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El Pueblo de Los Angeles

This area just to the south of Union Station was the center of Los Angeles from initial settlement in 1781 until the economic heart of the city moved south in the late 19th century. The area subsequently became a slum in a typical cycle of uneven urban development. In 1928 Socialite Christina Sterling (who also spearheaded the similar but ill-fated China City project) began an effort to preserve the area and redevelop it as a site of historical spectacle, which resulted in the formation of the Mexican marketplace on Olivera Street in 1930. Preservation efforts continued with declaration of the district as a state historic park in 1953, and purchase of the buildings and sites by the State, County and City. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The park became the sole property of the City in 1989. (City of Los Angeles, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, National Park Service)

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