LA History

Out in the boondocks, where the gossamer threads of civilization were tenuous, that's where the real action went down.

The former talent agent had a vision. "Everyone was stoned and had the munchies so he was always warmly greeted," his son says.

Alpha Beta. Alexander's. Hughes. Crawford's. The Boys. Dale's. Grab a shopping cart and pull into the express lane of local history.

Many Angelenos still embrace zoot suit culture today. But it's important to remember the violence and racism it once sparked.

Here, in a paper-thin egg roll wrapper, is the tension at the heart of culture, cuisine and commerce in the U.S.

Displaced by racism and civic development, L.A.'s Chinatown rose like a phoenix from the ashes of the city's first such enclave.

Settled by French and Swiss immigrants, it became a hub of California haute cuisine.

Never forget. Before Dodger Stadium was a legendary baseball venue, the area was home to generations of families, most of them Mexican American.

The Hollywood Sign's been through some stuff — including being completely torn down and replaced, leaving L.A. without a sign for three months.

Can you name the city's patron saint? Are you the person who recently left her a pink orchid and lit two candles?

The Tongva weren't recognized by California as a tribe until 1994.

These trees, like most things, are not native to Los Angeles.