California’s earliest residents were Native Americans. Prior to the mid-18th century, several native peoples dominated the area, most notably those from the Tongva nation. Legend even has it that these early inhabitants were reluctant to establish large settlements in what is now the L.A. basin due to its poor air quality-perhaps a premonition of things to come, and certainly ironic given today’s smog.
The earliest key date in the development of Los Angeles is August 2, 1769. It was on that afternoon that a group of Spanish explorers from the east, led by Junipero Serra and Captain Gaspar de Portola, entered what came to be known as Los Angeles, in the area around Elysian Park. The purpose of the expedition was to establish a trail of missions linking San Diego and San Francisco, known as “El Camino Real,” or The Royal Road. Legend also has it that during their brief stay in the area, the men experienced three earthquakes. Unfazed by this, the group decided to establish a large settlement here in spite of the terrestrial shaking-another premonition of things to come.
Los Angeles got its name from Serra who originally called the area “El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula,” which was obviously shortened later. Throughout the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the area thrived as a mission under the control of the Mexican government. On March 9th, 1842, Francisco Lopez discovered gold in the Santa Clarita Valley and by 1845, U.S. troops began battling for control of California. On January 9, 1847, Commodore Stockton recaptured Los Angeles for the third and final time, and just days later Mexican general Andres Pico surrendered California to U.S. General John Fremont. A subsequent boundary dispute ensued as to where the borders of the city and county should be, but on April 4, 1850, the city of Los Angeles was incorporated, with California officially entering the union five months later.
The late 1800s and early 1900s saw Los Angeles grow exponentially. One reason for this was the railroads, which finally reached Los Angeles from the East. The railroads resulted in a major expansion of economy and population, as evidenced by the fact that L.A.’s population doubled in the last decade of the 1800s and tripled in the first decade of the 1900s. In 1913, William Mulholland built an aqueduct, which allowed water to be brought to Los Angeles from 200 miles north. This important event, coupled with the earlier railroad boom, is considered to be largely responsible for L.A.’s growth into a major population center.
By the 20s, many industries were beginning to stake their claim in the city. The most popular of these industries was the budding film industry. Filmmakers from the East came to Southern California for its eternal sunshine and varied landscape. Where else in America could they find perfect weather and largely empty surrounding land, as well as mountains, lakes, forests and beaches all within an hour’s drive? As movies and movie making became more ingrained in American culture during the 1940s and 50s, millions began flocking to L.A. in hopes of becoming a star and striking it rich. By the mid-to-late 1950s, the population of L.A. had reached two million and appeared to be going nowhere but up.
As the city grew, more people meant more problems. In 1943, a clash between sailors, marines and local Hispanic gangs broke out, known as the Zoot Suit Riots. For several days and nights, downtown Los Angeles was transformed into a battle-zone. Although the riots were finally quelled by police, this would not be the last time the city witnessed large-scale urban unrest. Devastating race riots erupted in 1965 and again in 1992, after the Rodney King verdict, giving the city its reputation for being a hotbed of racial tensions. Riots, however, weren’t the only problem associated with overpopulation. Runaway air pollution and the damage caused by several earthquakes-the largest and most memorable of which was the Northridge earthquake in 1994, with a total magnitude of 6.7-have also given the city its fair share of crises to deal with over the years.
Now that Los Angeles has entered the new century, things are definitely looking up. While the ground may never stop shaking, tougher building codes and better city planning have helped to minimize damage caused by earthquakes. Stricter emissions standards for cars and factories have helped dramatically clean up the air and, while racial tensions continue to simmer, they are getting better with time. As long as this high-profile city remains standing, certain things can always be counted on to thrive in L.A.: movies, sunshine, gridlock on the 405 Freeway and eager souls arriving each day to the City of Angels in search of their own piece of heaven.
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