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Oil Drilling increases Population in Los Angeles
In 1865, seven years after Edwin Drake developed the first oil drilling system in North America—located in Pennsylvania—Union Matolle Company moved into California’s Central Valley, east of San Francisco. Union Matolle Company hoped to replicate the success of the Pennsylvania drillings and find large amounts of oil in Northern California. During this period, California’s population increased by approximately 375% in the years following the 1849 gold rush, and California’s demand for oil was increasing dramatically. However, Union Matolle failed to find sufficient oil supplies. The company could not produce the oil to keep up with consumer ...
Union Rescue Mission and Skid Row
Union Rescue Mission (URM) is one of the largest missions of its kind in America — bringing help and hope to men, women, and children experiencing homelessness in Downtown Los Angeles. URM was founded in 1891 by Lyman Stewart, president and
founder of Union Oil Company. George A. Hilton served as the first superintendent of the Mission, originally known as the Pacific Gospel Union. During those early days, URM took to the streets in gospel wagons to offer food, clothing, and salvation to the less fortunate. Over the years, URM has continued and expanded its efforts to feed both the body and the soul, helping individuals and families break the ...
The Arcade Station
In 1887, the still-standing Wolfskill Adobe would be razed to make way for the old Southern Pacific Railroad's Arcade Station, which was located at Fifth and Alameda and a few blocks from Azusa Street. This, too, would be demolished in 1914 and replaced with a larger and more modern railroad passenger depot - the Central Station. This station influenced business developement and population growth around the nearby Azusa Street and downtown Los Angeles.
The Arcade Station was the second station built by Southern Pacific in Los Angeles (and first one built primarily for passenger service). Built in 1889 and used until 1914 when it was replaced by ...
Flooding at 312 Azusa Street
A massive flood in the late 1880s severly damages downtown Los Angeles. 312 Azusa Street home is serverly damaged and is left condemned for several years, but found new life when William James Seymour was invited to be a pastor for the newly formed Black Holiness Church at this site in 1906. Seymour opened the historic meeting in April of 1906 and the Azusa Street Revival began. The Azusa Street Revival is credited by many to be the birthsite of the Pentecostal movement. In just over 100 years, Pentecostalism has grown to have 500 million followers.
312 Azusa Street Building is Constructed
Stevens African Methodist Episcopal Church constructs a 40 feet by 60 feet church building at 312 Azusa Street. Inspired by a vision from God to establish a church that would minister to the mind, body and soul of all who would join, Biddy Mason funded the construction with her son-in-law, Charles Owens.
Los Angeles in 1877
Floating some 9,000 feet above the city in a hot-air balloon in 1887, Edwin H. Husher took what may be the first aerial photo of Los Angeles.
By 1887, the City's population had grown to over 20,000 people with most of the new development having taken place south of the original Pueblo and LA Plaza as seen in the above photo.
Aerial photo of Los Angeles looking East on June 27, 1887 taken from a balloon. Note the farmland south of Second Street and east of Main Street to the Los Angeles River. The circular form of the Plaza is visible to the center left.
The Grand Opera House
The first auditorium built in Los Angeles was the Grand Opera House, located on Main Street by First Street, just a few blocks from Azusa Street. It was built by Orzo W. Childs, had 1800 seats, and dedicated on May 24, 1884. It was first called Child's Opera House, named after Mr. Childs. Mr. Childs was a horticulturist and one of the civil leaders who provided land to University of Southern California, which created an endowment to fund the establishment of their campus.
Olvera Street forms
After the Mexican-American War, the Plaza remained the center of El Pueblo. A small alley branching off of the Plaza—Wine Street—had its name changed by City Council ordinance in 1877 to Olvera Street to honor Augustín Olvera, the first Superior Court Judge of Los Angeles County, who owned an adobe house nearby. Over time, Olvera Street became a marketplace, with cafes, street vendors, and shops, and still exists about one mile from Azusa Street. The image on the left shows is from 1890, looking north across the L.A. Plaza to the beginning of Olvera Street. The Olvera Adobe can be seen to the right on the northeast corner of Olvera and Marchess...
The Chinese Massacre
The Chinese Massacre of 1871 was a racially motivated riot on October 24, 1871 in Los Angeles, when a mob of over 500 men entered Chinatown to attack, rob and murder Chinese residents of the city. The riots took place on Calle de los Negros, which later became part of Los Angeles Street. A total of 18 Chinese immigrants were systematically killed by the mob, making the so-called "Chinatown War" the largest incident of mass lynching in American history.
William J. Seymour is Baptized
William J. Seymour is baptized at the Church of the Assumption (Roman Catholic) in Franklin, Louisiana.