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| Entrance sign to Olvera Street |
Struggling to find the perfect location to be culturally inspired, I was, at first, in doubt of going to visit this "Olvera Street" that took part in several people's daily conversations about Los Angeles. Skeptically, I traveled down to the cross streets of Hill and Ord on a public bus and treaded a few steps ahead with already the overwhelming feeling of the silent streets, independent citizens reminiscing while looking out the window on the bus, and the awe-inspiring sense of bewilderment about my surroundings.
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| Crossing the street at Chinatown, Los Angeles |
I passed by Chinatown, which consisted of blocks of miniature floral shops, cafés, and Chinese food restaurants. There were numerous signs with ambiguous characters and the hustle and bustle of elderly individuals passing by each other. With a couple more steps uphill on a sloped, cracked sidewalk, I spotted a street behind a considerably bulky oak tree, wedged between two large buildings. I had entered Olvera Street from the back because there were no blatant indications of "Olvera Street" in the middle of this road. However, with just the appearance of a colorfully and culturally enriched street overflowing with individual people, families, couples, and salespeople in
vibrant, traditional Latino costumes. Every inch on the street was occupied by stores and decorated carts that sold historical items that represented California in various ways. Not only were the stores equipped with antique trinkets and hand-made dolls, but also masks, sombreros and rows of Mexican flags. Olvera Street is the ultimate place to experience cultural and historical fortification.
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| Standing with the mannequins displaying traditional costumes |
Halfway down the historically recognized street in
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| Stores underground Olvera Street |
Los Angeles, past the various Mexican restaurants with lively musical entertainment that echoed across the city, I encountered a place called The Avila Adobe, which is the oldest standing house in the city of Los Angeles. Provided by the El Pueblo De Los Angeles, entry to this museum was free, which embodies the public generosity of Olvera Street. Inside the historical dwelling were displays of the different rooms that were included in the house back at the start of Los Angeles's flourishing development. For example, in the Family Room, there was a large table and numerous chairs for gatherings of relatives and friends. Moreover, this room symbolizes the joy of eating meals together, listening to California music, and dancing along in pure merriment. Overall, the museum demonstrated a genuine, small village that was satiated with contentment and expectations that the California Dream and history offers. For me, I had the opportunity to explore an area I am not familiar with, and discover, directly in person, the history and narratives told in lectures be brought to life.
Another fascinating place I stumbled upon in the village on Olvera Street was a museum that includes the history of water in Los Angeles. Although the museum was under repair, I was able to view the entrance of the museum, which included a timeline of how water was brought to Los Angeles, the obstacles associated with this mission, and the contributions that William Mulholland made to the development of the diverse city that Los Angeles is today. Viewing all the newspaper articles about the project Mulholland executed and the techniques utilized with aqueducts, I was enthused to view Los Angeles and Olvera Street in a completely different perspective.
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| Family Room in the Avila Adobe |
After viewing the History of Water museum and the rest of the row of stores lined in Olvera Street, I reached the end of the road only to find an immense communal festival outside the street. Contrastingly, there were countless tents and vendors covered in modern company logos, including Lowes, Monster, Verizon, and Chase, right outside the traditional and culturally enhanced location of Olvera Street. This denotes the ability of Los Angeles to execute events and celebrations with food and entertainment on a normal Saturday weekend all for the sake of community relationships.
In essence, Olvera Street commemorates the extensive, remarkable history of Los Angeles and encourages the cultural enrichment and diversity that the city has to offer. The citizens are able to enjoy the freedom of exploring the street for entertainment, shopping, or even to experience the pleasurable atmosphere of a new, major tourist attraction. Hence, the cultural diversity of Los Angeles is epitomized and the history of California comes to life with just a trip down Olvera Street.
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| Olvera Street |
As a landmark of exceptional history, dynamic culture, and socio-economic boom, Olvera Street symbolizes a prominent component in representing Los Angeles as a city of incomparable diversity. As a city, Los Angeles utilizes Olvera Street to not only prompt tourists to experience a family-oriented, entertaining environment of the city, but also productively contribute to its economy. In one aspect, the public place introduces a cultural side to Los Angeles aimed for tourists and newcomers to the area. Olvera Street attempts to preserve its distinct culture and demonstrate a minute division of its history of water and development during the times of Otis and Chandler, as well as William Mulholland. To attract tourists to Los Angeles, this Mexican marketplace serves as a significant place and a must-go attraction to become familiar with the customs of this flourishing city. It is a cornucopia of the Latin culture and the old pueblo, in which Olvera Street endeavors to reproduce with its artificial brick walls, rows of the Mexican flag, and traditional masks an trinkets sold in every store on the street. For Los Angeles, the street provides a route towards an entertaining and cultural experience, even though the culture represented in Olvera Street does not necessarily reflect the truth. Nonetheless, this public place affords a method of luring tourists, for commercializing and economic purposes, into Olvera Street and essentially the greater city of Los Angeles.
