A Tale of Two Harbors, The Railroad, and what goes Boom must go Bust.

General Los Angeles History

• The original Spanish name for what is now San Pedro Bay was "Bahia de los Fumos" (Bay of Smokes), given by explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in 1542.

• Los Angeles was under Mexican rule until the California Gold Rush.

• Los Angeles at one point had no suitable harbor for large ships, forcing reliance on smaller boats to transport goods.

• Phineas Banning, known as the Father of the Port of Los Angeles, created the new port at Wilmington to improve shipping logistics.

• During the Civil War, Wilmington was used to house troops, leading to early city development.

  Harbor History

• Senator John P. Jones co-founded the city of Santa Monica and saw the potential for a major harbor there.

• Collis Huntington, a railroad tycoon, had significant investments and control over access to San Pedro and Wilmington.

• Huntington initially invested in Santa Monica's development to increase his own profits but lost control due to the Free Harbor Fight.

• U.S. Senator Stephen White was a champion for the Port of San Pedro and fought against Huntington's attempt to gain a monopoly.

• The 'Long Wharf' built by Huntington in Santa Monica was an engineering marvel.

• A hydrographic survey and map of San Pedro Bay were essential for development.

  Railroad History

• The first short rail lines in LA were primarily for transporting goods to/from the harbor, not passenger travel.

• The Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads raced to complete the first transcontinental railroad in 1869, terminating in San Francisco.

• The completion of the transcontinental railroad led to "railroad wars" between competing companies who slashed fares to attract business.

• The railway fueled massive growth in LA, influencing population increases, new industries, and the city's geographic shape.

  Boom and Bust

• The Gold Rush led to a huge spike in beef prices, as demand from prospectors skyrocketed.

• A devastating drought in Southern California contributed significantly to the collapse of the cattle boom.

• Los Angeles proved resilient, shifting focus to citrus farming and using the railroads to ship produce nationally.

• Land speculation during real estate booms led to inflated prices and rampant fraud.