History of Los Angeles in Timeline

Los Angeles (L.A.) is California's most populous city and the second most populous in the United States, with an estimated 3,820,914 residents as of 2023. It serves as the commercial, financial, and cultural hub of Southern California. The city boasts a highly diverse population and anchors a metropolitan area of 12.8 million people. Greater Los Angeles, encompassing Los Angeles and Riverside–San Bernardino, is a large metropolis with over 18.3 million residents.

1900: Los Angeles population exceeds 102,000 in 1900

By 1900, the population of Los Angeles had grown to more than 102,000, putting pressure on the city's water supply.

1900: Paris Summer Olympics

Paris hosted the Summer Olympics in 1900.

1903: First airplane flight in 1903

During World War II more aircraft were produced in Los Angeles in one year than in all the pre-war years since the Wright brothers flew the first airplane in 1903, combined.

September 14, 1908: First municipal zoning ordinance in the United States, 1908

On September 14, 1908, the Los Angeles City Council promulgated residential and industrial land use zones, creating the first municipal zoning ordinance in the United States.

1908: Pronunciation variants of Los Angeles in 1908

In 1908, librarian Charles Fletcher Lummis reported that there were at least 12 pronunciation variants of Los Angeles.

1908: London Summer Olympics

London hosted the Summer Olympics in 1908.

1910: Hollywood merges into Los Angeles in 1910

In 1910, Hollywood merged into Los Angeles, with 10 movie companies already operating in the city at the time.

1913: Completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913

In 1913, the Los Angeles Aqueduct was completed, delivering water from Eastern California and enabling further expansion of the city.

1915: Exceptions to residential zone proscriptions by 1915

Between 1908 and 1915, the Los Angeles City Council created various exceptions to the broad proscriptions that applied to the three residential zones, and as a consequence, some industrial uses emerged within them.

1916: New York City Zoning Ordinance, 1916

The 1908 zoning laws did not establish a comprehensive zoning map as the 1916 New York City Zoning Ordinance did.

1921: Concentration of film industry in Los Angeles by 1921

By 1921, more than 80 percent of the world's film industry was concentrated in L.A.

1923: California becomes largest oil producer in 1923

By 1923, petroleum discoveries in Los Angeles and the surrounding area had helped California become the country's largest oil producer, accounting for about one-quarter of the world's petroleum output.

1923: Foursquare Gospel Founded

In 1923, the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel was founded in Los Angeles by Aimee Semple McPherson.

1923: Breed Street Shul built

The Breed Street Shul in East Los Angeles was built in 1923.

1924: Paris Summer Olympics

Paris hosted the Summer Olympics in 1924.

1930: Los Angeles population surpasses one million in 1930

By 1930, the population of Los Angeles surpassed one million.

January 15, 1932: Greatest Snowfall

On January 15, 1932, downtown Los Angeles recorded its greatest snowfall, measuring 2.0 inches (5 cm).

1932: Los Angeles hosts the 1932 Summer Olympics

According to an analysis of contemporary newspaper reports, the 1932 Summer Olympics, also held in Los Angeles, was the second Olympics to turn a profit.

1932: Summer Olympics

Los Angeles hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1932.

1933: 1933 Long Beach earthquake

The 1933 Long Beach earthquake hit the Los Angeles area.

1934: Official pronunciation decreed in 1934

Since the 1930s, /lɔːs ˈændʒələs/ has been most common. In 1934, the United States Board on Geographic Names decreed that this pronunciation be used by the federal government.

1939: Union Station opening

In 1939, Union Station opened, becoming the largest passenger rail terminal in the Western United States.

1946: Damage from 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake

In 1946, harbor areas in Los Angeles were damaged by waves from Aleutian Islands earthquake.

1946: Rams First Game in Coliseum

In 1946, the Rams played their first home game in the Coliseum, making them the first professional sports team to play in Los Angeles.

1948: London Summer Olympics

London hosted the Summer Olympics in 1948.

January 4, 1949: Lowest Recorded Temperature

On January 4, 1949, the official downtown Los Angeles weather station recorded its lowest temperature at 28 °F (−2 °C).

1952: Official pronunciation endorsed in 1952

In 1952, a "jury" appointed by Mayor Fletcher Bowron endorsed the pronunciation /lɔːs ˈændʒələs/, which had been decreed by the United States Board on Geographic Names in 1934, as the official pronunciation of Los Angeles.

1953: Pronunciation of Los Angeles in 1953

In 1953, an article in the journal of the American Name Society asserted that the pronunciation /lɔːs ˈændʒələs/ lawss AN-jəl-əs was established following the 1850 incorporation of the city.

1960: Zoned capacity for 10 million people in 1960

In 1960, Los Angeles had a total zoned capacity for approximately 10 million people.

1960: Damage from 1960 Valdivia earthquake

In 1960, harbor areas in Los Angeles were damaged by waves from the Valdivia earthquake.

1960: Chargers Inaugural Season

In 1960, the San Diego Chargers had their inaugural season.

1962: Previous Snowfall

Prior to the snowfall in 2019, the last time Los Angeles experienced snowfall was in 1962.

1964: Damage from 1964 Alaska earthquake

In 1964, harbor areas in Los Angeles were damaged by waves from the Alaska earthquake.

1965: Watts Riots in 1965

Racial tensions led to the Watts riots in 1965, resulting in 34 deaths and over 1,000 injuries.

1969: First ARPANET transmission in 1969

In 1969, California became the birthplace of the Internet, as the first ARPANET transmission was sent from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to the Stanford Research Institute in Menlo Park.

1971: 1971 San Fernando earthquake

The 1971 San Fernando earthquake hit the Los Angeles area.

1973: Tom Bradley elected mayor in 1973

In 1973, Tom Bradley was elected as the city's first African American mayor.

1974: Symbionese Liberation Army standoff in 1974

In 1974, the Symbionese Liberation Army's South Central standoff occurred.

1977: Hillside Stranglers murder cases in 1977

The Hillside Stranglers murder cases began in 1977.

1978: Proposition 13 approval

After Proposition 13 was approved in 1978, urban school districts like LAUSD had considerable trouble with funding.

1978: Hillside Stranglers murder cases in 1978

The Hillside Stranglers murder cases continued in 1978.

January 29, 1979: Freezing Temperatures

On January 29, 1979, the last occurrence of a 32 °F (0 °C) reading was recorded at the downtown Los Angeles weather station.

1979: Rams play in Coliseum

The Rams played their home games in the Coliseum from 1946 to 1979.

1980: Homicide rate reported

In 1980, Los Angeles reported a homicide rate of 34.2 per 100,000 population.

1980: Rams Move to Anaheim Stadium

In 1980, the Rams moved to Anaheim Stadium.

1984: Los Angeles hosts the 1984 Summer Olympics

In 1984, the city hosted the Summer Olympic Games for the second time. It was financially successful despite being boycotted by 14 Communist countries.

1984: Los Angeles becomes second largest city in 1984

In early 1984, Los Angeles surpassed Chicago in population, thus becoming the second largest city in the United States.

1984: Summer Olympics

Los Angeles hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1984.

1985: Deaflympics

Los Angeles hosted the Deaflympics in 1985.

1987: 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake

The 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake hit the Los Angeles area.

1990: Zoned capacity falls to 4.5 million in 1990

By 1990, the zoned capacity of Los Angeles had fallen to 4.5 million as a result of policy decisions to ban housing through zoning.

1990: Opening of the A Line

In 1990, the A Line, the first line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system, opened.

April 29, 1992: Rodney King riots begin on April 29, 1992

On April 29, 1992, racial tensions erupted with the acquittal by a Simi Valley jury of four Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers captured on videotape beating Rodney King, culminating in large-scale riots.

1992: City murder rate

In 1992, the city of Los Angeles recorded 1,092 murders.

1993: Tom Bradley retires in 1993

Tom Bradley retired in 1993 after serving for five terms as mayor.

1994: Northridge earthquake in 1994

In 1994, the magnitude 6.7 Northridge earthquake shook the city, causing $12.5 billion in damage and 72 deaths.

1994: FIFA World Cup

Los Angeles hosted eight FIFA World Cup soccer games at the Rose Bowl in 1994, including the final, where Brazil won.

1994: 1994 Northridge earthquake

The 1994 Northridge earthquake hit the Los Angeles area.

1994: Rams play in Anaheim Stadium

The Rams played in Anaheim Stadium from 1980 until 1994.

1995: Rams and Raiders Leave

In 1995, the Los Angeles area lost its NFL teams when the Rams moved to St. Louis and the Raiders moved back to Oakland.

June 8, 1999: Adoption of the current city charter

On June 8, 1999, the current charter for the city of Los Angeles was adopted; this charter has been amended many times since its adoption.

1999: FIFA Women's World Cup

In 1999, the Rose Bowl hosted four matches in the FIFA Women's World Cup, including the final, where the United States won against China.

1999: Neighborhood council system creation

In 1999, the city of Los Angeles ratified a charter creating a system of advisory neighborhood councils representing diverse stakeholders within the city.

September 2002: Cathedral Opening

In September 2002, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels opened in downtown Los Angeles.

2002: Defeat of secession efforts in 2002

In 2002, Mayor James Hahn led the campaign against secession, resulting in voters defeating efforts by the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood to secede from the city.

2006: Mean travel time for work commutes

In 2006, Los Angeles's mean travel time for work commutes was 29.2 minutes, similar to those of San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

2006: Pollution Ranking

In 2006, the American Lung Association ranked Los Angeles as the most polluted city in the country for short-term and year-round particle pollution.

2007: Pollution Ranking

In 2007, the American Lung Association ranked Los Angeles as the most polluted city in the country for short-term and year-round particle pollution.

2008: Murders reach level

In 2008 murders was at the same level than 2021.

2008: Pollution Ranking

In 2008, Los Angeles was ranked the second most polluted city in the U.S., with the highest year-round particulate pollution.

2008: Trade volume

In 2008, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach together had a trade volume of over 14.2 million TEU's, making them the fifth busiest container port in the world.

2009: 50-year low in homicides

In 2009, Los Angeles experienced a 50-year low in homicides, with 314 reported, resulting in a homicide rate of 7.85 per 100,000 population. This included 15 officer-involved shootings and the death of SWAT team member Randal Simmons.

September 27, 2010: Highest Recorded Temperature

On September 27, 2010, the official downtown Los Angeles weather station recorded its highest temperature at 113 °F (45 °C).

2010: Renewable Energy Goal

In 2010, Los Angeles met its goal of providing 20 percent of the city's power from renewable sources.

2010: Damage from 2010 Chile earthquake

In 2010, harbor areas in Los Angeles were damaged by waves from the Chile earthquake.

2011: Damage from 2011 Japan earthquake

In 2011, harbor areas in Los Angeles were damaged by waves from the Japan earthquake.

2011: Revival of Nuestra Seu00f1ora de los Ángeles Procession

In 2011, the custom of conducting a procession and Mass in honor of Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles, was revived by the Queen of Angels Foundation and its founder Mark Albert.

2012: Kings' Stanley Cup title

In 2012, the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup, making Los Angeles one of six North American cities to have won championships in all five of its major leagues (MLB, NFL, NHL, NBA and MLS).

2012: London Summer Olympics

London hosted the Summer Olympics in 2012.

2012: Alpha World City Classification

Los Angeles has been classified an "alpha world city" according to a 2012 study by a group at Loughborough University.

2013: Murder rate decreases

In 2013, Los Angeles totaled 251 murders, a decrease of 16 percent from the previous year. Police speculate the drop resulted from a number of factors, including young people spending more time online.

2013: Smog Ranking

In 2013, the American Lung Association's survey ranked the Los Angeles metro area as having the nation's worst smog, and fourth in both short-term and year-round pollution amounts.

2014: Religious Demographics

According to a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center, Christianity is the most prevalently practiced religion in Los Angeles (65%).

2014: Research regarding Los Angeles bobcat population in 2014

In 2014, Serieys et al. found selection of immune genetics at several loci but do not demonstrate that this produces a real difference which helps the bobcats to survive future mange outbreaks.

2014: Passenger volume at World Cruise Center

In 2014, the Port of Los Angeles's World Cruise Center served about 590,000 passengers.

2015: LAPD crime under-reporting revealed

In 2015, it was revealed that the LAPD had been under-reporting crime for eight years, making the crime rate in the city appear much lower than it really was.

2015: Special Olympics

Los Angeles hosted the Special Olympics World Summer Games in 2015.

2015: NFL Team Absence

Los Angeles was the second-largest city in the United States but hosted no NFL team between 1995 and 2015.

January 12, 2016: Rams Return Announcement

On January 12, 2016, the NFL announced that the Rams would be moving back to Los Angeles for the 2016 NFL season.

2016: Public Transportation usage

According to the 2016 American Community Survey, 9.2% of working Los Angeles (city) residents made the journey to work via public transportation.

2016: Cannabis Legalization

In 2016, the sale and distribution of cannabis was legalized, and the Department of Cannabis Regulation began enforcing cannabis legislation in Los Angeles.

January 12, 2017: Chargers Relocation Announcement

On January 12, 2017, the San Diego Chargers announced that they would also relocate back to Los Angeles and become the Los Angeles Chargers beginning in the 2017 NFL season.

2017: Global Financial Centres Index

In the 2017 Global Financial Centres Index, Los Angeles was ranked the 19th most competitive financial center in the world and sixth most competitive in the U.S.

2018: Fortune 500 Companies

As of 2018, Los Angeles is home to three Fortune 500 companies: AECOM, CBRE Group, and Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.

2018: Gross Metropolitan Product

As of 2018, the Los Angeles metropolitan area had a gross metropolitan product of over $1.0 trillion, making it the third-largest economic metropolitan area in the world.

2018: Los Angeles metropolitan area GDP in 2018

In 2018, the Los Angeles metropolitan area had a gross metropolitan product of over $1.0 trillion, making it the city with the third-largest GDP in the world.

February 2019: Recent Snowfall

In February 2019, Los Angeles experienced its first snowfall since 1962, with snow falling in areas adjacent to the city.

August 2019: KCET re-joins PBS

In August 2019, KCET re-joined PBS as a secondary affiliate, after spending the previous eight years as the nation's largest independent public television station.

October 2019: Cannabis Business Approval

As of October 2019, more than 300 existing cannabis businesses (both retailers and their suppliers) have been granted approval to operate in Los Angeles, considered the nation's largest market.

2019: Median Household Income Data

According to the United States Census, Los Angeles had a median household income of $80,366 from 2019-2023, with 16.5% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2019: Housing Units Data

Data from 2019 to 2023 indicates that owner-occupied housing units made up 36.3% of the total housing units in Los Angeles.

2019: Amtrak boardings and de-boardings at Union Station

In 2019, Union Station had 1.4 million Amtrak boardings and de-boardings, making it Amtrak's fifth busiest station.

2019: Causes of Homelessness

In 2019, almost 60 percent of the 82,955 people who became newly homeless in Los Angeles said their homelessness was because of economic hardship.

2019: Los Angeles area roads most congested

In 2019, the Texas Transportation Institute's annual Urban Mobility Report ranked Los Angeles area roads the most congested in the United States, with area residents experiencing an average of 119 hours waiting in traffic.

January 2020: Homeless Population

As of January 2020, there were 41,290 homeless people in the City of Los Angeles, comprising roughly 62% of the homeless population of LA County, a 14.2% increase over the previous year.

September 6, 2020: Highest Temperature Officially Recorded

On September 6, 2020, the highest temperature ever officially recorded within the City of Los Angeles was 121 °F (49 °C) at the weather station at Pierce College in Woodland Hills.

2020: Rams and Chargers Move to SoFi Stadium

In 2020, the Rams and the Chargers moved to the newly built SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

2020: U.S. Census Population

In 2020, the U.S. census reported the population of Los Angeles to be 3,898,747.

January 2021: Recent Snowfall in Adjacent Areas

In January 2021, snow fell in areas adjacent to Los Angeles.

2021: Murders rise

In 2021, murders in Los Angeles rose to the highest level since 2008, with a total of 348.

2022: Los Angeles County population in 2022

As of 2022, Los Angeles County had an estimated population of 9.86 million residents, making it the most populous county in the United States.

2022: Michelin Guide Recognition

As of 2022, the Michelin Guide recognized 10 restaurants in Los Angeles, granting 2 restaurants two stars and eight restaurants one star.

2022: Karen Bass becomes mayor in 2022

In 2022, Karen Bass became the city's first female mayor, making Los Angeles the largest U.S. city to have ever had a woman as mayor.

2022: Economic Data

In 2022, accommodation and food services in Los Angeles made $17,366,966, health care and social assistance sectors made $46,297,839, transportation and warehousing $25,410,257 and the retail sector $81,351,523.

2022: Metro Bus ridership

In 2022, the Los Angeles Metro Bus system had a total of 197,950,700 riders.

2023: Population Data

According to data in 2023 from the United States Census Bureau, Los Angeles's population is 28.3% non-Hispanic White, 8.5% Black, 12.0% Asian, 1.2% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander and 47.2% Hispanic or Latino.

2023: Median Household Income Data

According to the United States Census, Los Angeles had a median household income of $80,366 from 2019-2023, with 16.5% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2023: Metro Rail System

As of 2023, there are 101 stations in the Los Angeles Metro Rail system.

2023: Population of Los Angeles in 2023

In 2023, Los Angeles had an estimated population of 3,820,914 residents within the city limits, making it the second-most populous city in the United States. The metropolitan area had a population of 12.8 million people in 2023.

2023: Los Angeles visitor count in 2023

In 2023, Los Angeles was the third-most visited city in the U.S. with over 2.7 million visitors.

2024: Office and Retail Vacancy Rates

At the end of the second quarter of 2024, Los Angeles saw an office space vacancy rate of 31.5%, a 33.5% increase year-over-year, and a retail vacancy stood at 8.6%, a 15% increase year-over-year.

2024: Paris Summer Olympics

Paris will host the Summer Olympics in 2024.

January 2025: Pacific Palisades Fire in January 2025

In January 2025, a series of devastating wildfires caused by severe winds swept through Southern California, with the Pacific Palisades fire causing widespread destruction in Los Angeles' northwestern community of Pacific Palisades, with many calling it the most destructive in the history of the city of Los Angeles.