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Take Two

Workers discover part of LA's historic water system

By Take Two Staff
Published Apr 22, 2014
The Zanja Madre, or "Mother Ditch," was the lifeblood of early Los Angeles. It brought water for domestic, agricultural, and industrial use from the L.A. River to El Pueblo until 1913, when William Mulholland opened the L.A. Aqueduct. The path of the Zanja Madre is marked on Olvera Street with bricks, and part of it was recently unearthed near the Gold Line.
The Zanja Madre was the lifeblood of early Los Angeles that brought water for domestic, agricultural, and industrial use from the Los Angeles River to El Pueblo until 1913, when William Mulholland opened.
(
Photo by The City Project via Flickr Creative Commons
)

Take Two translates the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that affect our lives. Produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from October 2012 – June 2021. Hosted by A Martinez.

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Workers discover part of LA's historic water system

Now, a look at a piece of Los Angeles history recently unearthed. In 1781, early residents built the Zanja Madre or Mother Ditch, which brought water from the Los Angeles River to the young pueblo. 

Just last month, construction workers digging at a site in Chinatown found a piece of brick pipe that was part of that early water system. And soon enough you'll be able to see it, too.

Nathan Masters writes about L.A. history for Los Angeles Magazine, Gizmodo and KCET and he joins us to discuss.