Los Angeles at the Turn of the Century
by Nina B.
At the turn of the century, Los Angeles was a busy, booming urban city quickly growing into major world metropolis. Growing later than many cities in the United States, Los Angeles grew and spread out quickly in order to accommodate the rapid increase of population. Between 1890 and 1900, the population of the City of Los Angeles grew from 50,395 to 102,479, while the population of the county grew from 101,454 to 170,298. With such a large growth in the city‚s population, the city also needed to expand its cultural sites/centers, traditions, businesses, and public services. These new establishments in Los Angeles served the new city‚s residents, with many of them continuing to serve residents for decades.
The 1890s saw the establishment and creation of many of Los Angeles's famous traditions and public services. In 1890, the first Tournament of Roses Parade was held in Pasadena, with that tradition continuing today as on New Year's Day 2006 we celebrated the 106th Parade. Also in 1892, the Angeles National Forest was established, making it the first National Forest within California. For the residents of downtown, or the City of Los Angeles, 1896 saw the creation of the largest urban park in the nation, Griffith Park, created for free use by the public. Also, in 1898 Los Angeles formed only the fifth symphony orchestra in all the United States. The creation of these public services and cultural traditions allowed Los Angeles to become more than just a network of cities and grow into a major world city with a rich public cultural center.
The huge increase in population during the 1890s in Los Angeles had a reciprocal relationship with the business boom during this time. In 1892 the first oil discovery within Los Angeles was made by Edward Doheny, which drew many businesses and investors to the growing city. 1897 saw one of the largest creations of jobs for Los Angelinos during this time when Congress appropriated $3.9 million dollars to create an artificial harbor in San Pedro. Workers were not only needed to build this new harbor, but also to run it upon completion. Also, 1899 saw the creation of the Los Angeles Stock Exchange, making Los Angeles a major player in the country's financial system.
Of all the major cultural and social creations in Los Angeles at the turn of the century, the one that had the most effect on the urban population of the city was the creation of the public transit system. At the turn of the century, and still today, Los Angeles was a vast city made up of many areas, neighborhoods, and sub-cities that span a much greater distance than other cities major cities such as New York. Because of the massive area Los Angeles was spread out onto, in order to get workers and freight across the city, a large public transit system was greatly needed. The turn of the century saw the establishment of a large public transportation system, dependent mostly on The Red Cars. In 1894 Moses Sherman and Eli Clark established the Los Angeles Consolidated Electric Railway. In 1895, the Los Angeles Consolidated Electric Railway created the first intercity line in Los Angeles; an electric rail line that connected Pasadena and Los Angeles. The first rail line was such a success, that it spawned the creation of other tracks, and by 1896 rail lines connected Los Angeles
and the future Beverly Hills, Hollywood and through to Santa Monica. The creation of these rail lines was of vital importance to the people and growth of Los Angeles. This public transportation system now allowed workers to who lived on one side of the city to work on another.
Life in Los Angeles at the turn of the century was one of major expansion and growth in all aspects of city life. Though developing later than most other major cities in the United States, Los Angeles grew quickly in the 1890s to catch up. It can be seen through all the cultural developments, business establishments, and public services created at the turn of the century, that Los Angeles was aiming to be a major city but was still concerned about taking care of its citizens. Life in Los Angeles at the
turn of the century was about growth, development, and urban sprawl, with the citizens of Los Angeles working and living in an area greater than most cities of the time.
At the turn of the century, Los Angeles was a busy, booming urban city quickly growing into major world metropolis. Growing later than many cities in the United States, Los Angeles grew and spread out quickly in order to accommodate the rapid increase of population. Between 1890 and 1900, the population of the City of Los Angeles grew from 50,395 to 102,479, while the population of the county grew from 101,454 to 170,298. With such a large growth in the city‚s population, the city also needed to expand its cultural sites/centers, traditions, businesses, and public services. These new establishments in Los Angeles served the new city‚s residents, with many of them continuing to serve residents for decades.
The 1890s saw the establishment and creation of many of Los Angeles's famous traditions and public services. In 1890, the first Tournament of Roses Parade was held in Pasadena, with that tradition continuing today as on New Year's Day 2006 we celebrated the 106th Parade. Also in 1892, the Angeles National Forest was established, making it the first National Forest within California. For the residents of downtown, or the City of Los Angeles, 1896 saw the creation of the largest urban park in the nation, Griffith Park, created for free use by the public. Also, in 1898 Los Angeles formed only the fifth symphony orchestra in all the United States. The creation of these public services and cultural traditions allowed Los Angeles to become more than just a network of cities and grow into a major world city with a rich public cultural center.
The huge increase in population during the 1890s in Los Angeles had a reciprocal relationship with the business boom during this time. In 1892 the first oil discovery within Los Angeles was made by Edward Doheny, which drew many businesses and investors to the growing city. 1897 saw one of the largest creations of jobs for Los Angelinos during this time when Congress appropriated $3.9 million dollars to create an artificial harbor in San Pedro. Workers were not only needed to build this new harbor, but also to run it upon completion. Also, 1899 saw the creation of the Los Angeles Stock Exchange, making Los Angeles a major player in the country's financial system.
Of all the major cultural and social creations in Los Angeles at the turn of the century, the one that had the most effect on the urban population of the city was the creation of the public transit system. At the turn of the century, and still today, Los Angeles was a vast city made up of many areas, neighborhoods, and sub-cities that span a much greater distance than other cities major cities such as New York. Because of the massive area Los Angeles was spread out onto, in order to get workers and freight across the city, a large public transit system was greatly needed. The turn of the century saw the establishment of a large public transportation system, dependent mostly on The Red Cars. In 1894 Moses Sherman and Eli Clark established the Los Angeles Consolidated Electric Railway. In 1895, the Los Angeles Consolidated Electric Railway created the first intercity line in Los Angeles; an electric rail line that connected Pasadena and Los Angeles. The first rail line was such a success, that it spawned the creation of other tracks, and by 1896 rail lines connected Los Angeles
and the future Beverly Hills, Hollywood and through to Santa Monica. The creation of these rail lines was of vital importance to the people and growth of Los Angeles. This public transportation system now allowed workers to who lived on one side of the city to work on another.
Life in Los Angeles at the turn of the century was one of major expansion and growth in all aspects of city life. Though developing later than most other major cities in the United States, Los Angeles grew quickly in the 1890s to catch up. It can be seen through all the cultural developments, business establishments, and public services created at the turn of the century, that Los Angeles was aiming to be a major city but was still concerned about taking care of its citizens. Life in Los Angeles at the
turn of the century was about growth, development, and urban sprawl, with the citizens of Los Angeles working and living in an area greater than most cities of the time.
posted by Leslie Madsen-Brooks at 11:58 AM
6 Comments:
I found it interesting when you said that LA was a place that was growing quickly yet still had concern for its citizens. Does that mean everyone or were people left out? What about the working class? What caused the interest in growth from the government when the appropriated money for the artificial harbor? Was LA one of the first areas on the west coast to get so much attention as a growing city?
I think the rapidly growing nature of the Los Angeles area during the 1890s even has some residual implications for the city today. It seems as though LA has no real cultural or main center because of its lack of a slow evolution. Although, some say the addition of the Disney Concert Hall is an attempt to envoke a cultural center on Grand Ave. Usually these areas in cities stem from the areas of it's beginnings, for example and Old Town.
A modern day example would be the greater Las Vegas area, which is simply trying to fit in all the people who are attracked to the city as a home. If you've travelled of the the strip, you've probably realized that everything starts to look the same huge housing developments broken up by strip malls and doctors' office complexes.
Perhaps LA had the same problem: too many people, not enough time. In an effort to accomodate everyone (maybe not equally) a cultural or main center was set aside for a later date and forgetten about because of more pressing issues.
Did the intense urban development coincide with the development of other major US cities?? You mention the emergence of the railway in 1895 connecting Los Angeles to Pasadena. Was it accessible to all classes of workers and did it cost much money to get to and from work by rail?
I think it is interesting that Los Angeles had such a concern to create accomodations for its citizens, like the park, especially compared to a city like New York, where the well being of the citizens, especially the children, seemed important only when it was made an issue by people who cared about the issue. Do you think that this concern for citizens came as a result of seeing what was happening to people in cities like New York and Chicago?
It is a shame that LA lost it's vast public trasit system. The railroad system was bought up by the major motorcar companies in the 1950's and dismantled to create the need for LA's massive highway system. Imagine LA with the great connected railway system: Fewer cars, less smog, perhaps a greater sense of community?
This is a very informative post about L.A. However, I wonder if this statement made late in the paper still has any truth to it today:
" Life in Los Angeles at the
turn of the century was about growth, development, and urban sprawl"
Currently, Los Angeles, or California for that matter is losing the battle to bridge the economic gap between that haves and have nots. The student-teacher ratio continues to plague the progress of our school systems, all the whille a highly controversial bill is being considered which would make it a felony to be an illegal immigrant in the U.S. [which would obviously take from L.A.'s cultural diversity.
All in all, the question is as follows: Does L.A. still have interest in the preceding quote from above?
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