About Los Angeles

The city of Los Angeles is also known as the "City of Angels" or simply L.A. Los Angeles is the largest city in California. It is situated on a broad basin in Southern California and sits within vast mountain ranges, deep valleys, forests, desert, and the Pacific Ocean.

The metropolitan area of Los Angeles is the second largest in the United States in terms of population and is home to nearly 18 million people of diverse original nationality and who speak over a hundred different languages. The metropolitan area is centered in Los Angeles County, but stretches into Orange County, Ventura County, San Bernardino County, and Riverside County.

Los Angeles is an important center of culture, business, media, and international trade, but is most famous for being the center of the world's entertainment industry, which forms the base of its global status. (See Things to do for more on sights and attractions).

The districts of L.A can be broken into City Centre (or Downtown), Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and Hollywood. At Value Hotels Los Angeles we feature great hotels in all districts so be sure to take a look! The now booming city of Los Angeles is not without its heritage,. Below is a brief overview of its roots and establishment:

When Spanish occupation of California began in 1769, an exploratory expedition of more than 60 persons led by Gaspar de Portola moved north through the area now known as Los Angeles. They camped by a river where fertile soil and availability of water for irrigation impressed members of the party. Father Juan Crespi, who accompanied the group, saw the location as having all the requirements for a large settlement. He named the river El Rio de Nuestra Senora la Reyna de Los Angeles de Porciuncula, which means "The River of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels of Porciuncula. "

In September 1771 Father Junipero Serra and a group of Spaniards founded the San Gabriel Mission as the center of the first "community" in an area inhabited by small bands of Gabrielino Indians.

Twelve years after Portola's trek, which began in San Diego and ended in Monterey, a company of settlers called "Los Pobladores" were recruited in the states of Sonora and Sinaloa in Mexico. Their mission, under authority of Governor Felipe de Neve, was to establish pueblos in the name of the king of Spain.

On September 4, 1781, the Pobladores, a group of 12 families - 46 men, women and children led by Captain Rivera y Moncada - established a community in the area discovered by Portola, and named it El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reyna de Los Angeles de Porciuncula, after the nearby river. Over time, the area became known as the Ciudad de Los Angeles, "City of Angels," and on April 4, 1850 became the City of Los Angeles.

On April 1, 1850 the people of Los Angeles County asserted their newly won right of self-government and elected a three-man Court of Sessions as their first governing body. A total of 377 votes were cast in this election. In 1852 the Legislature dissolved the Court of Sessions and created a five-member Board of Supervisors. In 1913 the citizens of Los Angeles County approved a charter recommended by a board of freeholders which gave the County greater freedom to govern itself within the framework of state law.