Los Angeles: Epic of a City

Berkeley, CA: Howell-North Books. Very Good with no dust jacket. 1974. Hardcover. 398 pages. Index. Illustrated. Vorman's Pasadena bookseller tag on ffep. Endsheet of the ranchos courtesy of Title Insurance & Trust Co. Without dust jacket. Worn corner tips and ends. A comprehensive history of America's third largest city draws attention to developments and problems that have affected its economic growth. Contents: I. The isolated valley. The locale ; Spanish exploration ; The search for Monterey ; Felipe de Neve shapes the future ; Destination: California ; The journey of the colonists ; El Pueblo "La reyna de Los Angeles" -- II. The remote outpost, 1781-1848. Earliest inhabitants ; A contest for dominance: military or church ; Life in the outpost ; A simple environment ; Foreign traders and privateers ; Frontier money ; Public services- or lack of them ; A remote community -- III. Warfare in the Southland, 1781-1848. Covetous powers ; A growing habit of rebellion ; Threat of war ; Temporary conquest of Los Angeles ; Californios vs. Yankees ; Dissension among the victors ; End of the Spanish-Mexican era --IV. Ranchos, 1781-1848. Cattle range into ranchos ; Ranchos south of Los Angeles ; Ranchos of Santa Monica Bay ; Ranchos west of Los Angeles ; Ranchos east of Los Angeles ; Ranchos of San Fernando Valley ; Mountain ranchos --V. The transer of allegiance, 1848-1868. The pueblo unchanged ; Statehood ; Crime spreads from the gold fields ; Modernizing a frontier town ; Whaling ; Travel ; Fort Tejon and the Camel trains ; The first towns ; Floods and drought ; Land grants in jeopardy -- VI. Americanization of the southland, 1868-1900. Land boom ; Renaissance in the plaza ; The Chinese Massacre ; The last bandit ; Progress and personalities ; The search for water ; The railroads ; Trauma of the first banks ; Oil in downtown Los Angeles ; Two reminiscent figures -- VII. The beginning of the twentieth century, 1900-1932. The movies ; Water by aqueduct ; More oil ; La Brea Pits ; The big red cars ; Expansion along Wilshire ; Philanthropists of the arts ; Griffith Park ; Malibu, last of the ranchos ; Bombing of the Times ; America's First International Air Meet ; The 1932 Olympic Games ; An expansive era comes to an end -- VIII. Modern times, 1932-Present. Migration from the dust bowl ; Still more water ; Still more oil ; Climaxes in the motion picture industry ; Defense and space ; Freeways ; New centers for the arts ; Archaeological discoveries ; Earthquakes ; Minorities: Mexican Americans ; Minorities: Japanese Americans ; Minorities: Chinese Americans ; Minorities: Blacks ; Minorities: Indians -- IX. Today. Buildings rise skyward ; Pollution ; Geologic patterns ; Reminders ; Conclusion. ; 8vo .