Confluence of Waters and Cultures

The Arroyo Seco flows down from the San Gabriel Mountains to join the Los Angeles River on its way to the ocean. This spot, where the two rivers flow together, the “confluence”, is near the birthplace of the city of Los Angeles. , The native Tongva people established their village of Yang-na just south of here, with smaller villages scattered throughout the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys. They prospered in the mild climate, which provided plentiful game, fruits, and seeds. , In 1776, Juan Bautista de Anza led a party of soldiers with their families from northern Mexico to establish a Spanish presidio, or fort, in San Francisco. They passed this point on February 21, bringing with them cattle, horses, and the beginnings of a ranching culture. Within a few years, many returned to this area to take up farming and marry into the existing Tongva families. This mixing of cultures and the introduction of new animal and plant species had a profound impact upon the native peoples, wildlife and plant communities. , As the water of the channels meet as they have done for centuries, their waters reflect the continual mixing of cultures that formed the groundwork for one of the most diverse cities in the world. ,