Los Angeles – City of Angels
Los Angeles, a sprawling metropolis nestled along the sun-kissed coast of Southern California, stands as the second-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Home to nearly four million residents, this vibrant city boasts a history that, while relatively young compared to its East Coast counterparts, is rich with diverse cultural influences, transformative events, and a relentless spirit of innovation. Its narrative unfolds from humble beginnings to its current status as a global hub for entertainment, commerce, and culture.
The story of Los Angeles begins long before the arrival of European settlers, with several indigenous tribes calling the region home. The Tongva, Cahuilla, Kumeyaay, and Chumash peoples thrived in this land, demonstrating remarkable skill in boatbuilding and establishing a deep connection with the natural environment. These tribes were the first stewards of the land, their presence marked by established villages and a sustainable way of life.
The first European contact occurred in 1542 when Juan Cabrillo, a Portuguese explorer sailing under the Spanish flag, arrived at what is now San Pedro. He was greeted by Tongvan men who rowed out to his ship, marking the initial encounter between European explorers and the native inhabitants. Cabrillo’s exploration was short-lived, as he died later that year while wintering on Santa Catalina Island. For more than two centuries, the region remained largely untouched by European presence, leaving the indigenous cultures to continue their traditions.
The Spanish conquest of Mexico in 1769 marked a turning point. In 1771, the Spanish established Mission San Gabriel Archangel, one of a chain of missions built by Franciscan friars across Southern California. These missions aimed to convert the native population to Christianity and integrate them into the Spanish colonial system.
The official founding of Los Angeles is traditionally celebrated on September 4, 1781. On this date, a group of 44 "pobladores," settlers recruited from northern Mexico, established a settlement to solidify Spain’s control over Alta California. While historical narratives often portray these settlers as Spaniards, recent scholarship reveals a more diverse composition. Only two of the pobladores identified as Spaniards; the majority were of African or Native American descent, reflecting the complex racial and cultural mix of colonial Mexico. Contemporary research suggests that the pobladores arrived in stages, with some arriving as early as June, challenging the traditional single-day founding narrative.
The nascent settlement was christened "El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora Reina de los Ángeles de la Porciúncula," meaning "The Town of Our Lady Queen of the Angels of Porciuncula." This lengthy name reflected the strong religious influence of the Spanish colonizers. The settlement initially served as a cattle ranching center along the Los Angeles River. The oldest house in Los Angeles County, built in 1795 on Rancho San Antonio, still stands today as the Henry Gage Mansion in Bell Gardens, a tangible reminder of the city’s early history.
The arrival of Spanish missionaries significantly impacted the lives of the estimated 5,000 Tongvan Indians residing in 31 known village sites. In line with the mission system’s goals, the Tongva were encouraged to convert to Roman Catholicism and adopt agricultural practices. While the mission system provided employment on farms and ranches, it also disrupted traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyles and suppressed native religious practices, leading to cultural disruption. After the missions were secularized, the native population faced diminished resources. Despite these challenges, the Tongva tribe persists today, though without recognized reservations.
Mexico’s independence from Spain in 1821 brought about the secularization of the missions. Land grants were distributed to rancheros, wealthy landowners who established vast cattle ranches. This shift in power further marginalized the indigenous population, as their lands were increasingly claimed by private interests.
An interesting, albeit smaller, event occurred in 1842 when gold was discovered in Placerita Canyon, just outside the current city limits. This discovery sparked a minor gold rush, drawing prospectors to the area. Mining became an important industry, utilizing both hard rock and placer techniques. Even today, abandoned mines dot the local mountains, and hopeful prospectors still pan for gold in the San Gabriel River.
The ideology of Manifest Destiny, the belief that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent, reached California during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). On June 18, 1846, a group of American settlers raised the California Bear Flag, declaring independence from Mexico. U.S. troops swiftly seized control of presidios at Monterey and San Francisco, proclaiming the conquest complete.
In Southern California, however, Mexican forces initially resisted American troops. Ultimately, Los Angeles fell to Lieutenant Colonel John C. Fremont. The United States and Mexico signed the Treaty of Capitulation at Cahuenga Pass on January 13, 1847, officially ending hostilities and paving the way for California’s annexation by the United States.
Los Angeles was officially incorporated as a city on April 4, 1850. This marked a period of transition and upheaval, as the old landowners faced challenges in confirming their land grants in U.S. courts. The legal battles and associated costs led to the loss of land and bankruptcy for many, disrupting the established social order.
The changing power dynamics also led to resistance from some Mexican residents. Some resorted to social banditry, targeting Anglo-Americans in acts of defiance. In 1856, Juan Flores threatened Southern California with a full-scale revolt but was eventually captured and hanged in Los Angeles. Tiburcio Vasquez, a legendary figure among the Mexican population for his daring exploits, was captured in present-day West Hollywood, convicted of murder, and executed in San Jose in 1875.
The burgeoning Chinatown of Los Angeles was the site of a horrific incident in 1871. A Tong war between rival gangs resulted in the accidental death of a white man, igniting racial tensions. A mob of 500 white men descended on Chinatown, killing 19 men and boys, as well as a white man who attempted to protect them. Homes and businesses were looted, and despite a grand jury investigation, only one man served prison time, highlighting the racial injustices of the time.
In the 1870s, Los Angeles remained a relatively small village with a population of around 5,000. However, by 1900, the city had experienced explosive growth, with over 100,000 residents. This transformation was driven by visionary individuals who actively promoted Los Angeles, working to develop it into a major metropolis and amass personal fortunes. These ambitious Angelenos sought to reshape the city’s geography, challenging San Francisco’s dominance as the region’s primary port, railway terminal, and financial center.
In 1871, Phineas Banning undertook the ambitious project of excavating a channel out of the mudflats of San Pedro Bay, creating a navigable waterway to Wilmington. Banning also laid track and imported locomotives to connect the port to the city, facilitating trade and transportation. Harrison Gray Otis, the founder and owner of the Los Angeles Times, and his business associates further developed the harbor at San Pedro, utilizing federal funds to transform it into a major port facility.
These efforts put them at odds with Collis P. Huntington, president of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company and a member of California’s "Big Four" robber barons. Huntington directed the railroad line to a port at Santa Monica, where the Long Wharf was constructed. The San Pedro forces eventually prevailed, although Banning was forced to cede his railroad to the Southern Pacific Railroad. Work on the San Pedro breakwater commenced in 1899 and was completed in 1910. Otis Chandler and his allies secured a change in state law in 1909, enabling Los Angeles to annex San Pedro and Wilmington via a narrow land corridor, integrating the port cities into the larger city.
Edward L. Doheny’s discovery of oil in 1892 near the present location of Dodger Stadium transformed Los Angeles into a center of oil production. By 1923, the region produced one-quarter of the world’s total oil supply. While production has declined, oil remains a significant industry in the area.
The need for a reliable water supply was crucial for sustaining the city’s continued growth. The Los Angeles River, an intermittent waterway, and minimal rainfall were insufficient to meet the demands of the growing population. To address this challenge, a massive engineering and legal undertaking was initiated to bring water to the city. The Owens Valley, located 250 miles northeast of Los Angeles near the Nevada border, possessed the Owens River, a permanent stream fed by snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada.
Between 1899 and 1903, Harrison Gray Otis and his son-in-law, Harry Chandler, acquired land in the San Fernando Valley. They enlisted the help of William Mulholland, Chief of the Los Angeles Water Department, and J.B. Lippincott of the United States Reclamation Service. Lippincott secretly received a salary from the City of Los Angeles while conducting water surveys in the Owens Valley. He persuaded Owens Valley farmers to surrender their water rights to Fred Eden, Lippincott’s agent, who then transferred them to the city.
Eden resigned from the Reclamation Service and joined the Los Angeles Water Department as an assistant to Mulholland, providing the city with vital data for designing the world’s longest aqueduct. The Los Angeles Times warned voters of an impending water shortage, urging them to approve bonds for building the aqueduct. Artificial drought conditions were created to bolster support for the project. On election day, Los Angeles voters approved $22.5 million in bonds to finance the aqueduct. The Los Angeles Aqueduct was opened on November 5, 1913, with Mulholland declaring, "There it is. Take it."
The City of Los Angeles remained within its original 28 square-mile land grant until the 1890s. The first significant expansions included the annexation of Highland Park, Garvanza, and the South Central area. In 1906, the approval of the Port of Los Angeles and a change in state law allowed the city to annex the "Shoestring," a narrow strip of land connecting Los Angeles to the port. The port cities of San Pedro and Wilmington were added in 1909, followed by Hollywood in 1910, bringing the city’s total area to 90 square miles.
The opening of the Los Angeles Aqueduct provided the city with a surplus of water, which became a powerful tool for attracting neighboring communities. The city used the offer of water service as leverage to annex other communities, as it refused to supply water to those that remained independent. Otis Chandler promoted development near the aqueduct’s outlet in the San Fernando Valley. In 1915, 170 square miles of the San Fernando Valley and the Palms district were annexed, nearly tripling the city’s area.
Around the same time, motion picture production companies began relocating from New York and New Jersey to Southern California. The favorable weather, abundant sunshine, and diverse landscapes made the region ideal for filmmaking. Furthermore, the distance from Thomas Edison’s Motion Picture Patents Company made it more difficult for him to enforce his patents, allowing independent filmmakers to thrive in California. Dozens of film studios were established, solidifying Los Angeles’s position as the entertainment capital of the world.
Los Angeles continued to expand, particularly with the development of the San Fernando Valley and the construction of freeways beginning in the 1940s. As the streetcar system declined, Los Angeles became increasingly reliant on the automobile, shaping its urban landscape and contributing to the challenges of traffic congestion and urban sprawl.
Amidst this rapid development, Route 66 was commissioned in 1926, connecting Los Angeles to other parts of the country. However, the route would undergo numerous changes as the city continued to grow.
During World War II, Los Angeles became a major center for aircraft production, war supplies, and munitions. Thousands of African Americans and white Southerners migrated to the area to fill factory jobs, contributing to the city’s growing diversity.
By 1950, Los Angeles had transformed into an industrial and financial powerhouse, fueled by war production and migration. The city assembled more cars than any city other than Detroit, manufactured more tires than any other city, and became the national capital for motion pictures, radio programs, and television shows. The construction of tract houses in expanding suburban communities further shaped the city’s urban sprawl.
Today, the metropolitan area of Los Angeles encompasses 469 square miles and spans five counties, a testament to its remarkable growth and enduring influence. The story of Los Angeles, the City of Angels, is a dynamic narrative of ambition, innovation, and cultural fusion.