History · Los Angeles

Los Angeles has 284 places on the National Register, 12 of them National Historic Landmarks

More historic than 92% of U.S. towns · #5 of 847 in California. What drives it

Dated to 1781 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history), with 19% of its homes built before 1940 and 44 historic districts holding 3,939 contributing buildings. Below: 10 old photos and papers, maps from 1888 on, the census since 1850, and every listing on the Register.

1781founded

284on the National Register

19%homes built before 1940

10old photos & papers

21famous people

Add an old photo Share a memory

From Los Angeles’ archive · credits on each photo

Quick answers

How Los Angeles began

When was Los Angeles founded?

1781

Los Angeles dates its founding to 1781 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1850.

First census: 1,610 in 18502020 census: 3,898,747245 years

How historic is Los Angeles?

More historic than 92% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓

Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1850.The full story ↓

History grade

What drives Los Angeles’ History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Los Angeles is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #5 of 847 in California. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.

HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Los Angeles’ overall grade.

Founding era1781, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA⁻Homes built before 194019.1% of homes (±0.2) · typical CA town 3.4% · U.S. 8.4%B⁺National Register284 listings, 3,939 historic buildings, 10.2 per 10,000 residents · typical CA town 0.0 · U.S. 2.4A⁺

All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 92%

NewerOlder

California towns of 2,500+ (847)#5 of 847

Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Los Angeles ranks #61 on History.

Few California towns list much on the Register (a typical California town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Los Angeles’ 10.2 sits above most of its state (91% of California towns have fewer) while its 3,939 historic buildings outnumber those of 100% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. The pre-1940 share (±0.2 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1781. A citywide figure averages neighborhoods that differ a lot.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Los Angeles’ past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A National Historic Landmark284 places on the National Register, 12 of them National Historic Landmarks.A historic districtThe Carthay Neighborhoods Historic District takes in 1,003 historic buildings.Lost villages42 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Los Angeles, and 163 old place names are still on the map.On the map since 18946 editions of the USGS map, 1894 to 1981. Watch Los Angeles change.

★ What stands out · On the National Register

284 listings protect 3,939 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. 12 are National Historic Landmarks, the highest tier. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.

places listed

284

National Historic Landmarks

Neutra, Richard and Dion, VDL Research Houses a…

historic buildings protected

3,939

each building in a district counts

first listed

1966

Pico, Romulo, Adobe

BuildingsDistrictsSitesStructuresObjects★ landmark

Architectural styles listings

Spanish Colonial Revival21

Queen Anne13

Moderne13

Beaux Arts13

Art Deco10

Mediterranean10

★ Landmark

Neutra, Richard and Dion, VDL Research Houses and StudioBuilt 1932

★ Landmark

Barnsdall, Aline, ComplexBuilt 1921

★ Landmark

Bradbury BuildingBuilt 1893

★ Landmark

Watts Towers of Simon RodiaSite

★ Landmark

Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumStructure

★ Landmark

Little Tokyo Historic DistrictEclectic

★ Landmark

Ralph J. ScottStructure

★ Landmark

Lane VictoryStructure

All 285 listings

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Los Angeles’s post office has been open since 1850. 42 other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Los Angeles

1850–today

San Padro

1854–1864

Tuhunga

1855–1894

Wilmington

1864–today

Encino

1873–1968

Machado

1874–1887

Tunnel

1876–1876

Ranchito

1877–1886

Cahuenga

1881–1907

San Pedro

1882–today

18501940today

Hamlets and corners on the map

Aliso VillageAllaAlsaceAngelino HeightsArlington HeightsAtwaterAurantAvalon GardensBaird ParkBaldwin HillsBel AirBeverly GlenBoston HeightsBoyle HeightsBrentwoodBrentwood HeightsBrentwood ParkBrooklyn HeightsBunker Hill TowersButte Street JunctionCalabasasCanoga ParkCarthay CircleCarthay Square

Gone or out of use

Aladdin TheatrebuildingAscot SpeedwaylocaleBattery BarlowmilitaryBattery FarleymilitaryBattery LearymilitaryBattery LodormilitaryBattery MerriammilitaryBattery OsgoodmilitaryBattery SaxtonmilitaryBay Harbor HospitalhospitalBethesda Presbyterian ChurchchurchBirmingham General HospitalhospitalBlack Foxe Military InstituteschoolBrentwood Military AcademyschoolCalifornia Country ClublocaleCamp DrummilitaryCanal Street StationlocaleCarthay Circle Theatrebuilding

18cemeteries and burying grounds inside Los Angeles

Beth OlamEden Memorial ParkEvergreenForest Lawn Memorial ParkHarbor View Memorial ParkHollywood ForeverIndependent Order of OddfellowsMount Sinai Memorial ParkOakwoodPet HavenRoosevelt Memorial ParkRosedaleSan Fernando MissionSan Fernando Pioneer MemorialValhalla Memorial ParkVerdugo HillsWestwood Memorial ParkWilmington

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

The story

How Los Angeles came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Los Angeles.

Read it all →

The settlement of Indigenous Californians in the modern Los Angeles Basin and the San Fernando Valley was dominated by the Tongva (now also known as the Gabrieleño since the era of Spanish colonization). The historic center of Tongva power in the region was the settlement of Yaanga (Tongva: Iyáangẚ), meaning "place of the poison oak", which would eventually become the site where the Spanish founded the Pueblo de Los Ángeles. Iyáangẚ has also been translated as "the valley of smoke".

ChaptersIndigenous history Spanish rule Mexican rule Post-Conquest era Post–World War II 21st century

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Los Angeles in 1915

Passages that mention Los Angeles, cut from the printed page as they were published.

Immediately after graduation Dr. Quint became an interne in the California Hospital of Los Angeles, where he remained until 1900, at which time he became associated with the United States Marine Hospital, and in 1901 received the appointment to the office of assistant health officer of Los Angeles,… — **A history of California and an extended history of Los Angeles and environs**1915 · page 522Read the page →
Read the text
Immediately after graduation Dr. Quint became an interne in the California Hospital of Los Angeles, where he remained until 1900, at which time he became associated with the United States Marine Hospital, and in 1901 received the appointment to the office of assistant health officer of Los Angeles, which position he held until 1905. In that year he became junior chief police
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

Clay Manufacturing Company, of which firm he later became superintendent. Ill health caused him to resign his position and to seek outdoor life upon his cattle ranch in Los Angeles county, where he remained until 1893, when he moved to Los Angeles and conducted the ranch while residing here. In 190… — **A history of California and an extended history of Los Angeles and environs**1915 · page 727Read the page →
Read the text
Clay Manufacturing Company, of which firm he later became superintendent. Ill health caused him to resign his position and to seek outdoor life upon his cattle ranch in Los Angeles county, where he remained until 1893, when he moved to Los Angeles and conducted the ranch while residing here. In 1906 he took over the Western Art Tile Works at Tropico, Cal. This he operated
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Timeline

Los Angeles, 1781 to 1974

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

18th century
1781
FoundingLos Angeles is established
19th century
1850In the archiveBattle of
1850Post officeThe Los Angeles post office opens
1854Post officeThe San Padro post office opens
1855Post officeThe Tuhunga post office opens
1864Post officeThe San Padro post office closes
1880In the archiveGeneral view
1893BuiltBradbury Building is built
1894Post officeThe Tuhunga post office closes
1894On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
20th century
1900In the archiveLincoln Park
1910In the archiveFifth Street
1921BuiltBarnsdall, Aline, Complex is built
1926Born hereMarilyn Monroe is born here
1932BuiltNeutra, Richard and Dion, VDL Research Houses and Studio is built
1933BuiltEastern Star Home is built
1972Born hereGwyneth Paltrow is born here
1974Born hereLeonardo DiCaprio is born here

By decade

Los Angeles, decade by decade

4 decades in the archive, from the 1850s to the 1910s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1850s–1900s9 items

1850Battle of

1880General view

1880Old Mission Church

1900Lincoln Park

1906California Hospital

1907Chinese pharmacy

1908Los Angeles General Hospital

1908Biltmore Hotel

1908St. Vincent's College

1910s1 item

1910Fifth Street

1920s–1990snothing yet

Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.

Add from your album

On the map

Los Angeles on the map, 1894 to 1981

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Los Angeles. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

1894Los Angeles sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Los Angeles.

Every building

Los Angeles, building by building, 1888–1906

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

Los Angeles fire insurance map, 1888, sheet 2

1888Sheet 2 of 77

Edition

Sheets

+76 more at the Library of Congress

BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Retake this viewBattle of, 1850

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Los Angeles’ page.

Retake this view · +15

People over time

Los Angeles, census by census

Grew from 1,610 people in 1850 to 3,898,747 in 2020, more than tenfold.

18 censuses, 1850–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Los Angeles’ Wikipedia page.

Famous people

21 famous people were born in Los Angeles

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →

Marilyn MonroeAmerican actress and model · b. 1926

Leonardo DiCaprioAmerican actor and producer · b. 1974

Gwyneth PaltrowAmerican actress, entrepreneur, writer and sing… · b. 1972

Chris PineAmerican actor · b. 1980

Jodie FosterAmerican actress and filmmaker · b. 1962

Kim KardashianAmerican media personality, businesswoman, mode… · b. 1980

Help out

Finish Los Angeles’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos

00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s

2 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.

Retake an old viewBattle of: stand where they stood+15 Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Santa Monica11 historic placesB⁺Glendale14 historic placesB⁺Pasadena123 historic placesA Rancho Palos Verdes3 historic placesC⁻Burbank3 historic placesB⁻Inglewood3 historic placesB CarsonIts storyD West Rancho DominguezIts storyC VernonIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town East Los Angeles4 historic placesA

Questions about Los Angeles’ history

What year was Los Angeles founded?

In 1781, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Los Angeles’ post office opened in 1850, and the census of 1850 counted 1,610 people here.

How does Los Angeles rank for history?

Los Angeles is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #5 of 847 in California. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Los Angeles?

284 listings, 12 of them National Historic Landmarks: 230 buildings, among them the Neutra, Richard and Dion, VDL Research Houses and Studio (a National Historic Landmark since 2016), and the Pico, Romulo, Adobe (listed 1966, the first), 45 historic districts with 3,310 contributing buildings, 1 site, 8 structures, and 1 object. 3,939 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Los Angeles?

19% of Los Angeles’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1965.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →

Start a conversation

Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (1), the Library of Congress (9), Wikidata (8), the National Register of Historic Places (285), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.

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Los Angeles has 284 places on the National Register, 12 of them National Historic Landmarks

How Los Angeles began

When was Los Angeles founded?

How historic is Los Angeles?

What drives Los Angeles’ History grade

What stands out about Los Angeles’ past

284 listings protect 3,939 historic buildings

Architectural styles listings

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

How Los Angeles came to be

What they wrote about Los Angeles in 1915

Los Angeles, 1781 to 1974

Los Angeles, decade by decade

Los Angeles on the map, 1894 to 1981

Los Angeles, building by building, 1888–1906

Stand where they stood

Los Angeles, census by census

21 famous people were born in Los Angeles

Finish Los Angeles’s story

History across the town line

Questions about Los Angeles’ history

Memory lane

Where this page comes from