The area that became Los Angeles was claimed by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo for Spain in 1542. The city was founded on September 4, 1781, under Spanish governor Felipe de Neve.

The Pobladores ("settlers") is the name given to the 44 original settlers, 22 adults and 22 children from Sonora, who founded the town in 1781. Of the 44, 20 of the settlers were of African American or Native American descent, making LA one of the few cities in the United States which such a diverse beginning.

The famous sign, which was erected in 1923, originally read "HOLLYWOODLAND". It was studded with around 4,000 light bulbs and flashed in segments, with "HOLLY," "WOOD," and "LAND" lighting up individually, and then as a whole. Although it was intended as a temporary advertisement for a local real estate development, the sign was left up indefinitely due to its popularity.

Originally a Spanish ranch where lima beans were grown, Beverly Hills was incorporated in 1914 by a group of investors who had failed to find oil, but found water instead and decided to develop it into a town. Today, the city is home to many celebrities, luxury hotels, and the Rodeo Drive shopping district.

In L.A., it is illegal to cry on the witness stand, hunt moths under a street lamp, or throw a frisbee at the beach without the lifeguard's permission. It's also a misdemeanor to shoot at any kind of game from a moving vehicle, unless the target is a whale.

The Chateau Marmont has served as an escape for the rich and famous since it became a hotel during the 1930s. Countless A-list actors and other celebs have spent time at the Marmont, including John Belushi, who died in Bungalow 3. Since his death, there have been reports of children talking to the ghost of Belushi. Many of the children refer to him as the "funny man."

The city was founded on a large Tongva (or Kizh) village called Yaanga (meaning "poison oak place"), which was located near what is now downtown Los Angeles, just west of the Los Angeles River and beneath the 101 Freeway. It is unclear what the village's population was prior to colonization, although it has been described as the largest village in the region.

More Ice Age fossils have been found at the La Brea Tar Pits than any other site in the world--more than 600 species, from snakes and mollusks to saber-toothed cats and mammoths, for a total of more than 3.5 million fossils.

Los Angeles is subject to earthquakes because of its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire. The geologic instability has produced numerous faults, which cause approximately 10,000 earthquakes annually in Southern California, though most of them are too small to be felt.

In 1994, the 6.7 Northridge earthquake shook the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles for just 10 to 20 seconds, but it caused 72 deaths and $12.5 billion in damages.