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Los Pobladores Plaque Olvera Street Review

The plaque reads:

Los Pobladores
The Founders Of The City Of Los Angeles
El Pueblo De La Reina De Los Angeles Sobre El Rio De La Porciuncula was founded near this site on or about September 4, 1781 as the first Spanish civilian settlement in southern California. Eleven families, including twenty two adults and twenty two children, were recruited from the provinces of Sinaloa and Sonora in New Spain, now called Mexico by Captain Fernando De Rivera Y Moncada, Emissary of the Governor of California Felipe De Neve, their task was to provide food for the soldiers of the presidios and to help secure Spain’s hold on this region, they included farmers, artisans, and stock raisers necessary for the survival of the settlement, escorted by soldiers they departed Los Alamos, Sonora on February 2, 1781 and arrived in several groups during the summer of 1781, the following list of the forty four Pobladores was taken from the official Spanish census of 1781 which recorded their names, race, sex and age.

Address: 845 N. Alameda Street Los Angeles, Ca 90012

Directions: El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historic Park

El Pueblo de Los Angeles Plaques #1 Olvera Street Review

The Founders of El Pueblo de Los Angeles: The names of the eleven founders of Los Angeles, originally known as El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles sobre el Rio de la Porciuncula, (the town of the Queen of the Angels on the River Porciuncula), are listed in plaques around the Plaza circle.

The Original Pueblo of Los Angeles: The Los Angeles pueblo encompassed a square of about five and a half miles on each side with a rectangular plaza measuring 208 ft by 277 ft in the middle. Each of the corners was placed at a cardinal point of the compass. Homes were built around the plaza with space reserved on the east side for a church and municipal buildings. The physical layout of the pueblo and plaza changed several times, mainly due to recurrent flooding of the Los Angeles River. The original settlers began work on the irrigation ditch of Zanja Madre, mud roofed huts, major public buildings, and a church by the end of 1784. Unfortunately, little information exists about the actual location or appearance of the original pueblo and plaza.

Spanish Expedition into Southern California: In 1542 Captain Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo “discovered” California while sailing along its coastline. Visitador, General Jose de Galvez planned the occupation of Alta California starting with a joint land and sea expedition to San Diego. He selected Lt. Colonel Caspar de Portola, Governor of Baja California and Father Junipero Serra as leaders of the 1769 expedition. During further exploration northward to Monterey, Portola, Father Juan Crespi and Engineer Miguel Costanso first surveyed the Los Angeles region.

Directions: El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historic Park,845 N. Alameda Street

El Pueblo de Los Angeles Plaques #2 Olvera Street Review

Damien Marchessault: This street is named for Damien Marchessault, a French Canadian, who served twice as mayor of Los Angeles - from 1859-1860 and again from 1861-1865.During his term in office, the Plaza Church was rebuilt and the City Gas Company was organized. Marchessault and a partner, Jean Louis Sainsevain, worked together to provide water for Los Angeles through a system of hollow log pipes. As mayor, Marchessault supported a proposal to split California into two states, but this was not approved by the voters. In 1868, unhappy over public criticism of the water system and the constant problems with the pipes, and also because of despondency over gambling debts, Marchessault committed suicide in the city council chamber.



Los Pobladores
The Founders Of The City Of Los Angeles
El Pueblo De La Reina De Los Angeles Sobre El Rio De La Porciuncula was founded near this site on or about September 4, 1781 as the first Spanish civilian settlement in southern California. Eleven families, including twenty two adults and twenty two children, were recruited from the provinces of Sinaloa and Sonora in New Spain, now called Mexico by Captain Fernando De Rivera Y Moncada, Emissary of the Governor of California Felipe De Neve, their task was to provide food for the soldiers of the presidios and to help secure Spain’s hold on this region, they included farmers, artisans, and stock raisers necessary for the survival of the settlement, escorted by soldiers they departed Los Alamos, Sonora on February 2, 1781 and arrived in several groups during the summer of 1781, the following list of the forty four Pobladores was taken from the official Spanish census of 1781 which recorded their names, race, sex and age.

Directions: El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historic Park,845 N. Alameda Street

El Pueblo de Los Angeles Plaques #3 Olvera Street Review

Camero: Manuel Camero came from Acaponeta, Nayarit, and Maria Tomasa Garcia came from Rosario, Sinaloa. The Cameros were childless, but later adopted two Indian orphans from Los Angeles. Manuel Camero died in 1819, while Tomasa Garcia survived until 1844.

Lara: Jose Fernando de Velasco Lara came from Cadiz, Spain, and his wife, Maria Antonia Campos came from Cosala, Sinaloa. As one of the three families who requested to be released from the pueblo of Los Angeles, Lara became mayordomo (foreman) for San Antonio Mission. When it was discovered his first wife was still alive, Lara was sent back to central Mexico. Maria Antonia Campos later married a soldier, Luis Lugo. Several children surnamed Lara later lived in Santa Barbara.

Mesa: Antonion Mesa and his wife, Maria Ana Gertrudis Lopez came from Alamos, Sonora. Dissatisfied with farming life in Los Angeles, the Mesa family requested a return to their home in Alamos where Antonio Mesa worked in the silver mines.

Moreno: Jose Moreno an dhis wife, Maria Guadalupe Perez came from Rosario, Sinaloa. Jose and Maria were married on September 18, 1780, just before they began their long journey to found Los Angeles. The Moreno family was successful in farming in Los Angeles and lived in the pueblo for many years. Jose Moreno died in 1809. Guadalupe Perez died in 1860, at the age of about 100, the last of the original adult pobladores to die.

Navarro: Jose Antonio Navarro and his wife, Maria Regina Dorotea Soto, came from Rosario, Sinaloa. Although Navarro was transferred to Monterey for bad conduct, some of his children remained in the pueblo.

Directions: El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historic Park,845 N. Alameda Street

El Pueblo de Los Angeles Plaques #4 Olvera Street Review

Quintero: Luis Quintero came from Guadalajara, Jalisco, and his wife, Maria Petra Rubio came from Alamos, Sonora. The Quintero family moved to Santa Barbara, where their daughters lived and were married to soldiers of the presidio. Luis Quintero was the tailor for Santa Barbara for many years

Rodriguez: Pablo Rodriquez came from Real de Santa Rosa, Jalisco, and his wife, Maria Rosalia Noriega came from Rosario, Sinaloa. The family moved to San Luis Rey and San Diego in 1796 as Pablo Rodriguez became the mayordomo (foreman) of these missions.

Rosas: Alejandro Rosas, son of Basilio Rosas and Manuela Hernandez, married Juana Maria Rodriguez at San Blas, Sinaloa while on route to Los Angeles. Juana Maria Rodriguez died in 1788, and Alejandro Rosas followed her a month later, in 1789. The grandparents, Basilio and Manuela Rosas cared for their two children.

Rosas: Basilio Rosas came from Nombre de Dios, Durango, and his wife, Maria Manuela Hernandez came from Rosario, Sinaloa. At age 62, Rosas was the eldest of the pobladores. The Rosas family brought seven children with them. Two sons, Carlos and Maximo, married Indian women from nearby Gabrielino villages.

Vanegas: Jose Vanegas came from Real de Bolanos, Jalisco, and his wife, Maria Bonifacia Aguilar came from Rosario, Sinaloa. In 1788 Jose Vanegas became the first alcalde (mayor) of Los Angeles and served until 1789. He served a second term in 1796. As alcalde, he served a both mayor and judge. He later became mayordomo (foreman) of Mission San Luis Rey. Their son, Cosme, owned Carpinteria Rancho in 1833.

Directions: El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historic Park,845 N. Alameda Street

El Pueblo de Los Angeles Plaques #5 Olvera Street Review

Villavicencio: Antonio Feliz Clemente Villavicencio was from the city of Chihuahua, and his wife, Marí de los Santos Flores was from Batopilas, Chihuahua. the family moved to Santa Barbara in 1797, where their adopted daughter, Josefa Peñuelas, had married a soldier. Antonio Feliz Clemente Villavicencio died in Santa Barbara in 1802.

Yangna: The village of Yangna is most closely associated with the founding of Los Angeles. Yangna was the Garielino Indian Village which was described by Father Juan Crespi in 1769 while traveling through Southern California with the expedition led by Caspar de Portola, Crespi reported that the village of Yangna (also known as Yabit) was located where the pueblo of Los Angeles would be established. The exact location of Yangna is uncertain but is believed to be close to present day City Hall, near Spring Street. Yangno functioned as a source of labor for the pueblo and numerous intermarriages took place between Gabrielinos and pueblo residents. The village was abandoned sometime after 1836.

Directions: El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historic Park,845 N. Alameda Street

Mosaic of Annunciation Olvera Street Review

This lovely mosaic is on the front at the top of Our Lady Queen of Angeles Church. The plaque reads: The annunciation mosaic on the church facade is a reproduction of a detail from the image of Our Lady of the Angels in the Porciuncula chapel at Assisi. This image provided the inspiration from which the city was named to honor Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles. The mosaic was erected in 1981 to commemorate the bicentennial of the founding of the city.

Presented by His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Manning, Archbishop of Los Angeles to the parishioners of La Placita and the People of the City of Los Angeles, September 4, 1981.

Address: 535 N. Main Street Los Angeles, Ca 90012

Directions: El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historic Park on 845 N. Alameda Street

Phone: 213-629-3101

Commemorative Plaques Olvera Street Review

Located along the backside on Main Street are these wonderful Commemorative Plaques detailing the history of each of the historical buildings along this street. I only took a couple of photographs of these wonderful plaques, but some are hard to see because of the vines.

Pelanconi House & Pelanconi Warehouse:
The Pelanconi Warehouse and, behind it the Pelanconi House, are reminders of the active wine-making community in the area, dating back to the mid-19th century. The Pelanconi House was built by Italian vinter [sic], Giuseppi Covaccichi between 1855-57 and is the oldest house made of fired brick still standing in Los Angeles. Govaccichi and his partner, Giuseppi Gazzo, owned a winery located across Olvera Street. The Pelanconi House changed hands four times until 1871, when it and the winery were purchased by Antonio Pelanconi for whom the house is named. In 1866, Pelanconi, who came from the Lombardo region of Italy, married Isabel Ramirez, daughter of Juan Ramirez who owned much of what is now Olvera Street. In 1877, Pelanconi turned over the winery operation to his partner, Giacomo Tononi, and died two years later. Isabel married Tononi in 1881. The Pelanconi Warehouse was built in 1910 by Lorenzo Pelanconi (son of Antonio and Isabel) and his mother for storage of their wine. Senora Consuelo Castillo de Bonzo took over the Pelanconi House for her restaurant, Casa La Golondrina in 1930. She removed the rear wall of both the warehouse and the Pelanconi House in order to make one large room for the restaurant. It is the oldest restaurant on Olvera Street.

Italian Hall:
The Italian Hall, designed by architect Julius Kraus, was built by the Pozzo Construction Company in 1907 for Marie Ruellan Hamme. The upper floors served as a center for the Italian organizations who used the hall for political meetings, banquets, weddings and theatrical (operatic) performances. Several stores occupied the lower floor. The Italian Hall is one of seven buildings on Olvera Street that were associated with the Italian community. The Societa Italiana de Mutua Beneficenza formed in 1877 moved its offices to the second floor in 1908 when the building opened for business. Various Italian societies, including the Circolo Operaio (Italian Work Circle) rented the building for events. In 1916, a political rally was held in the Hall by Emma Goldman, a well known political activist, feminist, and labor organizer. David Alfaro Siqueiros was invited to paint a mural in 1932 on the second floor exterior wall of the building. The mural, entitled "Tropical America," featured an Indian bound to a double cross, surmounted by an imperialist eagle, and surrounded by pre-Columbian symbols and revolutionary figures. The subject matter was considered hightly controversial. F. K. Ferenz, who had commissioned the mural was ordered to whitewash the portion that was visible from Olvera Street.

Address: Main Street Los Angeles, Ca 90012

Directions: El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historic Park on 845 N. Alameda Street

Old Spanish Trail Plaque Olvera Street Review

The plaque reads:

The Old Spanish Trail
1829 - 1848
This plaque marks the end of the Old Spanish Trail, an historic pack trail from Santa Fe to the Pueblo of Los Angeles. This trail was used by Mexican traders who brought woolen goods from New Mexico to trade of for highly prized California mules and horses by emigrants to California. The trail originated as a trail route between New Mexico and Utah during the Spanish Colonial Era and then extended west to California during the Mexican period.

Located on the brick wall on the center cazebo.

Address: 845 N. Alameda Street Los Angeles, Ca 90012

Directions: El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historic Park

Union Station 1939 Union Station Review

This station represents an era that has yet to be forgotten and to be still appreciated. I have for years wanted to see her up in person. Used as a backdrop for many Hollywood movies, Union Station still holds that beautiful architecture of the late 1930's. She has seen the trends of travel good and bad. Fortunately she is experiencing a new trend and need of affordable travel. I enjoy my time exploring the grounds and imagining seeing William Holden, Glen Ford, and James Cagney casually awaiting their next train or that welcoming home coming of some G.I.'s returning from the war. To me it represent Spanish Colonial design with painted Aztec/Santa Fe designs in various areas, marble inlaid floors, beautiful wood beams on the ceiling and the beautiful deco style waiting room chairs. The huge lighting fixtures are original. Make sure you take a peek at the grand ticketing area. They have a barrier, but you can still peek in. Just to west of the buiding is the old train restaurant. Although closed off, you can still look inside the glass doors and see how grand it was. One of the last Harvey House restaurants, but still in intack. There are two gardens on each side of the train main entrances with some beautiful fountains. The West side is the original entrance, where the East entrance is where the bus services are and is of a modern design, but just as beautiful. This station still has 10 tracks servicing 80 train departures. A true gem being appreciated.

National Register of Historic Places #80000811
and Los Angeles Historic–Cultural Monument #101

Address: 800 N. Alameda Los Angeles, Ca 90012

Directions: Within walking distance of Olvera Street in downtown LA

Phone: 800-872-7245

Website: http://www.amtrakcalifornia.com/rail/go/amtrak/stations/l_p/los-angeles/index.cfm