Chesterfield Square is a 0.63-square-mile neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, located within the South Los Angeles region. It contains its namesake park, along with the Van Ness Recreation Center.HistoryThe neighborhood is a mix of low-density commercial, industrial, and residential development with characteristic bungalow houses. It was once known as the site of the worst incident of gang violence in L.A. history, in which 5 people were left dead in a gang-related massacre titled "54th St. Massacre." The neighborhood has bounced back through redevelopment.GeographyThe Chesterfield Square neighborhood touches Vermont Square on the north, Harvard Park on the east, Manchester Square on the south, and Hyde Park on the west. It is bounded by West 54th Street on the north, Western Avenue on the east, Florence Avenue on the south and South Van Ness Boulevard on the west.It is notable within the city for the relatively low percentage of its 6,000+ residents born outside the United States, for being in first place for the number of violent crimes committed of areas of Los Angeles and for the fact that the percentage of veterans who served during World War II and the Korean War is among the county's highest.
