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A walk through time and the ethnic history of Los Angeles, el Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Park tells the story of the its multi-cultural beginnings, a rare treat for anyone who enjoys seeing living history. Four of the twenty-seven historic buildings are restored as museums. Clustered around an old plaza the site includes the oldest building in Los Angeles, Avilla Adobe, rescued from demolition to become the focal point of Olvera Street, a colorful Mexican marketplace.
Early Los Angeles consisted of small farms peopled by Native American Indians. In 1781, on the orders of King Carlos III of Spain, a pueblo was founded to grow food for the soldiers who guarded this land far removed from Spain. The Mexican American War broke out in 1846 and United States troop took over Los Angeles the following year. Many new settlers and ethnic diversity changed the landscape of the original plaza from its shiny beginning, to slums, and then to revival in the 1930s.
The historical monument became a state historical park in 1953, primarily due to the efforts of its citizens. Simply called 'the Monument,' the City of Los Angeles now operates this unique historical site.
This historic 44-acre park contains the oldest church in the city, Old Plaza Church (1822), the Old Plaza Firehouse (1884), Avilla Adobe (1818), Masonic Hall (1858), Sepulveda House (1884), the Merced Theater, and a visitor's center. Guided walking tours start at the docent office next to the Old Plaza Firehouse. An 18-minute film on the development of Los Angeles is shown at the visitor center.
The Avilla Adobe was the home of Francisco Avilla, the major of the city. Today only one wing of the residence exists from the original 18-room mansion, considered in 1818 to be the finest residence in the city. The walls are three feet thick and made from cottonwood timbers taken from the banks of the Los Angeles River. Originally built with packed earth floors, it now contains plank wood floors. Although severally damaged by a number of earthquakes it has withstood the test of time.
Olvera Street, one of the oldest streets in the city is home to Mexican culture, where you can get authentic food, music, and shopping stalls. On May 5th, the grand celebration known as Cinco de Mayo, a tribute to the victory of Mexico over French forces in Puebla, Mexico in 1862.
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