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Los Angeles' First Park
Elysian Park is the city's oldest public park and, at 575-acres, the second
largest after Griffith Park. It is home to numerous historic sites, including the Los Angeles Police Academy and Barlow
Hospital, that are linked by miles of walking trails.
In 1769, Gaspar de Portola and Father Juan Crespi camped on the river bank opposite Buena Vista Hill near the North
Broadway Bridge entrance to Elysian Park. Yang-Na Indian villagers from the
creeks of Solano Canyon and the current location of the Los Angeles Police Academy greeted the Spaniards with native refreshments.
In 1781, the Pueblo of Los Angeles was officially
established by Spanish California Governor Felipe de Neve with the Royal Grant of 4 square Spanish leagues (translated into
28 square miles or about 17,000 acres) of Pueblo Lands. Of this public land grant, the approximately 575-acre Elysian Park
is the last remaining large piece. All else has been auctioned off or given away. Los Angeles even had to buy back the site
of the present City Hall.
One of the first American official acts was the Ord Survey
of 1849 to record the boundaries of these Pueblo Lands so they could be auctioned to produce city revenue. Elysian Park was
then known as Rock Quarry Hills for the building stone mined in the area. But instead of being sold, the Rock Quarry
Hills area were "reserved" for public purpose and withdrawn from public auction.
In 1886, the Mayor and City Council of Los Angeles dedicated the Rock Quarry Hills as a city park forever, and renamed it
Elysian Park (Elysian is derived from the Greek word paradise). Subsequent city charters have protected dedicated park
lands and their use for park purposes in perpetuity.
These are rare charter provisions, as city
charters go, and have given parkland protectors a firm legal base for organized support of dedicated park land in the City
of Los Angeles. It is upon this legal base that the Citizens Committee to Save Elysian Park has fought for two decades to
retain park lands for park purposes.
Every effort is being made to establish the historical
significance of this public park in order to conserve it for future generations as a part of the Santa Monica Mountains system
of urban open space vital to the survival of the human, animal and botanical denizens of these historic parklands.
More info on Elysian and other city parks.
Elysian Park Historical Significance
Native American-History
Yang-Na village was located at the Aliso Street crossing
of the Los Angeles River and Shoshone (Gabrielinos) bands congregated in the Rock Garden area of the Police Academy within
Elysian Park.
Spanish Era
1769 Portola and Crespi diaries recorded
the Elysian Park site enroute to claiming Alta California for Spain.
1771 San Gabriel Mission was founded
by Father Junipero Serra.
1776 Juan Bautista de Anza crossed Rio Porciuncula at the junction of Arroyo
Seco on way to founding Northern California's San Francisco, following the Portola Trail along the Santa Monica Mountains
to Ventura
1781 El Pueblo de Los Angeles was founded by edict of Carlos III of Spain.
Mexican
Era
1835 Pueblo status was granted by the Mexican Government, still recognizing the 4 square
leagues as city land. Secularization of missions brought the first great land rush to split mission lands into individual
rancho grants.
American Era
1849 American Military Government
ordered E. O. C. Ord Survey of Los Angeles City Limits, setting off the first city real estate boom1883. Mayor C.E. Thom signed
enabling ordinance to preserve remaining Pueblo Lands for public park purposes.
Park
Named Elysian
1886 City Ordinance Number 218 signed April 5 by Mayor E.F. Spence, dedicated Rock
Quarry Hills in the following words: "That the real property located in the city of Los Angeles and owned by the city of Los
Angeles hereinafter described, is hereby set apart for the use of the public as a Public Park, and is forever dedicated to
the Public as such park."
The Committee on Parks authorized and named Elysian Park and purchased the first planting
of gum trees for $200.
Parks Department Created
1889 Los Angeles
first Freeholders Charter, Section 113, protected dedicated park lands in perpetuity. This Charter also created the Parks
Department, which was consolidated with the Recreation Department by Charter Amendment in 1947.
Arboretum
Founded
1893 Los Angeles Horticultural Society established the Arboretum and extensive botanical
gardens in Elysian Park. The Chavez Ravine Arboretum, Elysian Park, was declared City Historical-Cultural Monument Number 48 in 1967.
Avenue
of the Palms
1895 The Avenue of the Palms, rare specimens of wild date were planted, on what
is now Stadium Way north of Scott Avenue
In Perpetuity
1928
Los Angeles' second, current Freeholders Charter, Section 170, reaffirms protection of parklands in perpetuity.
Master
Plan
1971 The Elysian Park Master Plan was adopted.
Santa
Monica Mountains Zone
1982 The Santa Monica Mountains Zone of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
was extended by the State Legislature to include Elysian Park and El Pueblo as eastern extremity of the Zone, thereby reinforcing
Elysian Park status as a regional park
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