Felipe de Neve, Founder of L.A.

As the new governor of California, Felip de Neve had recommended to the

viceroy of Mexico that a mission be established at “that delightful

place” along the river where Father Juan Crespi and others had met the

Indians. In time King Carlos of Spain agreed, and ordered de Neve to

establish a town at that site.

Governor de Neve tackled the project with enthusiasm, laying out exactly

how the new town would look: perhaps the first planned town in North

America. He not only laid out the plaza (later moved slightly because of

flooding), but also determined where the pastures, royal lands, and

other divisions were to be located.

Getting settlers from Mexico was another matter, and it took 2 years

(1771) for the first to arrive, largely from Sonora. There were 11 men,

11 women, and 22 children.

On September 4, 1781, the new village was founded amid considerable

hoopla, and to the great interest oif the Indians who lived there.

The Early Settlement of Los Angeles

The new governor of California, Felip de Neve, recommended to the

viceroy in Mexico that the place suggested by Father Crespi as an ideal

place for a mission be developed into a pueblo. King Carlos III of Spain

in turn took the recommendation and ordered Governor de Neve to

establish the pueblo.

De Neve took the job of establishing the settlement very seriously. He

drew up plans for the pueblo, including a plaza, fields, pastures, and

royal lands. This surely is the first time a city has been planned

before the first settler arrived, and ironic in view of the unfettered

growth of Los Angeles.

Persuading settlers to come here from Mexico was another matter. In

spite of many inducements, such as money and land, it took months before

he was able to get enough settlers, and he had to go to Sonora to get

them.

Finally, a group of 11 men, 11 women, and 22 children were gathered

together at the Mission San Gabriel. On September 4, 1781, they left the

mission, accompanied by de Neve, soldiers, mission priests, and a few

Indians to go the site along the river.

There was a speech by Governor de Neve, a blessing and prayers from the

mission fathers — all watched by the Yang-Na Indians. Thus did El

Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula (The

Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angeles of Porciuncula) come into

existence.

The new pueblo grew slowly, and amenities were few. The houses were very

small, usually of adobe with flat roofs — glassless windows, and

rawhide doors. The narrow streets were almost impassable when it rained.

There were, of course, no sidewalks or lawns, and the trees along the

river rapidly disappeared.

By 1790 Los Angeles had 28 household and a population of 139. By 1800

the population was 315 and 70 families; there was also a town hall,

guardhouse, army barracks, and granaries.

This Spanish town neither knew nor cared that the United States had been

born and was already moving relentlessly across the continent. The first

Yankee settler did not arrive until about 1820.