What is the history of Chavez Ravine?
What is the history of Chavez Ravine?
Named for Julian Chavez, one of the first Los Angeles County Supervisors in the 1800s, Chávez Ravine was a self-sufficient and tight-knit community, a rare example of small town life within a large urban metropolis. For decades, its residents ran their own schools and churches and grew their own food on the land.
Why was the Chavez Ravine important?
The First Jewish site in Los Angeles was a Jewish cemetery located in Chavez Ravine, which opened in 1855 and was owned by the Hebrew Benevolent Society of Los Angeles, a Jewish charity which was also the first charity in Los Angeles.
Where did the name Chavez Ravine come from?
Chavez Ravine was named after Julian Chavez, a rancher who served as assistant mayor, city councilman and, eventually, as one of L.A. County’s first supervisors. In 1844, he started buying up land in what was known as the Stone Quarry Hills, an area with several separate ravines.
What was Chavez Ravine before Dodger Stadium?
Before Los Angeles had Dodger Stadium, it had Palo Verde, La Loma, and Bishop. They were three neighborhoods that made up the thriving, predominantly Mexican American community in what is now known as Chavez Ravine.
How many families lived in Chavez Ravine?
History of the community By 1951, right before the public housing proposal, Chavez Ravine was home to over 1,800 families. The residents of Chavez Ravine were generally poor and relied on farming for income.
In what year did Black Friday occur for the families of Chavez Ravine?
On Black Friday, May 9, 1959, the remaining families of Chavez Ravine were met with bulldozers and sheriffs wielding eviction orders.
Who built LA?
Although Los Angeles was a town that was founded by Mexican families from Sonora, it was the Spanish governor of California who named the settlement. In 1777, Governor Felipe de Neve toured Alta California and decided to establish civic pueblos for the support of the military presidios.
What is the history of the Chavez Ravine?
The majority of the Chavez Ravine land was initially acquired by eminent domain by the City of Los Angeles to make way for proposed public housing.
What happened to the public housing plan for Chavez Ravine?
The public housing plan that had been advanced as politically “progressive” and had resulted in the removal of the Mexican-American landowners of Chavez Ravine was abandoned after the passage of a public referendum prohibiting the original housing proposal and the election of a conservative Los Angeles mayor opposed to public housing.
How did the Chavez Ravine land dispute affect the Dodgers?
The referendum to stop the land transfer, in June 1958, failed by 25,000 out of 677,000 votes. The city ended up conveying the Chavez Ravine site to the Dodgers for small consideration. Dodger Stadium was then constructed with private funds and remains privately owned. There was significant resistance to the eviction by the residents.
What is it like to live in Chavez Ravine?
For decades, Chavez Ravine was home to generations of Mexican Americans. The area was split up into three smaller neighborhoods: La Loma, Palo Verde, and Bishop. A tight-knit rural community nestled in a generally urban area, the people of Chavez Ravine were self-sustaining and largely independent of the surrounding city.
