This famous ad, from the early 1900 century, written for people to dream of all the advantages they could get in Southern California, made Los Angeles and its population grow very fast an easy thing.
But if the City is now the biggest one in the State of California, with 14 millions people living up there, 100 Kms from North to South, 60 from West to East, that hasn't always been that way.

Before entering the magic kingdom of L.A., let's have a look back at the California History.

A Portuguese navigator, working for the King of Spain, is the first one to discover the area.
This place is then quickly colonised; The purpose, at that time, is to convert the American Indians to Christianity ... To do that, Spain sends an expedition, headed by Junepero Father, a Franciscan monk, in 1769. He creates 21 missions along the Pacific Coast.
Then, in 1781, 12 years later, "El Pueblo de Nuestra Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula" sees the day, a little village of 44 inhabitants...
That's this village which will become later...Los Angeles !

In 1825, California becomes a Mexican territory, before it integrates the United States 23 years later, in 1848, after a huge war between the two countries. At this point, just in the same year, people start discovering Gold in the area...and 2 years after again, California officially becomes a State of "the Union".

Last, the City of Los Angeles, is not separated from everything anymore, because of the ocean, the desert and the mountains..."The junction" with the transcontinental railroad is done.
And we're in 1876.