What is the history of West Hollywood, California?
Although most historical writings about West Hollywood begin in the late 18th century, the land was already inhabited when the Portuguese explorer Cabrillo arrived offshore, claiming the land for Spain. Canoeing out to greet him were some of the 5,000 members of the Tongva tribe, a nation of gentle hunters and gatherers, known for their reverence of dancing and courage. These indigenous people were forcibly acculturated by the ever-encroaching Spanish mission system, and were almost decimated by disease by 1771. To add insult to injury, their tribal name was changed to “Gabrielinos”, a reference to the Mission de San Gabriel that ravaged their culture and overtook their land . By 1780, the now famous “Sunset Strip” was the major connecting road for el Pueblo de Los Angeles and all ranches westward to the Pacific Ocean. The land went through various owners and names in the next 100 years, with names such as La Brea and Plummer in the historical record. Most of the area was part of the R
