History of Los Angeles in Timeline
Los Angeles, California's most populous city and Southern California's hub, boasts approximately 3.88 million residents as of 2024, making it the second-largest city in the U.S. after New York City and the largest in the Western United States. Renowned for its diverse population and cultural influence, it anchors a metropolitan area of 12.9 million. The Greater Los Angeles combined statistical area encompasses over 18.5 million residents, forming a vast and influential metropolis.
13 hours ago : Stolen Truck Leads to Dramatic Police Chase Across Los Angeles County
A stolen traffic management truck triggered a police chase across Los Angeles County, with the LAPD pursuing the suspect through the Newhall Pass area. The pursuit was broadcast live.
1900: Population Growth
By 1900, the population of Los Angeles had grown to more than 102,000, putting pressure on the city's water supply.
1903: First Airplane Flight
During the Second World War, more aircraft were produced in one year in Los Angeles 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
On September 14, 1908, the Los Angeles City Council created the first municipal zoning ordinance in the United States, establishing residential and industrial land use zones.
1908: Pronunciation Variants
In 1908, librarian Charles Fletcher Lummis reported that there were at least 12 pronunciation variants of the name Los Angeles.
1910: Hollywood Merges with Los Angeles
In 1910, Hollywood merged into Los Angeles, with 10 movie companies already operating in the city.
1913: Completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct
In 1913, the Los Angeles Aqueduct was completed, delivering water from Eastern California and enabling the further expansion of the city.
1913: Los Angeles Aqueduct Completion
In 1913, the completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, under the supervision of William Mulholland, ensured the continued growth of the city.
1915: Exceptions to Zoning Laws
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: Comparison to New York Zoning Ordinance
The 1908 zoning laws in Los Angeles did not establish a comprehensive zoning map like the 1916 New York City Zoning Ordinance did.
1921: Film Industry Concentration
By 1921, more than 80 percent of the world's film industry was concentrated in Los Angeles.
1923: California becomes largest oil producer
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: International Church of the 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, built in 1923, was the largest synagogue west of Chicago in its early decades.
1930: Population Exceeds One Million
By 1930, the population of Los Angeles surpassed one million.
January 15, 1932: Greatest snowfall recorded in downtown Los Angeles
On January 15, 1932, downtown Los Angeles experienced its greatest recorded snowfall, accumulating 2.0 inches (5 cm).
1932: Los Angeles Hosts Summer Olympics
In 1932, Los Angeles hosted the Summer Olympics.
1932: Summer Olympic Games
The 1932 Summer Olympics, held in Los Angeles, were financially successful.
1933: Long Beach Earthquake
In 1933, the Long Beach earthquake hit the Los Angeles area.
1934: Official Pronunciation
In 1934, the United States Board on Geographic Names decreed that the pronunciation /lɔːs ˈændʒələs/ be used by the federal government.
1939: Union Station Opened
In 1939, Union Station, Los Angeles's primary rail terminal and regional transit hub, opened. It is the largest passenger rail terminal in the Western United States.
1946: Rams played home games in the Coliseum
From 1946 to 1979, the Rams played their home games in the Coliseum, making them the first professional sports team to play in Los Angeles.
1946: Tsunami Damage from Aleutian Islands Earthquake
In 1946, harbor areas in Los Angeles were damaged by waves from the Aleutian Islands earthquake.
January 4, 1949: Lowest recorded temperature at downtown station
On January 4, 1949, the lowest temperature ever recorded at the official downtown Los Angeles station occurred, reaching 28 °F (−2 °C).
1952: Official Pronunciation Endorsed
In 1952, a "jury" appointed by Mayor Fletcher Bowron endorsed the pronunciation /lɔːs ˈændʒələs/ as the official pronunciation of Los Angeles.
1953: Article on Pronunciation
In 1953, an article in the journal of the American Name Society stated that the pronunciation /lɔːs ˈændʒələs/ was established following the 1850 incorporation of the city.
1960: Downzoning Begins
In 1960, Los Angeles had a total zoned capacity for approximately 10 million people.
1960: Tsunami Damage from Valdivia Earthquake
In 1960, harbor areas in Los Angeles were damaged by waves from the Valdivia earthquake.
1960: Los Angeles Chargers season
In 1960, the San Diego Chargers inaugural season took place.
1964: Tsunami Damage from 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 Los Angeles, resulting in 34 deaths and over 1,000 injuries.
1969: ARPANET Transmission
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: San Fernando Earthquake
In 1971, the San Fernando earthquake hit the Los Angeles area.
1973: Tom Bradley Elected Mayor
In 1973, Tom Bradley was elected as the city's first African American mayor of Los Angeles.
1974: Symbionese Liberation Army Standoff
In 1974, the Symbionese Liberation Army's South Central standoff occurred in Los Angeles.
1977: Hillside Stranglers Murder Cases
In 1977, the Hillside Stranglers murder cases began in Los Angeles.
1978: Proposition 13 Approval
In 1978, after Proposition 13 was approved, urban school districts like LAUSD had considerable trouble with funding.
1978: Hillside Stranglers Murder Cases Continue
In 1978, the Hillside Stranglers murder cases continued in Los Angeles.
January 29, 1979: Last 32 °F reading at downtown station
On January 29, 1979, the downtown Los Angeles station recorded a temperature of 32 °F (0 °C), marking the last time such a low temperature was observed in that specific location.
1979: Rams played home games in the Coliseum
From 1946 to 1979, the Rams played their home games in the Coliseum, making them the first professional sports team to play in Los Angeles.
1980: Rams moved to Anaheim Stadium
From 1980 until 1994, the Rams moved to Anaheim Stadium.
1980: Homicide rate
In 1980, the homicide rate in Los Angeles was 34.2 per 100,000 residents.
1984: Summer Olympic Games
In 1984, Los Angeles hosted the Summer Olympic Games for the second time, which became financially successful despite being boycotted by 14 Communist countries.
1984: Los Angeles Becomes Second-Largest City
In early 1984, Los Angeles surpassed Chicago in population, becoming the second-largest city in the United States.
1984: Los Angeles hosts Summer Olympic Games
Los Angeles hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1984.
1985: Los Angeles hosted Deaflympics
Los Angeles hosted the Deaflympics in 1985.
1987: Whittier Narrows Earthquake
In 1987, the Whittier Narrows earthquake hit the Los Angeles area.
1990: Downzoning Impact
By 1990, the zoned capacity of Los Angeles had fallen to 4.5 million people as a result of policy decisions to ban housing through zoning.
1990: Opening of the A Line
In 1990, the first line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail, the A Line, opened, marking the beginning of significant extensions to the system.
April 29, 1992: Rodney King Riots
On April 29, 1992, the acquittal by a Simi Valley jury of four Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers in the Rodney King beating case led to large-scale riots in Los Angeles.
1992: Murders Recorded
In 1992, the city of Los Angeles recorded 1,092 murders.
1993: Tom Bradley Retires
Tom Bradley retired as mayor of Los Angeles in 1993, after serving for five terms.
1994: Rams moved to Anaheim Stadium
From 1980 until 1994, the Rams moved to Anaheim Stadium.
1994: Northridge Earthquake
In 1994, the Northridge earthquake hit the Los Angeles area.
1995: Rams and Raiders leave Los Angeles
In 1995, both the Rams and the Raiders left Los Angeles; the Rams moved to St. Louis, and the Raiders moved back to Oakland.
June 8, 1999: Adoption of current city charter
On June 8, 1999, Los Angeles adopted its current city charter, which has been amended multiple times since then. The elected government consists of the Los Angeles City Council, the mayor of Los Angeles, the city attorney, and the controller.
1999: Ratification of the City of Los Angeles charter
In 1999, voters ratified the City of Los Angeles charter, creating a system of advisory neighborhood councils. These councils represent diverse stakeholders and are relatively autonomous, establishing their own boundaries, bylaws, and officers.
September 2002: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels opens
In September 2002, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels opened in downtown Los Angeles.
2002: Secession Efforts Defeated
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 Los Angeles.
2005: Start of LAPD crime under-reporting
In 2005, the LAPD began under-reporting a category of crime, a practice that continued until 2012.
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: American Lung Association ranks Los Angeles as most polluted city
In 2006, the American Lung Association ranked Los Angeles as the most polluted city in the country regarding short-term and year-round particle pollution.
2007: American Lung Association ranks Los Angeles as most polluted city
In 2007, the American Lung Association ranked Los Angeles as the most polluted city in the country regarding short-term and year-round particle pollution.
2008: Los Angeles ranked second most polluted city
In 2008, Los Angeles was ranked the second most polluted city in the U.S., with the highest year-round particulate pollution.
2008: Murder rate
In 2008, the murder rate in Los Angeles was lower than in 2021.
2008: Trade Volume in Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor
In 2008, the sea ports of the Port of Los Angeles and Port of 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, recording 314, which is a rate of 7.8 per 100,000 residents.
September 27, 2010: Highest recorded temperature at downtown station
On September 27, 2010, the official downtown Los Angeles weather station recorded its highest temperature ever at 113 °F (45 °C).
2010: Los Angeles meets renewable energy goal
In 2010, Los Angeles met its goal of sourcing 20% of the city's power from renewable sources.
2010: Tsunami Damage from Chile Earthquake
In 2010, harbor areas in Los Angeles were damaged by waves from the Chile earthquake.
2011: Tsunami Damage from Japan Earthquake
In 2011, harbor areas in Los Angeles were damaged by waves from the Japan earthquake.
2011: Procession and Mass in honor of Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles revived
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.
2012: End of LAPD crime under-reporting
In 2012, the LAPD ended the practice of under-reporting a category of crime, which had started in 2005.
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 major leagues (MLB, NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLS).
2012: Los Angeles classified as "alpha world city"
Los Angeles has been classified an "alpha world city" according to a 2012 study by a group at Loughborough University.
2013: American Lung Association ranks Los Angeles with worst smog
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: Christianity is the most prevalently practiced religion
According to a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center, Christianity is the most prevalently practiced religion in Los Angeles (65%).
2014: Passenger Volume at Port of Los Angeles's World Cruise Center
In 2014, the Port of Los Angeles's World Cruise Center served about 590,000 passengers.
2014: Bobcat Immune Genetics
Serieys et al. 2014 find selection of immune genetics at several loci they do not demonstrate that this produces a real difference which helps the bobcats to survive future mange outbreaks.
2015: LAPD crime under-reporting revealed
In 2015, it was revealed that the LAPD had been under-reporting a category of crime between 2005 and 2012, which made the crime rate in the city appear lower than it actually was during that period.
2015: Los Angeles hosted Special Olympics World Summer Games
Los Angeles hosted the Special Olympics World Summer Games in 2015.
2015: Los Angeles hosted no NFL team between 1995 and 2015
Los Angeles, the second-largest city in the United States, hosted no NFL team between 1995 and 2015.
January 12, 2016: NFL announces Rams would be moving back to Los Angeles
On January 12, 2016, the NFL announced the Rams would be moving back to Los Angeles for the 2016 NFL season with its home games played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for four seasons.
January 12, 2017: San Diego Chargers announced relocation to Los Angeles
On January 12, 2017, the San Diego Chargers announced that they would also relocate back to Los Angeles (the first since its inaugural season in 1960) and become the Los Angeles Chargers beginning in the 2017 NFL season.
2017: Los Angeles ranked as competitive financial center
In 2017, the Global Financial Centres Index ranked Los Angeles as the 19th most competitive financial center in the world and sixth most competitive in the U.S.
2018: Los Angeles is home to three Fortune 500 companies
As of 2018, Los Angeles is home to three Fortune 500 companies: AECOM, CBRE Group, and Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.
2018: Los Angeles metropolitan area gross product
As of 2018, the Los Angeles metropolitan area has a gross metropolitan product of over $1.0 trillion.
February 2019: Most recent snowfall
In February 2019, Los Angeles experienced its most recent snowfall since 1962.
August 2019: KCET Re-joins PBS as Secondary Affiliate
In August 2019, KCET re-joined the PBS network as a secondary affiliate, after spending the previous eight years as the nation's largest independent public television station.
2019: Newly homeless people in Los Angeles
Almost 60 percent of the 82,955 people who became newly homeless in Los Angeles in 2019 said their homelessness was because of economic hardship.
2019: Median household income
From 2019 to 2023, the median household income in Los Angeles was $80,366 (2023 dollars).
2019: Statistics about housing units and rental costs
In 2019, owner-occupied housing units made up 36.3% of the total Los Angeles housing units.
2019: Most Congested Roads in the US
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 a cumulative average of 119 hours of traffic delay that year.
September 6, 2020: Highest temperature recorded within the City of Los Angeles
On September 6, 2020, the highest temperature ever officially recorded within the City of Los Angeles occurred at the weather station at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, reaching 121 °F (49 °C).
2020: Rams and Chargers move to SoFi Stadium
During the 2020 NFL season, the Rams and Chargers moved to the newly built SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
2020: U.S. Census reports Los Angeles population
In 2020, the U.S. Census reported Los Angeles had a population of 3,898,747 with a population density of 8,304.2 people per square mile.
January 2021: Snowfall in areas adjacent to Los Angeles
In January 2021, snow fell in areas adjacent to Los Angeles.
2021: Highest Murder Rate Since 2008
In 2021, murders in Los Angeles rose to their highest rate since 2008, reaching 8.5 per 100,000 residents.
2021: American Community Survey reports languages spoken
In 2021, the American Community Survey reported that approximately 56.8% of city residents aged five and older spoke a language other than English at home.
2022: Los Angeles County Population
As of 2022, Los Angeles County was the most populous county in the United States, with an estimated 9.86 million residents.
2022: Karen Bass Elected Mayor
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: Revenue in various sectors
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.
2023: Population data
According to 2023 data from the United States Census Bureau, Los Angeles's population is 47.2% Hispanic or Latino, 28.3% non-Hispanic White, 8.5% Black, 12.0% Asian, 1.2% Native American and 0.1% Pacific Islander.
2023: Median household income
From 2019 to 2023, the median household income in Los Angeles was $80,366 (2023 dollars).
2023: Los Angeles Tourism
In 2023, Los Angeles was the third-most visited city in the U.S., with over 2.7 million visitors.
2023: Statistics about housing units and rental costs
In 2023, owner-occupied housing units made up 36.3% of the total Los Angeles housing units, and they cost $879,500 on average. The median gross rent was $1,879.
January 2024: Homeless population in Los Angeles
As of January 2024, there are 45,252 homeless people in the City of Los Angeles.
2024: Office Space 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 Retail vacancy stood at 8.6%, a 15% increase year-over-year.
2024: Receding of Murder Rate Spike
By 2024, the spike in murders in Los Angeles had receded to 6.1 per 100,000 residents.
2024: Los Angeles Population and Metropolitan Area
In 2024, Los Angeles had an estimated 3.88 million residents within the city limits, making it the second-most populous city in the United States. The Los Angeles metropolitan area had a population of 12.9 million people in 2024.
2024: Los Angeles Metropolitan Area GDP
In 2024, the Los Angeles metropolitan area had a gross metropolitan product of over $1.295 trillion, making it the city with the third-largest GDP in the world.
2024: TAP card as primary payment method
In 2024, the TAP card is the primary payment method for the Los Angeles Metro and most other regional agencies. Around 6.2% of working Los Angeles residents commute to work via public transit. Metro recorded approximately 951,500 weekday boardings, with buses accounting for more than two-thirds of ridership.
January 2025: Pacific Palisades Wildfires
In January 2025, devastating wildfires caused by severe winds swept through Southern California, with the Pacific Palisades fire causing widespread destruction in Los Angeles's northwestern community of Pacific Palisades.
June 2025: ICE Raids and Protests
In June 2025, Los Angeles experienced protests and riots following raids by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
2025: Busiest Light Rail System
As of 2025, Los Angeles's light rail system is the busiest in the United States, while the city's subway system is the ninth busiest.
2025: Michelin Guide recognized starred restaurants
As of 2025, the Michelin Guide recognized 20 starred restaurants in Los Angeles, including Providence and Somni which earned 3 Michelin stars.
2025: Amtrak Boardings and Alightings at Union Station
In 2025, Union Station recorded over 1 million Amtrak boardings and alightings.
2025: Paramount Skydance Corporation has its corporate headquarters in Los Angeles
Since 2025, Paramount Skydance Corporation has had its corporate headquarters in Los Angeles.
2026: Los Angeles to host FIFA World Cup matches
Los Angeles will be one of eleven U.S. host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with matches set to be held at SoFi Stadium.
2028: Future Olympic Games
Los Angeles is scheduled to host the Summer Olympics in 2028.
2028: Los Angeles to Host Olympics
Los Angeles will host the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games, making Los Angeles the third city to host the Olympics three times.
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