Olvera Street Is Known As ‘The Birthplace Of Los Angeles'—This 360o Virtual Tour Takes You Through Its Incredible History
Olvera Street, known as “the birthplace of Los Angeles,” is a beautiful and historic street located in the heart of Downtown L.A. As a symbol of the city’s Mexican-American heritage, the street is celebrated as an enduring symbol of Los Angeles’s history and culture. The California Migration Museum’s free ***Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá* tour helps to share Olvera Street’s history with everyone, whether in Los Angeles or elsewhere. A brief history of Olvera Street -------------------------------- While this area of Los Angeles dates back thousands of years as Tongva and Gabrielino land, it was in 1781 that Spanish settlers established El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora Reina de los Ángeles** around the Olvera Street plaza and surrounding area. The early pueblo was composed of adobe homes and businesses during the Spanish and later Mexican period, including the historic Ávila Adobe built in 1818, which is still standing today. The street fell into disrepair and neglect as Los Angeles expanded, but when it was set to be demolished in the 1920s, socialite Christine Sterling and *LA Times* publisher Harry Chandler stepped in to restore Olvera Street to its former glory. It opened as a Mexican-style marketplace in 1930, and many of today’s merchants are descendants of the original vendors . These days, millions of visitors come to explore the shops, restaurants, festivals, and cultural events featuring mariachi performances and folklórico dances. *Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá* ------------------------ The California Migration Museum has created a free 360o virtual tour available on YouTube, broken into ten short videos between 2-10 minutes long. *Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá* (“Neither from here, nor from there”) takes viewers through the history of the street, from Sterling’s influence, to the country’s first mass public immigration raid in 1931 , to nearby Union Station and the present day. You can watch the tour to learn more about the complex and layered history of Olvera Street. Today, Olvera Street remains a vibrant destination for tourists and locals to connect with Los Angeles’s history and Mexican-American culture. Source: https://secretlosangeles.com/olvera-street-virtual-tour-los-angeles-history/
