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1812: A major earthquake struck Southern California, destroying the church at Mission San Juan Capistrano and damaging the San Gabriel Mission.
1873: J. R. Toberman, Mayor approved a franchise for a street railway which have a run "commencing at Temple and Spring Streets, and along Spring to First; First to Fort Street, (now Broadway); Fort Street to Fourth Street, Fourth to Hill Street, on Hill to Fifth Street; on Fifth to Olive Street; on Olive to Sixth Street; and thence along Sixth Street to Figueroa Street. Fare ten cents.
1953: Los Angeles becomes the third largest city in America, moving ahead of Philadelphia. (We're now the second largest city in the U.S.)
2000: A two-story apartment building collapses in Echo Park, trapping residents; as an LA Laker, Shaquille O'Neal missed all 11 free throws in a game against the Seattle SuperSonics, setting a record.
Photo is a 1920s postcard depicting the Mission San Juan Capistrano (Public Domain)