Los Angeles

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Indigenous Tongva people inhabited the basin at the settlement of Yaanga, meaning 'place of the poison oak' or 'the valley of smoke,' before Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo claimed the area for Spain in 1542. On September 4, 1781, a group of 44 settlers known as 'Los Pobladores' founded the town under Spanish governor Felipe de Neve. Two-thirds of these Mexican or New Spain settlers were mestizo or mulatto. The city became part of the First Mexican Empire in 1821 and was occupied by U.S. marines in 1846 during the Mexican-American War, leading to the siege of Los Angeles where 150 Mexican militias fought occupiers before surrendering. American control was finalized with the Treaty of Cahuenga in 1847 and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. In 1910, Hollywood merged into Los Angeles, already home to 10 movie companies; by 1921, more than 80 percent of the world's film industry was concentrated there. The oil discovery in 1892 and the arrival of railroads in 1876 and 1885 fueled growth that saw the population surpass one million by 1930.

In Their Own Story

The history of Los Angeles is anchored by the Tongva settlement of Yaanga. In 1781, 44 settlers established a pueblo named El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles. Following Mexican independence in 1821, Governor Pío Pico made it the regional capital of Alta California. The U.S. took control after battles culminating in the Treaty of Cahuenga in 1847, and formalized by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. After incorporation in 1850, railroads arrived in 1876 and 1885, and oil was discovered in 1892. The Los Angeles Aqueduct, completed in 1913 under William Mulholland, secured water for the city's expansion. By 1910, Hollywood had merged with the city, and by 1921, it housed over 80 percent of global film production. During World War II, the area became a major center for shipbuilding and aircraft manufacturing.

Reader's Guide

Los Angeles covers about 469 square miles, stretching from the Pacific Ocean in the west through the Santa Monica Mountains to the San Fernando Valley and bordering the San Gabriel Valley to the east. It is the county seat of Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the United States with an estimated 9.86 million residents as of 2022. The city hosts one of the busiest container ports in the Americas. As of 2023, it was the third-most visited city in the U.S., after New York City and Miami, with over 3.6 million visitors. The urban core features the world's largest showcase of architecture designed by Frank Gehry.

Did You Know?

• The original name of the settlement is disputed; some sources cite 'El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles del Río Porciúncula'.
• In 1908, Los Angeles created the first municipal zoning ordinance in the United States, establishing residential and industrial zones.
• The city hosted the Summer Olympics in 1932 and 1984, and is scheduled to host again in 2028.
• By 1921, more than 80 percent of the world's film industry was concentrated in Los Angeles.
• The Tongva settlement of Yaanga means 'place of the poison oak' or 'the valley of smoke'.