La Puente is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city had a population was 39,816 at the 2010 census and is approximately 20 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.The original inhabitants of the area now occupied by the city of La Puente were the Tongva. They lived in a village called Awingna, which linguists translate as "abiding place." The Awingna chief Matheo was baptized at Mission San Gabriel in 1774.In 1769, the Spanish Portolá expedition became the first Europeans to see inland portions of Alta California. On July 30, the party camped on the east side of the San Gabriel River, in today's unincorporated area of Bassett. Father Juan Crespi wrote in his diary that, the next day, they had to build a bridge to cross the miry San Gabriel River.With the establishment of Mission San Gabriel, the area encompassing Awingna and what is now the city of La Puente became part of Rancho La Puente, established as a mission outpost and ranch.