Downtown Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Bella Union Hotel Site

Photographed by Drew W, September 15, 2012

1. Bella Union Hotel Site Marker

Inscription.
Near this spot stood the Bella Union Hotel, long a social and political center. Here, on October 7, 1858, the first Butterfield Overland Mail stage from the East arrived 21 days after leaving St. Louis. Warren Hall was the driver, and Waterman Ormsby, a reporter, the only through passenger.

Erected 1958 by The California State Park Commission in cooperation with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. (Marker Number 656.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Places • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Butterfield Overland Mail, and the California Historical Landmarks series lists. A significant historical month for this entry is October 1908.

Location. 34° 3.279′ N, 118° 14.462′ W. Marker is in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Downtown Los Angeles. It is on North Main Street north of Temple Street, on the right when traveling north. Marker is mounted on the wall at Fletcher Bowron Square. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 North Main Street, Los Angeles CA 90012, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s Transverse Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Los Angeles Star (a few steps from this marker); Fletcher Bowron Square (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct

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line); United States Court House (about 300 feet away); Pico House (about 600 feet away); Garnier Building (about 700 feet away); a different marker also named The Garnier Building (about 700 feet away); Merced Theatre (about 700 feet away); Chinese Massacre (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.

Also see . . .
1. Bella Union Hotel. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on March 11, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

2. L.A.'s First Hotel, the Bella Union, Was a Wild West Institution. PBS SoCal website entry (Submitted on March 11, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Fletcher Bowron Square image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, July 9, 2023

2. Fletcher Bowron Square

Two California Historical Landmarks - Los Angeles Star; and Bella Union Hotel Site.

Bella Union Hotel, 1873 image. Click for full size.

via Wikipedia, 1873

3. Bella Union Hotel, 1873

Photographed by Craig Baker, February 6, 2018

4. Bella Union Hotel Site Marker

At Fletcher Bowron Square, with the Triforium, a colorful music and light display opened in 1975 with performances by local high school musicians (including me, -CB).

Across The Street image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, February 6, 2018

5. Across The Street

Looking south-west at the opposite corner from the marker: Los Angeles City Hall, opened in 1928.

Credits. This page was last revised on April 17, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 26, 2012, by Drew W of Vista, California. This page has been viewed 1,335 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 26, 2012, by Drew W of Vista, California. 2. submitted on July 9, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 3. submitted on March 11, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 4, 5. submitted on February 7, 2018, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.