History of Los Angeles, California, USA

1781 - Los Angeles founded

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1850 - April 4 - City of Los Angeles incorporated

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1854 - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, a post-town, capital of Los Angeles county, California, on a small river of its own name, 30 miles from its mouth, and on the road from San Jose to San Diego, about 350 miles in a direct line S. E. from San Francisco.
A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

1877 - June 11 - The temperature at Los Angeles, CA, reached 112 degrees during a heatwave. It would have been the all-time record for Los Angeles but official records did not begin until twenty days later.

The Weather Channel
June 11, 1877

1881 - December 4 - The first edition of the Los Angeles Times is published.

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1892 - PROVED A DEADLY SALUTE. SIX PERSONS WERE KILLED BY THE LOS ANGELES EXPLOSION.
Los Angeles, Cal., Oct. 22. - The "Discovery Day" celebration here ended last night with a display of fireworks. Henry Wilson, who was in charge of the display, had arranged to fire what he called a salute of bombs for the last part. The bombs consisted of short lengths of cast iron pipe in which cartridges were exploded, the noise of the explosions resembling that of cannon. Two went off successfully, but the third one burst, doing all the execution of a bombshell; six persons were either killed outright, or died within a few minutes. Ten were badly hurt, and the slightly injured are scattered all over the city. Of the ten more seriously hurt, four are at the receiving hospital. There had been no material change in their condition since last night, but it is thought that only one or two are dangerously hurt. Wilson, who had charge of the display, was arrested. The explosion blew a great hole in the ground.

Another victim of last night's explosion died this morning. It was a boy... Read MORE...

1895 - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, a city, the capital of Los Angeles co, Cal. on a river of the same name, about 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean, and 345 miles in a direct line S.E. of San Francisco. Lat. 34° 5' N., lon. 118° 18' W. It is the : Populous town of Southern California, and is noted for the amenity of its climate, the beauty of its gardens, and the excellence of its fruits. Oranges, lemons, and figs flourish in the open air, and it has extensive vineyards, the product of which is converted into wine. Oranges, wine and wool are the chief articles of export. Los Angeles has 49 churches, a Jewish synagogue, 9 banks, with a capital of $3,500,000, and Protestant and Catholic hospitals. Seven daily and 7 weekly newspapers are published here. The city has a Roman Catholic bishop, and is the seat of St. Vincent's College (Catholic), of Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian universities, and of three female seminaries, a state normal school, and a public high school. The Los Angeles division of the... Read MORE...

1895 - March 19 - Los Angeles Railway established to provide streetcar service

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1900 - ELEVEN LABORERS ENTOMBED. Tunnel at Los Angeles Caves in - Eight Men Rescued - Inspector Dies of Injuries.
The west end of what is known as the Third-street tunnel, which is under construction between Hill and Hope streets, a distance of three blocks, at Los Angeles, Cal., caved in soon after 1 o’clock, yesterday morning and entombed 11 laborers and bricklayers, and fatally injured W. T. Lambie, an inspector in the employ of the street department. Lambie died later. Eight of the entombed men were rescued uninjured. John D. Joe was still entombed at a late hour. He is injured, but it is not known how seriously. Foreman Crawley is doubtless dead. Many tons of earth fell in the part of the tunnel where he was. The men were engaged in excavating 75 feet from the mouth of the tunnel. Inspector Lambie was in the act of leaving the tunnel when the cave-in occurred. His legs were pinned down, and it was eight hours before he was extricated, then in a dying condition.
Springfield Republican
Springfield, Massachusetts
January 23, 1900

1901 - Los Angeles - The City of the Angels by Florence E. Winslow
"Very near the terrestrial paradise," said the old Spanish explorer of the sunlit country, where stood in a later century the pueblo of Los Angeles. Very near the terrestrial paradise has it seemed to weary travellers, hopeful invalids, and delighted home makers, who have from year to year wandered across the desert to find rest, health, and comfort in a climate where the terms winter and summer are misnomers, where snows are seen only on the mountain tops above the flowering plain, where severe heats are unknown, and where Nature rewards those who seek her gifts in largest measure. Climate and situation are the environing elements which count for most in the development of the history of Los Angeles. These are responsible both for the easy, courteous, pleasure loving lives of the Spanish rancheros, and the strenuous, vivid, progressive, municipal experiences of the Americans in this modern "pleasure city."

Los Angeles treasures the memory of ancient Spanish days of daring and... Read MORE...

1902 - April 2 - "Electric Theatre", the first full-time movie theater in the United States, opens in Los Angeles, California.

historyorb.com
April 2, 1902

1916
Los Angeles, a city, the capital of Los Angeles co., Cal., is on a river of the same name, about 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean and 345 miles in a direct line SE. of San Francisco. Lat. 34° 5' N. It is the commercial metropolis and the most populous town of southern California, and is noted for the amenity of its climate, the beauty of its flowering gardens and walks (embowered in a subtropical vegetation of pepper-trees, eucalyptus, lire-oak, india-rubber, Nor folk pine, palmetto, etc. ), and the excellence of its fruits. Oranges, lemons, and figs flourish in the open air, and it has extensive vineyards, the product of which is converted into wine. Fruits, wine, and wool are the chief articles of export ; petroleum and gold are obtained in the vicinity. The city is provided with several parks, of which Griffith Park covers 3000 acres. It is the Beat of Baptist, Catholic, and Presbyterian colleges, of the University of Southern California, and of a state normal school. Among the more ... Read MORE...

1920 - BIG AUDITORIUM IN LOS ANGELES BURNED DOWN.
Los Angeles, Jan. 12. - Shrine auditorium, the largest hall here, was completely destroyed by fire yesterday.

Six firemen, one policeman and one civilian were more or less seriously injured. OTTO SUEDKE, fire lieutenant, suffered a broken skull.

The origin of the fire is unknown, but early today both police and fire officials said they did not believe it was incendiary. One theory is that a defective gas heater was responsible. The loss is variously estimated at from $200,000 to $500,000. Officials of the Shriners, who owned the auditorium, were unable to place the exact loss today.

Shrine auditorium was the center of public gatherings in Los Angeles for 12 years. President Wilson spoke there when he was in Los Angeles campaigning for the league of nations. It seated 8,000 people.
Modesto Evening News
Modesto, California
January 12, 1920

1923 - July 13 - The Hollywood Sign is officially dedicated in the hills above Hollywood, Los Angeles. It originally reads "Hollywoodland " but the four last letters are dropped after renovation in 1949.

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July 13, 1923

1928 - May 15 - The animated short Plane Crazy is released by Disney Studios in Los Angeles, featuring the first appearances of Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

wikipedia.org
May 15, 1928

January 15, 1932 - Up to two inches of snow whitened the Los Angeles basin of California.
The Los Angeles Civic Center reported an inch of snow, and even the beaches of Santa Monica were whitened with snow, in what proved to be a record snowstorm for Los Angeles.
WeatherForYou.com

1932 - July 30 - 10th modern Olympic games opens in Los Angeles

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July 30, 1932

1933 - December 31 - A 24 hour rainfall of 7.36 inches set the stage for the worst flood in Los Angeles history. Flooding claimed 44 lives.

WeatherForYou.com

January 1, 1934 - Heavy rain which began on December 30th led to flooding in the Los Angeles Basin area of California.
Flooding claimed the lives of at least 45 persons. Walls of water and debris up to ten feet high were noted in some canyon areas. Rainfall totals ranged up to 16.29 inches at Azusa, with 8.26 inches reported in Downtown Los Angeles.
WeatherForYou.com
January 1, 1934

1935 - EXPRESS PLANE CRASHES, KILLS CREW OF THREE. WESTERN AIR EXPRESS FALLS, BURNS ONLY MILE FROM LOS ANGELES AIRPORT.
Los Angeles, Sept. 2. (U.P.) - A Western Air express plane crashed and burst into flames shortly before midnight, burning its crew of two men and a woman to death.

Western Air dispatchers listed the crew as GEORGE SHERWOOD, 38, veteran Los Angeles pilot; FRED M. BURLEW, co-pilot, Glendale, Calif.; DONNA NAYLOR, stewardess, Burbank, Calif.

Less than a mile from the airport its motors began sputtering, MALDIN BURT, Van Nuys rancher reported.

"The plane was flying low and it seemed that the motor was sputtering," he said. "The piilot gave it the gun. It seemed to zoom up and then the motor went dead and the plane nosed downward."
"The pilot looked like he was trying to pull up its nose and he succeeded partly. The plane, skimmed across several irrigation stempipes and the propellor broke off."

"It skidded across Empire Boulevard here and went into a cow pasture. Suddenly it broke into flames."
The Star
Anniston, Alabama
September 2, 1935

1936 - October 9 - Hoover Dam begins transmitting electricity to Los Angeles

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1937 - January 19 – Howard Hughes establishes a record by flying from Los Angeles to New York City in 7 hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds.

wikipedia.org
January 19, 1937

1938 - March 2 - Landslides & floods cause over 200 deaths (Los Angeles California)

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March 2, 1938

1939 - September 25 - A west coast hurricane moved onshore south of Los Angeles bringing unprecedented rains along the southern coast of California.
Nearly five and a half inches of rain drenched Los Angeles during a 24 hour period. The hurricane caused two million dollars damage, mostly to structures along the coast and to crops, and claimed 45 lives at sea. "El Cordonazo" produced 5.66 inches of rain at Los Angeles and 11.6 inches of rain at Mount Wilson, both records for the month of September.
WeatherForYou.com
September 25, 1939

1943 - June 3 - A mob of 60 from the Los Angeles Naval Reserve Armory beat up everyone perceived to be Hispanic, starting the week-long Zoot Suit Riots.

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June 3, 1943

1949 - January 11 - Snowfall 1st recorded in Los Angeles

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1968 - Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy assassinated on June 6 in Los Angeles

Joan Benoit wins the first women’s Olympic Marathon, 1984
At the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles, Joan Benoit (today known as Joan Benoit Samuelson) finished the first-ever women’s marathon in 2:24.52.
history.com

2023 - Here's a list of places to go and things to do in the City of Angels:
1. Visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame: Stroll along Hollywood Boulevard and see the iconic stars embedded in the sidewalk honoring famous celebrities from the entertainment industry.

2. Explore Griffith Observatory: Perched on a hill overlooking the city, Griffith Observatory offers stunning views of Los Angeles, educational exhibits, and a chance to observe the night sky through telescopes.

3. Hike in Griffith Park: Right next to the observatory, Griffith Park boasts numerous hiking trails, including the popular hike to the Hollywood Sign.

4. Enjoy Venice Beach: This iconic beachfront community is known for its bohemian spirit, Muscle Beach, street performers, and the famous Venice Boardwalk.

5. Discover Santa Monica: Visit the historic Santa Monica Pier, enjoy the beach, and explore the Third Street Promenade for shopping and dining.

6. Go to Universal Studios Hollywood: Experience movie magic with thrilling rides, studio tours, and entertainment based on your favorite... Read MORE...