Brothers
Reese Llewellyn, David Llewellyn, William Llewellyn, and John Llewellyn, of
Amman Valley, Wales, first organized the company in 1886. The dynamite explosion at Redondo and Main injured a night watchman. The company moved its factory to
Torrance in 1912. The steel-rolling mill in Torrance produced the steel used in the L.A. Biltmore Hotel on
Pershing Square and several downtown banks. Their use also expanded to other neighboring communities in Los Angeles County. In the southwest San Fernando Valley, then in unincorporated land, Llewellyn street lights were produced for the Van Nuys Highway Lighting District. The district had been organized as the first lighting district in the County in August 10, 1912, and provided for the installation of street lighting in the newly founded communities of
Van Nuys,
Marian, and
Owensmouth. The first street lights were installed along Sherman Way, which connected the townsite. Upon completion, 129 five-globe electroliers were installed in the main parts of the townsites along with 484 three-globe electroliers for a total of 613 street lamps. == References ==