By David J. Barboza
The Pico House with a Pio Pico look alike. Los Angeles Public Library photo collection. Photo by Gary Leonard (1994).
There have been lots of events to announce lately. Not only is SurveyLA holding four community workshops in April and May, but Office of Historic Resources staff will also be on hand to celebrate LA Heritage Day (and to answer any questions you may have about SurveyLA or historic preservation in general). Here are the details:
LA Heritage Day 2012 Sunday, April 29th, 11am – 4pm El Pueblo de Los Angeles Hisotric Monument, Pico House 424 N. Main St. Los Angeles, 90012Judging from the list of over 40 preservation organizations that will be in attendance, the event could almost be described as a miniature preservation convention. You’ll be able to see such antiquities as an authentic Civil War tent, old restaurant menus, LA’s first fire truck/wagon, and much more.
The whole area has more historic designations than you can shake a stick at. The Los Angeles Plaza Park is LA Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM) #64. It is the site of the original Spanish pueblo founded in 1781 that eventually became the City of Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States by population. The Pico House itself, which was built from 1869-70 by Pio Pico, the last Mexican governor of Alta California, is California Historic Landmark #159. It was designed in an Italianate style by Ezra F. Kysor [1] . The Los Angeles Plaza Historic District, which contains them both, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Of course, this area is only steps away from many other historic landmarks and districts as well in Downtown and Chinatown.
Parking is available in nearby lots for a fee. The Pico House is also a short walk from historic Union Station (which is both HCM #101 and on the National Register) with service from the Metro Red/Purple Line, Metro Gold Line, numerous bus lines, and several Metrolink lines.
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[1] Gebhard and Winter (2003). An Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles, page 14.
