Heroes and Villains of Early Los Angeles

   Los Angeles in the early nineteenth century had remained under the power of Spanish authorities. Ranchos provided the agriculture to nearby Missions and presidios, and Native Tongva lived alongside the Spanish in very limited numbers. By the near middle of the century Mexico declared independence, and almost two decades later the United States took control of California. The nineteenth century of Los Angeles developed under three different countries and not until the end of the century did the city begin to finally drift from its pueblo years. So while Los Angeles was still the Wild Western city let’s look at some of the heroes and villains that shaped the progress of the city under Spanish authorities.

   For starters the leader of the expedition to Los Angeles to settle the pueblo Filipe De Neve, his responsibilities included overseeing the migration and settlement of El Pueblo De Los Angeles. Unfortunately no images exist of him only artististic representations. De Neve wanted to develop the pueblo as a secular community. His intentions for a secular community vary from agricultural benefits to economic and religious differences. However, he also wanted to provide a non- religious community for natives and settlers alike. Another particular individual more commonly referred to as the Twelfth poblador Antonio Miranda Rodriquez never quite officially made it to Los Angeles. Although he had initially signed up and recruited to join De Neve. Rodriguez got stuck behind while caring for his ill stricken daughter. After residing in Loreto Mexico he finally made way north and settled in Santa Barbara. There is some debate whether or not he ever traveled to or from the presidio and the pueblo. However no records have provided evidence.

   Other from individuals, Los Angeles in the early years resembled nothing of what it looks like today. The most starching difference other than the buildings would be the lack of a concrete river. Modern Angelinos have no memory of the natural Rio Porciúncula, the Spanish name for the Los Angeles River. Less than five miles today are even natural river beds and embankments. Thankfully wonderful organizations and philanthropist alike are joining together to help bring the natural river back. The natural river had trees, brush, aquatic life, enough substance for the Tongva to circulate through the region annually. The River provided irrigation to the early Pueblo as well. However, for the sake of this post the River plays roles as both antagonist and protagonist.Although the river supported the development of the region it also plagued Los Angeles struggle for centuries to come.

   As most residents know water is a constant battle for southern California. However, the Los Angeles River would literally battle settlers and take on early attempts at building a city. Inconsistent flood patterns and drastic flash floods resulted it the destruction of the pueblo’s plaza three different times. The real heroes of Los Angeles are the individuals that braved the floods and quickly rebuilt their community. If flood destruction had not done enough damage, the long drought seasons made agriculture difficult. Yet ingenuity through irrigation systems helped provide steady water flow, unfortunately it aided to the beginning destruction of the Los Angeles River.

   The latter decades in Los Angeles see the continued battle against water, which will be examined. There are many individuals who have played roles in the cultural development of Los Angeles during this time as well, and these individuals will respectfully be given their own post to describe their efforts and accomplishments. However, I invite all readers to add any individuals, whether it is a legend, family tale, or an historical figure that helped develop Los Angeles during the nineteenth century. 

Zanja Madness!!! pt. 1

   Rumors of the underground tunnel buried deep beneath Los Angeles have gained some interesting theories throughout the years. From stories of supposed Lizard people that slither through the underground pathways to former prohibition smuggling dens and even some stories of old opium dens. Well with as much construction that takes place in Los Angeles at some point someone would have dug up more evidence which has not been the case. However, what has been dug up throughout the city is the Zanja Water system. The word Zanja (Zung Gah) is Spanish for earthen ditch, and it 1781 Spanish authorities ordered its construction. Traditionally an exposed dirt canal to divert water from the Los Angeles River for the early Pueblo, the Zanja experienced improvements after a series of floods in the mid-nineteenth century. Angelenos and the Tongva reinforced the open canals as  an extended brick covert system to protect the Zanja’s integrity. What is truly astonishing is that the water systems tunnel ways that are nearly 125 years old still run underneath the city today and new sections have been discovered as recently as March 2014.  This week the focus is on the original water system of Los Angeles this is the introduction to a series that will discuss what has replaced the system and how the Zanja shaped the modern aqueducts design.

   Yet, first let’s look at this marvelous creation by eighteenth century settlers. The Zanja though designed under Spanish Authorities had almost entirely been built by the indigenous Tongva. Not too much evidence suggests significant mistreatment, but the indigenous labor most likely was not voluntary. The Tongva relied on the Los Angeles River, or as the Spanish referred to it as el Rio Porciúncula. However, the problem with research of first contact is secular communities did not record events as often as missions. Therefore in regions like EL Pueblo de Los Angeles the documents that were recorded are in Spanish either in archives in Spain or in Mexico. On the other hand missions left their records on site independent of the Authority. Yet,  labor practices typically included the use of indigenous populations on the missions. On particular piece of evidence is a legal battle between the Pueblo and Mission San Gabriel. Spanish Authorities ruled the secular community had precedence over the mission for access to the river due to the reliance of the Zanja and the river. However, evidence of the social practices adapted by indigenous people after settling such as new ways to gather water through the Zanja describes an relatively peaceful relationship between the Tongva and Angelenos. The Zanja acted as the center of community interaction.

   When visiting El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Landmark one can see the remnants of the Los Angeles Water Exhibit and even a section of the underground water way. A very misleading aspect to the exhibit is the water pump at no point has there been evidence anyone ever pumped water for domestic use. Residnets either gathered water in toma’s, or large ceramic jugs that were stored and kept cool. Ox drawn carts with barrels could also be spotted around early el Pueblo distributing water for domestic purposes as well.  However, by the late nineteenth century pipe lines were used for domestic water and the increase in domestic water left the Zanja obsolete. The primary use of the Zanja had been to irrigate agricultural fields. Thousands of acres received water from the Zanja and water was dealt through the Zanjero, lead official in charge of maintenance and enforcement of the Zanja. What made the Zanjero one of the most important people in Los Angeles is not because he had receive a larger salary than the mayor, but that the Zanjero responsibility was to ensure the most vital resource to the community.

   Protecting the Zanja was no easy task. The Zanjero dealt daily with thieves, diggers, animals, and kids. The Zanja acted as community entertainment. People swam, washed cloths, cattle would wade, and fish resided in the Zanja along with some snakes. If that did not keep the Zanjero busy enough, the rainstorms that caused flooding and the constant expansion of the city meant new and better Zanja were needed urgently. The city tried to help by allowing private companies to bid on various improvement projects. Water in Los Angeles has never been an easy task. Many men have built their lives on southern California waters problem and many have even lost their lives to their goal. Though there have been thousand that have helped with improvement projects and other excruciating tasks trying to solve water problems in Los Angeles. There are few that have risked everything for the development of Los Angeles.

Images courtesy of Los Angeles Magazine and El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument

California during the Age of Revolution

   The fourth of July is symbolic for many reasons as the United States of America declared its independence from the rule of the British Monarchy. However, Britain had only settled the east coast establishing the thirteen founding colonies. On the other hand, the catholic monarchy of Spain had already invaded Mexico, and established settlement on the west coast by the late 1770’s. The Spanish founding of California has helped fuel the “the Californian Culture”. In Particularly Los Angeles, as in many parts of California one can find the Spanish influence in architecture, urban development, and the relationship with immigration. Yet this influence did not necessarily come directly from the Spanish authorities but rather through the diverse settlers with a myriad of skills and the economically self-reliant institutions Spain used to settle the region.

   The founding fathers of the revolutionary era are attributed as the demigods that established this country. Yet, there are many other individuals that aided to founding this country and not of any particular European heritage. Mixed raced settlers took the primary role in settling Alta-California under Spanish authority. Mulattos, Mestizos, Native Americans, and Filipinos had settled the region decades before the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution.[1] Manila Galleon trade had brought Spanish sailors—typica[2] Before Missionaries established missions throughout the coast of California, Spanish and Filipino traders had sailed off the coast for decades prior to making landfall.

lly Filipino traders that boarded vessels in Manila.

   All the while on the east coast British enterprises established religious and economic settlements under charters.[3] France also at the time occupied much of the north of the American continent, and the French established military forts and fur trade routes.[4] Spain on the other hand had utilized the methods of the British and French to facilitate the spread of the Spanish monarchy. The European influence is evident in the three institutions the Spanish used to settle California in the late eighteenth century.  Spain first established religious institutions through the Mission system, and then founded presidios and other secular communities to aid the religious settlements. Spain anticipated the self-reliance of Californian settlements as opposed to England or France who frequently traded from the main land to colonies.

   Life in California under Spain during the British colonial revolution meant hard work building new communities. Spanish authorities sent diverse groups of settlers known as pobladores to found communities either secular or to work on the presidio. However, the pobladores had to retain skills and techniques that benefited the Spanish settlements. Professionals craftsmen met the criteria and along with their families received allotted land for their journey north.[5]  In the secular communities families received land for agriculture, while the presidios typically hired craftsmen and young men to become soldiers in leather, or Soldados de Cuera.[6] Spanish authorities described Los Angeles by the late 1760’s as the largest agricultural city. The Rancho lifestyle made popular in Helen Hunt Jackson's Ramona evolved out of this era. Unfortunately the growing agricultural community meant the destruction of the indigenous culture.

   The Tongva Indians had a much different relationships with the Spanish as opposed to that of English settlers and the eastern tribes. Like most Indigenous Californian Indians the many of the Tongva had been forced into the Mission system, yet there were many that stayed in the region to work on the agricultural fields. However, by the end the 18^th century the Tongva population had dwindled down to nearly two hundred.[7]  Los Angeles never experienced the extent of conflict as in the east or the north such as the Yuma Massacre of 1781.[8] Unlike the Wars in the east most Californian Indians were forced into labor on the agricultural fields.

    As the fourth of July celebrates U.S.’s declaration of independence, remember not only California but each state, city, and county has their own stories of independence. The Revolutionary era came from and helped spread a sweeping movement for social reform. Though the declaration itself is a courageous act and a marvelous accomplishment, it has aided to the local historical efforts of all regions including California.  We should also celebrate the individual efforts of independence and the drive for such accomplishments because social movements such as the declaration of independence came from the cooperation of individuals. Communities all over have stories of courageous individuals standing up the same natural rights argued by the founding fathers.  

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[1] Elosia Gomez Borah, “The Occasion of Celebration of the Life of Antonio Mirada Rodriguez”, (El Pesdio Santa Barbra State Historic Park 6/13/04).

[2] Ibid,.

[3] Alan Taylor, Colonial American A Very Short Introduction, (London 2013).

[4] Colin Calloway, First Peoples: A Documentary Survey of American Indian History”, (Boston 2012).

[5] Elosia Gomez Borah, “The Occasion of Celebration of the Life of Antonio Mirada Rodriguez”.

[6] Ibid,.

[7] William Estrada, The Los Angeles Plaza: Sacred and Contested Space, (Austin, 2008), 35.

[8] Charles Chapman, A History of California: Spanish Californian Instirtutions,( New York, 1921). 383-387.

Images- Tongva Image from MIlitantangeleno.blogspot.com, Solider and presidio from militaryhistory.com