LA Wasn’t Always Named LA
Los Angeles is a special, magical place that many children grow up reading about and dreaming about. The City of Angels, known for its celebrity presence and lavish imagery, also happens to have a history that isn’t quite as glamorous as you might imagine. This history includes corruption, advancement, and lima beans (what?), and it’s safe to bet that you’ve never heard of most of this stuff.
Life in LA has its own unique flavor, and if you’ve ever been there, you probably got used to how things tend to go in this big city. Yes, it has Hollywood and a million great eats, and sure, you might catch a glimpse of your favorite celeb every so often (who, by the way, you shouldn’t be asking for an autograph). But did you know, for example, that Thomas Edison played a big part in making Hollywood what it is today? Whether you plan on visiting this crazy city, or just enjoy learning new tidbits about it, there are things you probably didn’t know about LA…
The City of Nicknames
The city known as Los Angeles didn’t always have that name. When it was founded, the name was quite long, and it wasn’t English either, which is not surprising considering its location. LA used to be called “El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora Reina de Los Angeles Sobre el Rio Porciuncula.” When translated, it means “The town of our lady queen of the angels on the Porciuncula River.”
And you thought it was just about angels or something. There’s always rich culture peeking around the corner- you just have to look out for it.
Former Mexican Territory
Sure, every city in the US, and probably in the world, has nicknames that it has acquired over the years. But it seems like LA has overdone it in that department. Its nicknames include the “City of Angels,” “Tinsel Town,” “La La Land,” “Angel Town,” “The Big Orange, “LA,” and more.
Bryce Vine has a song out called “La La La,” and it details what life is like in California, dropping different city names.
LA Was a Major Player in the Oil Game
Many people don’t know that Los Angeles was once Mexican territory. It only makes sense, given its location. But all that changed in 1848 under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, when Mexico ceded tons of land to the United States. Besides California, they also gave up Nevada, Utah, parts of New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado.
Eventually, it all became what is now known as the United States of America. Do you know how the country acquired the state of Louisiana?
Thomas Edison Created the Movie Industry in LA
Nearly 100 years ago, the city of Los Angeles was responsible for producing one quarter of the entire world’s oil. But according to the US Energy Information Administration, California isn’t even one of the top five crude oil-producing states in the country today; those states are Texas, North Dakota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Alaska.
LA is known for other things now, like sunshine, bears, and movies. With that being said, they have plenty of other industries to rake in the cash.
Girl Power!
Thomas Edison wasn’t actually the one who came to California and created Hollywood, but his actions are essentially responsible for making LA the city of stars. The film industry made its home in New Jersey first, but because Edison owned most of the patents, it was hard for others to get a foot in.
So everyone fled to Los Angeles to get away from his intellectual property claims, resulting in what we see today. Thanks, Thomas Edison!
New Discoveries Are Still Being Made
We’ve all heard that girls run the world, and they certainly do run LA. Research shows that Los Angeles ranks second in the entire country where female-owned businesses are concerned. Orange County has just over 40,000, while the state of California has 1.1 million. Pretty impressive stats when you think about it!
A shoutout to all of the powerful women around the world working together to make it a better place for our children.
Dire Wolf Dwelling
Back in 2006, a new discovery was made in Los Angeles. It was a new tar pit. Tar pits, which were quite common thousands of years ago, were strong enough to trap large animals like mammoths. And those are the remains that were found in one of the tar pits in LA. While the image above is a fake mammoth on display, it gives you an idea of what it would look like today!
It was named Zed. You learn something new every day, or so they say (whoever “they” is). Poor Zed had a pretty rough day all those years ago.
LA Has a Great Economy
Dire wolves rose to popularity with Game of Thrones. But did you know that these animals are actually real and that they called LA their home back in the day? Well, the very same tar pits that were recently discovered proved that very fact. Researchers have clawed out thousands of dire wolf bodies from the tar pits.
They could’ve been relatives of Nymeria and Ghost for all we know. It’s pretty cool, but slightly terrifying for those who lived around them.
It’s Illegal to Lick a Toad
LA has one of the best economies, not just in the United States, but in the world. It has advanced transportation, has made progress in the aerospace sector, and is the nation’s largest trade industry and manufacturing base. If LA was a country (not part of the US), its economy would be bigger than Switzerland’s, Saudi Arabia’s, and Sweden’s.
If you are looking for a golden opportunity, California might be the place for you. Not only is the economy booming in several industries, but Amazon is growing there too.
Zoot Suits Aren’t Allowed
Of all the weird laws we’ve read about, this one may just be the strangest. But when we conducted our research, it was much easier to understand. You see, there’s a toad by the named of the Colorado River Toad (also called the Sonoran Desert Toad) that is able to secrete a venom that has hallucinogenic effects when ingested.
That’s the toad that people aren’t allowed to lick in Los Angeles. In case you thought it was a joke, now you know the truth!
The Hollywood Sign Used To Be Longer
Back in the day (during WWII), rations for fabric were low. Zoot suits did not respect those rations, as they required an excessive amount of fabric to be created. As such, they were seen as unpatriotic. There were riots between the Mexican Americans who wore them and the Caucasian Americans. As a result, they were banned.
Maybe it is time to bring them back. After all, it is a new decade! Plus, we like when things rhyme. And it seems like they were the height of fashion!
No More Than 2,000 Sheep Down Hollywood Boulevard
The Hollywood sign initially said “Hollywoodland.” Yep, that’s a mouthful! The sign was put up by Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler, who wanted to try his hand investing in real estate. At night, the sign would have a light display where the sections “Holly,” wood,” and then “land” would flash.
Unfortunately, the signage was cut short, so we’re only graced with the big white letters of “Hollywood” nowadays.
Goats Can Be Employed in LA
In Los Angeles, it is illegal to drive more than 2000 sheep down Hollywood Boulevard. The weird part is that although this appears to be one of the city’s craziest laws, there’s no real explanation as to why it exists. Is it because of allergies or traffic? One can only speculate.
Now you have to change your plans, because this is a big no-no. Good thing we warned you ahead of time, Little Bo Peep!
The City of Seven
While goats surely aren’t eligible to work in restaurants (which would be a conflict of interest, anyway), they are hired by LA’s Getty Museum every spring. A flock of about 60 goats, two dogs, and a goat herder visit the museum for two or three weeks to trim the brush the old-fashioned way.
It is a great way to naturally trim the grass. You don’t have to worry about pollution from a gas mower or even using electricity from a powered one.
Lots of Thai Love
Los Angeles is known for many things, and its area codes are one of them. The city has seven area codes, the most of any city in the country. As if LA couldn’t get any more special, five out of those seven area codes are what we call palindromes: a word, sequence, or phrase that reads the same way backward as it does forward.
Russia covers 11 time zones, but LA is plenty big for us! Maybe too populated at times, even. At least your number is easy to remember.
No Language Barriers
The city of Los Angeles is known for attracting people of multiple cultures and backgrounds, and one of those is people from Thailand. Reports claim that outside of the country of Thailand, LA has the largest population of Thai people. Because of this, LA is the home of the world’s biggest Thai Town.
There is nothing wrong with showing Thai Town some love, even if you are not Thai. Let’s all get along and embrace our differences.
The Home of Very Big Things
We’ve talked about Los Angeles’ Thai culture, but what about the others? LA is so diverse that there are over 200 languages spoken there. There’s a Little Tokyo, Little Armenia, and even a large Iranian population there too. Half of the city’s population is said to be Latino, with residents that come from places like Mexico and El Salvador.
I don’t care who you are, or how old. That bus looks like fun! It is just so colorful, like a masterpiece on wheels. Have fun experiencing different cultures in LA!
The Shirley Temple Was Invented There
Along with being the home of the stars, LA is also the home of the largest boulder to ever be transported. Although this boulder was only transported a short 85 miles, the 340-ton stone took between 10 and 11 days to get to its new home at the LACMA museum.
When you visit LA, you are really living large. Hopefully you have lots of money too, but if not, at least enjoy this giant rock.
Get the (Long) Picture
Rumor has it that the popular Shirley Temple drink was created in LA. It was on the actress’s 10th birthday when she went to the Chasen restaurant, where a bartender was said to create the non-alcoholic drink for the little girl. Strangely enough, the actress did not like the drink.
If you have never tried one of these cherry-flavored sodas, you haven’t lived. Get out there and order one with or without the alcohol.
The First Televised Disaster
Los Angeles is home to The Great Wall Mural, which is one of the largest murals in the world. It was created with the help of more than 400 artists and youth around the community. It was the first public art project coordinated by the Social and Public Art Resource Center.
The next time you visit the city, make sure you take a stroll along this incredible mural. It will be worth it, especially if you are an art lover.
Pieces of The Berlin Wall
What many consider to be the first televised disaster happened in LA in 1963 when the Baldwin Hills dam collapsed. On December 14th, the Baldwin Hills Reservoir suffered a failure, which caused the release of millions of gallons of water into surrounding neighborhoods. TV station KTLA covered the incident using a helicopter.
Many of you probably did not see this or even remember it. Maybe you weren’t born yet or were just not paying attention. Now you know.
Beverly Hills Has Humble Beginnings
When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, people wanted to remember the momentous occasion, and so, chunks of the wall have ended up all over the place. And you can find the largest chunk of said wall in the United States of America. Where? In Los Angeles near Wilshire Boulevard, of course.
If the Berlin Wall isn’t really your thing, or any type of history for that matter, then maybe you will at least enjoy the artwork. It is pretty unique.
You Can Go Back in Time
Today, Beverly Hills is known for being the home to the rich and famous. But before, it was the home of something much less glamorous: lima beans. The place was rumored to become a celebrity hot spot after old Hollywood stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks started buying land there. Before that, it wasn’t as popular as it is today!
The Beverly Hillbillies might have helped, too. That classic old story certainly brought a fresh perspective to the area!
Prepare to Spend Some Time in Traffic
Well, you can’t actually go back in time, but you can visit the Time Travel Mart in LA if you’re into that kind of thing. The stores (one in Echo Park and the other in Venice Beach) are said to have items like parts for time machines, dinosaur eggs, and more.
The proceeds actually go towards helping students aged 6-18 with their writing skills. It is a win-win for everyone involved. Definitely put it on your list and check it out.
Street Facts
Los Angeles is known the world over for its traffic. In fact, it’s one of the first things that comes to mind when someone mentions “LA.” And for good reason. Researchers have taken a look at how much time the average driver spends in traffic in this city and have come up with a whopping 59 hours per year.
That’s more than two days in traffic alone! A lot of people sure don’t mind waiting in traffic when it is so sunny. That is the cost for nice weather.
Gandhi’s Ashes
Los Angeles is notorious for its traffic. Research has shown that a driver can spend, on average, over two days in traffic each year, and that’s no doubt because there are so many people living there. LA’s longest street is a whopping 40 miles long. In contrast, its shortest street is only 13 feet long.
That is a lot of twists and turns, from a concrete jungle to barren deserts and even thick forests with snow. What type of road is your favorite? Paved or dirt… maybe off-road altogether?
The Nazis Were Coming
When the legendary Gandhi passed away, his body was cremated, but his ashes were divided and sent all over India, as well as to some of his friends. One of those friends resided in LA. That friend created the Self-Realization Fellowship. You can find some of Gandhi’s ashes at one of their shrine locations.
If you don’t know who Gandhi is or what he stands for, please use the internet for some good and research him. It might change your life.
There’s Magic in The City
Rumor has it that a small group of people hoping to establish a Nazi compound in Los Angeles bought Murphy’s Ranch. But the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the facility was raided, and the people living there were rounded up. The area, once meant for nefarious deeds, is now owned by the city and is a recommended hiking area.
If you’re into history and how it affects an area, this compound would definitely be worth a trip, as it’s a trove of past events.
There’s an Escape Map
The center of the Academy of Magical Arts makes its home in LA. The building itself, The Magic Castle, can be found near Hollywood. People can study magic there with a six-week class package, but they can also audition to become a member of the Academy. Everyone with even the slightest twinkle in their eyes will love this idea.
Harry Potter, Sabrina, and all of the other fans, unite and take this class. It actually sounds pretty awesome, even if you are only a little into the concept of magical arts.
Your Snacks Probably Came From LA
California, especially SoCal, is a haven for natural disasters, from earthquakes to wildfires. But that’s not all! Cities with ocean views are at risk of tsunamis. And the government knew that LA was one of the cities at risk. It’s why the city has a tsunami evacuation map. Changes can even be made to the map to show updates like reroutes.
However, with the number of people densely crammed into LA, it might be a chaotic fiasco if this plan was ever used.
No one ever talks about cargo when LA is being discussed. This is why we bet you didn’t know that about 40% of all cargo being imported into the United States passes through Los Angeles. The city brings in more shipping containers than all the other states in the country, and their airport is the 5th busiest freight airport in the country.
If you think about it, though, a lot of states are known for local brands. Michigan has Faygo pop, BetterMade chips, and Koegel hot dogs.
The Smog Has Always Been There, Supposedly
Los Angeles and smog go hand in hand. Smog is something that is always talked about regularly. While some say that it is a result of pollution, history says otherwise. Apparently, the smog has always been there. The ancient Chumash tribe actually gave the city their own nickname: one that translates to “valley of smoke.”
If you plan on moving to California, your car must be approved because of this ongoing problem. However, recent innovations have made living there a bit better.
Olympic Records
The Olympics doesn’t take place in the same place very often, but Los Angeles has been lucky enough to host the Summer games twice already. The first time was almost a century ago, in 1932. The second time was in 1984. And the games will be making their home there again in 2028, making LA the only city in the United States to host the games three times.
If you ever get the chance to go to the Olympics, definitely take that opportunity. It is an unbelievable experience of a lifetime.
Arts and Museum Central
The city of Los Angeles has no shortage of things to do, and some of those things include getting into the artistic culture. LA has over 220 theaters and over 100 museums. More than 1500 theatrical productions are put on every year, making it very likely for you to see a different one every night of the year.
If you are an artist, writer, or any other form of entertainer, LA is the place to be for movies, music, TV, and more.
Second Most Populous City
After New York City, Los Angeles is the most populous city in the United States. It has nearly 4 million people, a huge chunk of which is Latino. Another big portion is Caucasian, like most of America, and the rest is a mix of Asian, African American, Native American, and Pacific Islander.
If you want more diversity in your life, such as at school, the grocery store, and other everyday places, Southern California is a melting pot.
A History of Corruption
The city of LA experienced some of the most widespread cases of police corruption in the 1990s. The Rampart Scandal was one that included 70 officers, all of whom engaged in some kind of misconduct ranging from bank robberies, perjury, unprovoked shootings and beatings to planting false evidence, cover-ups, and more.
Two words: Rodney King. The city was rife with corruption, but thankfully the situation has gradually improved over the years.
Oscar-Worthy
You know how the Oscars are a really big deal today, right? Well, the first awards show was not nearly as exclusive as it is today. It is rumored that less than 300 people were invited and that dinner was served at a cover charge of $5 to $10 per person.
Whether you love to hate celebrities or simply just love them, you would probably give a pinky toe to be at an event like this one! Sounds fabulous.