a piece of los angeles history

Olvera Street is in the oldest part of Downtown Los Angeles, California, USA, and is part of the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument. Historically, it abutted the original Chinatown, which was later removed to its modern location to make way for Union Station. There are 27 buildings of various ages still standing on Olvera Street, including the Avila Adobe (1818), the Pelanconi House (1857), and the Sepulveda House (1887).

Los Angeles was founded in 1781 by Spanish pobladores, on a site southeast of today's Olvera Street near the Los Angeles River. They consisted of 11 families and were accompanied by a few Spanish soldiers. The new town was named El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora Reina de los Ángeles.