Olvera Street Named One Of America's Great Places For 2015

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Olvera Street, the city's oldest suburb and home to many of the oldest buildings in Los Angeles, was named one of the American Planning Association's Great Places in America for 2015.

The pedestrian street, now restricted to pedestrians and lined with eateries and shops, is the center of the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument. When Los Angeles was founded under the Spanish flag in 1781, Olvera Street and the adjacent Plaza was the heart of the farming and ranching community life in the area, according to the APA.

When Los Angeles began to expand, the street was home to Mexican, Italian and Chinese immigrants and a campaign was launched in the 1920s to save it from demolition. The street was renovated and reopened as a Mexican market street reflecting old Los Angeles in 1930.

Olvera Street, which is a short walk west from Los Angeles' Union Station, is home to several regular events, such as the Blessing of the Animals and Cinco de Mayo celebrations and is a popular tourist destination.