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History & Society

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Hand-drawn copy of a 1786 map of Los Angeles by Jose Arguello. Courtesy of the Bancroft Library, UC Berkeley.
In 1786, a sergeant in the Spanish army sketched what was likely the first map of Los Angeles.
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Ralphs' innovations in retail and supermarkets in Los Angeles rippled through the industry and became a catalyst for suburban expansion.
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The ten-year anniversary of the Iraq War is hardly cause for celebration -- so what is it cause for?
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The act of making a statement in public space has instant cachet, just because it's being done. With so much street art, is it now more important to have meaning?
"I love this crazy city. It's an amazing piece of the planet. You get up on a hilltop and the vista you are presented with is this eternal, mythological dreamscape."
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One way we can change our community is to bike a healthy food map.
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The always multiplying, subdividing, subjective experiences and perceptions of Los Angeles make for an infinitely more interesting city to write about than any single, objective place.
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Sex. Anger. Lust. Now I know you'll read.
The Sahara mustard -- a fast-growing invasive weed -- has begun to crowd out desert wildflowers. Ecologies and economies are at risk.
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501(c)(3) non-profit organizations grow out of an American cultural tradition that says too much government in our community life destroys or compromises the bonds of community.
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We invite you to share stories, memories, and places of interest that you find important to include in the story of the San Gabriel River.
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This week L.A. Letters shows the kindred ideas of three generations of women thinkers over the last 150 years.
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