The beginnings of Montebello as a place extends back hundreds of years and was once part of Mexico. In 1771 the Spanish built the first mission in the Los Angeles area on the banks of the Rio Hondo, in northeast Montebello. Conflict later arose between the United States and Mexico over land and property. The struggle over California lasted close to 30 years which resulted with the defeat of Mexico in 1847. Montebello's hills proved to be a valuable asset in 1916. Oil was discovered and even today these fields continue to produce impressive amounts of oil.

Its modern era began with the arrival of the Santa Fe Railroad in 1886 that attracted many waves of new residents along with the industrial emigration which contributed to the incorporation of Montebello- "The City of Flowers" on October 16, 1920. The promise of employment opportunities, mild climate and an abundance of water supply were key factors in the expansion and development of the city. The oldest structure in Montebello is the Sanchez Adobe, museum of history, located at 946 N. Adobe Ave. and the distinguished Rod's Coffee Shop that began serving the community for 35 years. It is easy to access the city due to the development of the surrounding freeways. The Santa Ana Freeway (5) is in the south, the Pomona (60) in the north, the 605 to the east and the Long Beach Freeway (710) to the west.

Montebello, like few other cities in California, locally controls important social services. One example is the school system. Montebello Unified School District provides instructional services to approximately 34, 200 (K-12) students which includes pupils from neighboring cities like Bell Gardens and City of Commerce. An involved police department works closely with these schools on preventative measures. In addition, there is a fire department with state-of-the-art equipment and training and a transit system that connects residents to Whittier, Pico Rivera, East Los Angeles, Monterey Park and Downtown Los Angeles. These programs along with the citizens' commitment and pride are factors of the low crime rate in Montebello.