Membership Investment Guidelines chart.