Olvera Street gains Historic Landmark status

During the 1920s, the pace of Mexican immigration into the state increased rapidly. California was a primary destination with Los Angeles being a common choice. As a part of a movement that sought to preserve what was then seen as California’s “authentic” heritage, resident Christine Sterling began a public campaign to renovate Francisco Avila Adobe, which evolved into a campaign “to preserve and present the customs and trades of early California” at Olvera Street through sustaining the Mexican marketplace which had been thriving since the 1880s. The campaign was embraced and Olvera Street gained California State Historic Landmark status in 1953. Today, many of the merchants on Olvera Street are descended from the original vendors.

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