Olvera Street

The story

Olvera Street is a historic lane for walkers only, set in El Pueblo de Los Ángeles, the old heart of Los Angeles.⁴ It opens off the Plaza de Los Ángeles, which Wikipedia describes as the oldest plaza in California.⁴ The city calls the surrounding El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument the birthplace of Los Angeles.¹

Inside this historic district you will find museums, exhibits and the Olvera Street marketplace.¹ Restaurants, vendors and public establishments crowd both sides of the street.⁴ Come to shop and eat, then stay to explore the museums, historic sites and architecture.¹

History

Los Angeles was founded in 1781, and its plaza remained the center of town life from the Spanish and Mexican periods into early American times.⁴ The street has gone by several names over the years, including Placita Olvera, Calle de los Vignes, Vine Street and Wine Street.⁴ In 1877, the City Council renamed the little alley called Wine Street as Olvera Street, honoring Agustin Olvera.⁴

As the town expanded, the original settlement fell into neglect and became a neighborhood for new immigrants, especially Mexicans and Sicilians.⁴ In the 1920s, Christine Sterling led a public push to restore the Francisco Avila Adobe.⁴ That effort widened into a plan to remake Olvera Street as a Mexican-style marketplace.⁴ The street closed to cars in 1929, and the marketplace opened in 1930.^4,5

What to see and do

Stroll the marketplace and step into the historic buildings clustered around the old plaza.⁵

• Avila Adobe

  Built in 1818 at 10 Olvera Street, this home is described by Wikipedia as the oldest surviving residence in Los Angeles.^4,5

• Sepulveda House

  Raised in 1887 in the Eastlake architectural style, this historic home at 12 Olvera Street is now a preserved museum.^4,5

• La Placita Church

  Established in 1814, the Our Lady the Queen of the Angels parish church saw its building finished and formally dedicated in 1822.⁵

• Old Plaza Firehouse

  The Old Plaza Firehouse was built in 1884 and opened as a firefighting museum in 1960.⁵

• The Plaza

  Laid out in the 1820s, the plaza served as the town's hub for trade and social life, and it still hosts many festivals and celebrations.⁵

• Museums

  Four buildings in the district have been restored and now operate as museums.⁵

• Tours

  A volunteer group called Las Angelitas del Pueblo leads tours of the district.⁵

Why it matters

Centered on the old plaza, this district was the city's heart under Spanish, Mexican and United States rule through most of the 19th century.⁵ The state named the 44-acre area a historic monument in 1953, and it joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.⁵ Across from the Old Plaza, a plaque marks the founding of the city.⁵ Wikipedia notes that the district holds the city's oldest historic structures, gathered around the old plaza.⁵

Getting there

The El Pueblo Historical Monument is at 125 Paseo de la Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012.¹ Olvera Street lies in the northeast of Downtown Los Angeles, between Main and Alameda streets, and runs north from Los Angeles Plaza to Cesar Chavez Avenue, west of Union Station.⁴