OLVERA STREET

Description

Essentials about Olvera Street in brief

Olvera Street in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles is considered by many to be the birthplace of the city. In fact, the settlement of Los Angeles was founded in 1781 just a short distance from today’s Olvera Street. Today, the street is part of the landmarked Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical District and, with its many old buildings, is a sort of museum version of historic LA. However, a walk down Olvera Street not only takes you back to LA’s past, but is also a real experience for all people who like to shop and dine. The street is lined with restaurants serving traditional Mexican and Southern California cuisine and stores where you can store for excellent folk crafts.

The history of Olvera Street

Los Angeles was founded in 1781 by Spanish settlers on land located just southeast of Olvera Street on the Los Angeles River. These were eleven families of 44 men, women and children, accompanied by some soldiers. The new settlement was named “El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles” (“The Village of Our Lady of the Angels”).

In 1821, Spanish colonial rule ended with Mexico’s independence. During this time, the first streets and adobe houses were built in Los Angeles. The plaza to the south of what is now Olvera Street was the center of LA at that time. After the war between the United States of America and Mexico, California became the 31st state of the USA in 1850.

In 1877, Wine Street, which branched north from the Plaza, was renamed Olvera Street to honor Los Angeles County’s first judge, Agustin Olvera. Following a strong immigration movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during which many people from other parts of the United States and especially Mexico came to Los Angeles, the first efforts to preserve Los Angeles’ Hispanic-Mexican heritage began in the 1920s, and the city’s oldest area became a historic landmark. Since then, Olvera Street has been the symbol of LA’s historic heritage and one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions.

Olvera Street today

Today, a walk down Olvera Street is a trip back in time to Los Angeles. Many of the city’s oldest buildings are located on the street, such as the Avila Adobe built in 1818, the Pelanconi House built in 1857, and the Sepulveda House built in 1887. However, the real charm of Olvera Street lies in its great mix of historic architecture, cozy restaurants, traditional market stalls and lively artists.

A stroll down Olvera Street should therefore always consist of the three components of eating, shopping and listening. The smell of fresh tortillas and tacos and hot churros spreads from the restaurant kitchens. On the terraces of the restaurants you can not only eat delicious food, but also listen to the mariachi musicians plucking their giant guitars. And with a well-filled belly (or even before), you should bring back one or the other authentic souvenir from Los Angeles from one of the many market stalls.

On holidays like Día de los Muertos (the Mexican All Souls’ Day, but much more cheerful) and the nine nights of candlelight processions around Christmas known as Las Posadas, the hustle and bustle on Olvera Street is even bigger than usual.