Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles was founded in 1781 by Don Felipe de Neve, governor of the Mexican province of Alta California. The settlement was originally called El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles (Village of Our Lady of the Angels). Following the siezure of California by the U.S. during the Mexican War, Los Angeles was rapidly transformed from a small community of around 1600 people into a vigorous frontier town. The growth was accellerated by the discovery of gold in California in 1849.