Los Angeles is one of the original 27 counties of California and was established on February 18, 1850. Originally, the County of Los Angeles was only a small area along the coast between Santa Barbara and San Diego of 4,340 square miles. Just one year later the area grew to 34,520 square miles.
The area of Los Angeles was first explored in 1769 by Spanish explorers and missionaries. Friar Juan Crespi, who was part of that first expedition, gave the area the name of Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles De la Porciuncula. In 1771 Father Junipero Serra founded the San Gabriel Mission and it became the center of the community. Ten years later 11 Mexican families were recruited to settle in the area and establish El Pueblo de La Reyna de Los Angleses, which later became known as La Ciudad de Los Angeles. Los Angeles and all of California remained a part of the Spanish crown until 1822 when Mexico gained independence. By 1840 Los Angeles had become the largest town in all of Southern California and became a part of the United States in 1848, with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. A major increase in population occured after the discovery of gold southwest of the Antelope Valley in what today is the Placerita Canyon.
Los Angeles has always had a diverse community as by the early 1850's settlers from England, France, Spain, Germany, and Mexico had made the journey west. By 1870 there was also a significant community of Chinese immigrants. During the late 1800's and early 20th century new immigrants arrived from Japan, Russia, and other countires of Asia and Eastern Europe.
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