A Little History Behind Our Host City

by Jon Melegrito  |  June 18, 2012

Ralph Miller

LOS ANGELES — Everyone knows that Los Angeles, home of Hollywood, is the entertainment capital of the world. But not everyone knows that this area is among the most ethnically diverse of the nation’s largest cities. That’s due in large part to L.A.’s rich history, dating back to its founding in 1781 by a Spanish governor.

El Pueblo de los Angeles, where Los Angeles was founded, has been preserved as a historic park. Each year, 2 million people visit to learn about the city’s historical roots and how it was developed by settlers, which included Native American tribes and mestizos with African and European ancestries.

“As one who loves history, I became fascinated with this park when I brought some kids here on a field trip,” says Ralph Miller, 64, president of AFSCME Local 685 (Council 36), a union of peace officers who oversee and rehabilitate adult and juvenile offenders.

That visit more than 20 years ago inspired the Los Angeles County probation officer to join Las Angelitas del Pueblo, a group of more than 60 volunteer docents who give to the free public walking tours of El Pueblo de los Angeles. “I don’t mind spending my time off here as a docent because it gives me so much pride and pleasure to share this knowledge with others. For history lovers, an hour in El Pueblo is an experience of a lifetime.”