He was a naturalized citizen having been born in Ireland. He had little personal interest in the quarrel between the states which exploded into Civil War, but he did champion the cause of a central government.
He would have nothing to do with those who would divide the Union.
When war broke out he resisted the pressure of Southern sympathizers to pull California into the Southern camp, despite the fact many of them were of his own party, the Democrats.
John Vincent of the Downey Historical Society, points out Downey did what he thought was right, and backed the Republican President, Lincoln, even though it meant losing much of his own party’s backing and amounted to political suicide. He never again held public office.
When cast out of political favor, he hadn’t a clue that his turn from politics to real estate developer would be so successful. But, disenchanted, Downey invested heavily in local land. He knew the area that came to be named after him, and he returned here.
In 1873 the Southern Pacific Railroad decided to lay a line between the two local villages, the College Settlement at Paramount Boulevard and Alameda Street, and the little community of Gallatin (in the area of today’s Gallatin Road).
The two communities had each fought for the rails to run past their downtowns, but Downey and his Los Angeles land partners conceived of a new and larger town that would eventually include both older communities.
The result was that rails were laid where they remain today, just south of what is now Firestone Boulevard.
On a gala day, to the accompanying cheers of hundreds, the first SP train arrived at the Downey Station April 15, 1874.
With the arrival of the rails came more people and new investment. The rail system was extended north to San Francisco, and on Sept. 5, 1876, Downey and Los Angeles had their first transcontinental link.
Downey and his partners were known as the Downey Land Association. Among their holdings was a tract of 96 acres which became the present downtown. They built the Central Hotel at Venable and Front streets (now Firestone Boulevard and La Reina Avenue).
Caleb Crowell relocated his general store from the old College Settlement to the new business district and Downey’s downtown was a reality.