El Aliso del Viento
El Aliso del Viento
El Aliso del Viento sprung from the tumultuous floodplain of the Los Angeles River as Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas. This sycamore seedling flourished as the Chumash and Tongva peoples sought peace and guidance. When El Aliso del Viento’s canopy spanned over 200 feet wide, the Tongva people created the Yaanga village around this sacred refuge. In 1781, new settlers choose land next to the Yaanga village to establish El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles, and when the Tongva relocated Yaanga village, the settlers turned to El Aliso del Viento for shade and as a landmark to their rapidly growing city.
El Aliso del Viento watched as El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles gained cityhood as the City of Los Angeles in 1850. The town of 44 settlers became a city of 50,000 in less than a hundred years, and in turn, these new residents privatized and sold El Aliso del Viento. After 300 years serving as a spiritual landmark for the region, El Aliso del Viento witnessed the growth of the agricultural industry while proving shade for citrus farmer’s newly constructed home. The next owner created a winery with the surrounding land, but felt El Aliso del Viento was too big and not worth restoring to health as the centerpiece of his winery. El Aliso del Viento was chopped down in 1892, after years of neglect mirroring the changing values and spiritual practices of the people using the land.