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Los Angeles' history is a story of trials and triumphs, a slice of the American dream. Its first residents were Gabrieleño and Chumash Indians who lived in the area for thousands of years. In September 1771, Father Junipero Serra and a group of Spaniards founded the San Gabriel Mission and in 1781 they sent a group of settlers to establish a town, which they named El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula (The River of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels of Porciuncula). The pueblo developed quickly and would eventually become known as Los Angeles.
California was ruled by Spain until Mexico gained independence in 1821 and control over California in 1822. In 1848 the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo made California a U.S. territory. With statehood, Los Angeles was incorporated (1850) and made the seat of Los Angeles County.
By 1900, LA's population had jumped from 2,300 in 1860 to 100,000. This population explosion resulted in a severe shortage of drinking water. The problem was solved in 1904 with the creation of an aqueduct to carry snowmelt from nearby mountains. By 1920 LA's population had increased to 1 million and to 2 million by 1930. This was related to the discovery of oil and the boom of the aerospace industry during WWI and WWII.
The next major draw was the arrival of "the industry," or Hollywood. The city strives both to create and live up to the reputation of the Studios. With that has come a flood of people eager to experience the Hollywood lifestyle. And why wouldn't they come? Los Angeles has always been a trendsetter and although life there sometimes seems to be stuck between dream and reality, it is always evolving and exciting.
However, under this glittering façade problems of ethnic friction were intensifying, and in August 1965 this tension boiled over in the Watts section of LA in the worst race riots in the nation's history.
Today LA's leaders struggle to solve the problems that have troubled the city for years: limited natural resources, economic inequality, rising population pressures and, of course, traffic congestion. Racial violence erupted again in the LA riots of 1992, leaving 51 dead and $1 billion worth of property destroyed. However, the city banded together to face the many natural disasters of the 1990s. They were faced with a surprising number of earthquakes, wildfires, floods and mud slides, which helped to unify the Los Angeles residents in their desire to make it through and thrive despite the disasters facing them.
HISTORICAL ATTRACTIONS
Downtown Los Angeles
This busy center contains many places of historic interest including the Civic Center (America's largest complex of government buildings after Washington, D.C.), Little Tokyo, Chinatown and the Museum of Contemporary Art. A few blocks east of the Civic Center, El Pueblo de Los Angeles is a 44-acre state historic park honoring the site where the city was founded in 1781 and saving many of its earliest buildings. Its central attraction for most visitors is Olvera Street, a narrow, block-long passageway that was restored as an open-air Mexican marketplace in 1930. Union Station is also worth stopping by whether you actually need to catch a train or not. It was built in 1939 in Spanish Mission style with Moorish and Modern details, and is often overlooked.
Avila Adobe
This is the oldest building in the city of Los Angeles, and was originally the home of Mayor Don Francisco Avila in 1810. The building was also used in the Mexican-American War as a military headquarters for Commodore Robert Stockton.
Charlie Chaplin Studios
Chaplin made most of his many films at this studio and also lived here for a while. George Reeves shot the television series "Superman" here as well. The studio buildings remain much the same as they were when Chaplin and Reeves used them.
Chateau Marmont Hotel
This building looks like a French castle, and many celebrities stay here for long periods of time, even today. Built in 1929, the hotel has been host to some of the most famous artists in rock and roll, including John Lennon and Jim Morrison.
Hollywood Mann's Chinese Theater
One of the most famous places in the city, the theater was named a historical landmark in 1968. Built in 1927, the theater is decorated in traditional Chinese style. Adults and children alike will enjoy seeing the many hand- and footprints made by celebrities outside.
Sources:
(http://www.los-angeles-travel-services.com/)
