Is Los Angeles a dump??? (San Francisco, Orange: statistics, move to, oil)

[californio sur]

Originally Posted by majoun

LOL!

If anything more like NY and NJ residents don't flee as much because of immigrants - and that's why they're respected more than Californians including in Southern California. If you give up and run nobody respects you including in your own hometown. But both states have had a major influx of non-English speakers now and throughout their history.

The difference is that immigration has been a key part of NYC's identity since the US began, whereas if you look at the history of Los Angeles it went from being extremely xenophobic and anti-immigrant to one of the most diverse cities in the world. As late as 1950 Los Angeles had a larger percentage of white Protestants than any city outside of the former Confederacy (and obviously a larger percentage than New Orleans, Miami, San Antonio, El Paso, perhaps Austin....). NY and NJ have always been about diversity (not that they haven't been free from racism and prejudice over the years). Likewise in CA, one of the reasons why Bay Area's been better at dealing with immigration issues because San Francisco and Oakland both have long traditions of being destinations for immigrants. (OTOH I think L.A.'s less anti-black than S.F.)



True when you look at Bloomberg's OTHER policies like his turning Manhattan into a theme park for the wealthy. But the NYC board's the place to discuss that not the L.A. board.

majoun, you mentioned this history of LA before and I find it fascinating. What exactly caused this early influx of all-white immigrants? Were they basically Midwesterners? What brought them out to Los Angeles in the first place? I know in the late 1800's into about 1920 that much of the LA basin was agriculture and that continued in the valleys for several more decades. Was Orange county's origin also this huge surge of Americans from the East Coast\ Midwest? It could very well be why Orange county is still quite conservative.

[BluSpark]

Originally Posted by californio sur

majoun, you mentioned this history of LA before and I find it fascinating. What exactly caused this early influx of all-white immigrants? Were they basically Midwesterners? What brought them out to Los Angeles in the first place? I know in the late 1800's into about 1920 that much of the LA basin was agriculture and that continued in the valleys for several more decades. Was Orange county's origin also this huge surge of Americans from the East Coast\ Midwest? It could very well be why Orange county is still quite conservative.

The linking of LA to the national railroad network in the late 1800's provided a cheap means for people to come to LA from the east and midwest.

Some of the industries included:
Engergy (really OIL), Entertainment, Manufacturing (and aircraft), and no less important REAL ESTATE SPECULATION....

-Oil was discovered in the 1890's by Edward Doheny in LA and that was a major boon to the local economy.

-Also, the opening of the port of LA and the Panama Canal in the ealry 1900's opened up the region to become a major manufacturing and distribution center. The manufacturing of Aircraft became a major industry (and became VERY big circa WWII and later). As you mentioned, argicultral products were also major products including citrus and dairy.

-Of course, Hollywood/Entertainment became huge from about 1915 onward (after originally being located in NYC).

Perhaps as much as anything, the eary LA economy was built on "growth for growth's sake" meaning that real estate speculation and new housing development was spurred on by the continuous promotion of the region to midwesterners and easterners. Like a game of musical chairs the regional economy would boom and bust but the "growth machine" was always fed by attracting new migrants to the area.

Local boosters promoted the area by planting palm trees and promoting the "health benefits" of lvining in a sunny climate.

[BluSpark]

Originally Posted by californio sur

majoun, you mentioned this history of LA before and I find it fascinating. What exactly caused this early influx of all-white immigrants? Were they basically Midwesterners? What brought them out to Los Angeles in the first place? I know in the late 1800's into about 1920 that much of the LA basin was agriculture and that continued in the valleys for several more decades. Was Orange county's origin also this huge surge of Americans from the East Coast\ Midwest? It could very well be why Orange county is still quite conservative.

And as a Pasadena resident you probably are already aware that the founders/settlers of Pasadena were predominantly White (Anglo) "immigrants" from Indiana.

Indiana Colony - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[californio sur]

Originally Posted by BluSpark

And as a Pasadena resident you probably are already aware that the founders/settlers of Pasadena were predominantly White (Anglo) "immigrants" from Indiana.

Indiana Colony - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yes, I was aware but didn't know they came from Indiana. Some of the oldest buildings in the Pasadena area reflect the immigration of many from the East who viewed southern California as a place to vacation during winter or just moved here permanently. Some very old hotels were once resorts for the wealthy from the Midwest.

I read an interesting book on how California looked in the 1930's that was written as a field guide to the state. It was very intriguing how much space their was between towns and farms everywhere.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by dude1387

I want to use myself as an example.

Born and raised in LA. I went to college right after high school and now I'm back in the El Segundo area making over 70k a year at age 23. I thought this would be enough for me to live here...I feel like I'm living paycheck to paycheck.

Excellent salary for a 23 year old, but you apparently possess the budgeting discipline of your indicated age.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by californio sur

majoun, you mentioned this history of LA before and I find it fascinating. What exactly caused this early influx of all-white immigrants? Were they basically Midwesterners?

At one time, Long Beach was known as the West Coast Iowa.

[BVitamin]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Excellent salary for a 23 year old, but you apparently possess the budgeting discipline of your indicated age.

Wow, if I made that much I would stay in CA. I'd move up north even.

[BluSpark]

Originally Posted by californio sur

Yes, I was aware but didn't know they came from Indiana. Some of the oldest buildings in the Pasadena area reflect the immigration of many from the East who viewed southern California as a place to vacation during winter or just moved here permanently. Some very old hotels were once resorts for the wealthy from the Midwest.

I read an interesting book on how California looked in the 1930's that was written as a field guide to the state. It was very intriguing how much space their was between towns and farms everywhere.

What's the title of the book?

I am a big fan of regional history as well.

A couple of good ones I have read include:

"Southnern California: An Island on The Land" by Carey McWilliams
-Often called one fo the BEST books on SoCal history written by a progressive lawyer (in his time) who would later become editor of The Nation magazine. Covers mostly the period from 1900 to about 1950.

"The Fragmented Metropolis: LA from 1850 to 1930" by Robert Fogelson

"East Los Angeles: History of a Barrio" by Ricardo Romo (1983)
-Excellent history of Boyle Heights/ East LA ....covers mostly the period from late 1800's to 1930. Still waiting to find a good one that covers more recent decades (say 1940 to 2000).

"City of Quartz" by Mike Davis (1991) For a more radcial view (some would say Marxist view) of more recent LA history Mike Davis is a poetic writer of history but he clearly paints the picture he wants to see. Though, there are some undeniably ugly "truths" in his book too.

[BluSpark]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

At one time, Long Beach was known as the West Coast Iowa.

Yep....also referred to as "Iowa by the Sea".......

[californio sur]

Originally Posted by BluSpark

What's the title of the book?

I am a big fan of regional history as well.

A couple of good ones I have read include:

"Southnern California: An Island on The Land" by Carey McWilliams
-Often called one fo the BEST books on SoCal history written by a progressive lawyer (in his time) who would later become editor of The Nation magazine. Covers mostly the period from 1900 to about 1950.

"The Fragmented Metropolis: LA from 1850 to 1930" by Robert Fogelson

"East Los Angeles: History of a Barrio" by Ricardo Romo (1983)
-Excellent history of Boyle Heights/ East LA ....covers mostly the period from late 1800's to 1930. Still waiting to find a good one that covers more recent decades (say 1940 to 2000).

"City of Quartz" by Mike Davis (1991) For a more radcial view (some would say Marxist view) of more recent LA history Mike Davis is a poetic writer of history but he clearly paints the picture he wants to see. Though, there are some undeniably ugly "truths" in his book too.

It's called "The WPA Guide to California" written during the Great Depression by authors who roamed the nation documenting what they observed and paid by the government. You can get the book for cheap on the Internet; I bought a used copy for $3 on Amazon. Highly recommend this book of California when there were no freeways, citrus groves for miles, small towns and a slow way of life so unlike the way it is today.