- Story behind California’s Largest Cities
- Los Angeles: The City of Angels
- San Diego: The Birthplace of California
Story behind California’s Largest Cities
The two largest and busiest cities in California are Los
Angeles and San Diego. Both cities are acclaimed in their own rights. But with
great cities come rich histories. Let’s dive into how Los Angeles and San Diego
became the great cities that we know today.
Los Angeles: The City of Angels
Before celebrities and the movie industry flocked to Los
Angeles, also known as L.A., it was the home to its first known settlers, the
Tongva and Chumash tribes. A Portuguese explorer, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo,
discovered the southern area of California while on an official military
expedition for the Spanish Empire in 1542. On August 2, 1769, Gaspar de Portolà
and Juan Crespi discovered the site of Los Angeles.
The Spanish era of Los Angeles contributed to its Roman
Catholicism. This period built the first mission and communities that were
devoted to the religion. In fact, the name Los Angeles came from the name of
its original Spanish community “El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los
Ángeles del Río Porciúncula”. This translates to “Town of Our Lady, The Queen of
Angels of the River Porciúncula”.
In 1821, New Spain separated from the Spanish Empire. With
this, the community moved on to be a part of Mexico. However, the Mexican
influence lasted only until the end of the Mexican-American War.
The Americans won over battles and took control from the
Californios, the descendants of Spanish ancestry that ruled over the area.
Their victory led to the signing of the Treaty of Cahuenga on January 13, 1847,
which surrendered the territory to the United States.
Under the Americans’ rule, oil was discovered in the city in
1892. This led to the state’s success in being the country’s largest oil
producer. This success attracted more residents to the city of Los Angeles.
In 1910, Hollywood, which was then a separate neighborhood,
merged into Los Angeles via vote. The film industry had already been booming
during this merge. The merge focused the world’s film industry within Los
Angeles, which resulted in the star-studded city we know today.
San Diego: The Birthplace of California
When the Europeans first discovered the state, they set foot
on the San Diego Bay. This is the reason why San Diego is known as the
birthplace of California.
The first inhabitants of San Diego were the Kumeyaay Native
American people. It was discovered by Portuguese born explorer Juan Rodriguez
Cabrillo. After landing 1542, he named the area “San Miguel” and claimed it for
the Spanish Empire. In 1602,
Sebastián Vizcaíno arrived on the flagship San Diego to map
the California coast. His flagship later became the namesake of the city of San
Diego. Despite his successful expedition, however, the Spanish did not colonize
the land yet.
It was in May 1769 when Gaspar de Portolà founded Fort
Presidio of San Diego near the San Diego River, making it the first European
settlement of the state. Later that year, Franciscan friars founded Mission San
Diego de Alcalá which drew in more people into Alta California.
When Mexico separated from Spain in 1821, San Diego became
part of the Mexican territory. Here, they attempted to extend their power over
the coastal territory of Alta California. But it was conquered by the United
States during the Mexican-American war. The signing of the Treaty of Cahuenga
in 1847 surrendered San Diego to the United States.
At this time, the town of San Diego was at the foot of
Presidio Hill. Since it was several miles from the water, there were several
attempts to move the town. In 1850, William Heath Davis proposed the
constructions near the Bay shore to create New San Diego. In 1867, Alonzo
Horton moved to the bayside area. He encouraged the move due to the convenience
of being near water for shipping. Several residents and businesses agreed and
thus created “New Town.” New Town became the center of economy of the city
while the original settlement became what is known as Old Town today.
Looking for the perfect memento for the avid Angelino? Here's the perfect gift from Carved Lake Art! A custom 3D Nautical art of Los Angeles and San Diego.
