West Hollywood, California
History
Most historical writings about West Hollywood began in the late-18th century with European colonization when the Portuguese explorer João Rodrigues Cabrilho traveled to and eventually laid claim on the region for Spain. Around 5,000 of the indigenous inhabitants from the Tongva Indian tribe canoed out to greet the ship. The Tongva tribe was a nation of hunter-gatherers known for their reverence for dance and courage. By 1771, these native people had been severely ravaged by the diseases brought in by the Europeans from across wide oceans. The Spanish mission system referred to the Tongva tribe as "Gabrielinos", in reference to the Mission de San Gabriel. Early in 1770, Gaspar de Portola's Mexican expeditionary force stopped just south of the Santa Monica Mountains near what would become West Hollywood. Here they collected pitch) (brea in Spanish) from tar pits which they used to waterproof their belongings and to say Mass. The Gabrielinos are believed to have burned the pitch for fuel.
History
!Sherman railway station, pictured on a 1912 Los Angeles map
History
Some people connected with movie-making were attracted to this less-restricted area of the County, and a number of architecturally distinctive apartment buildings and hotels were built. Many interior designers, decorators and "to the trade" furnishing showrooms located in West Hollywood date back to the middle of the century.
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