The Great Los Angeles Walk 2021 Recap: For the 16th Edition, We Retraced the Steps of Los Pobladores

A year after being socially distanced, the Great Los Angeles Walk was back in person this year, in time to try something different: In honor of Los Angeles' 240th birthday, we decided to retrace the short journey of Los Angeles' first settlers -- Los Pobladores -- from the San Gabriel Mission to downtown L.A.

We weren't sure who might show up, but the attendance was strong, as a hundreds joined us in San Gabriel for the 16th edition of The Great Los Angeles Walk on Saturday, Nov. 20. We hiked through Alhambra, and the El Sereno, stopping at spots including the Ming Ya Buddhist Association and exploring Lincoln Park. We later passed by Los Angeles County General Hospital, and the coroners office, hiked over the Los Angeles River and past Union Station, walking through Chinatown and Olvera Street before moving on to Grand Park, Spring St., Broadway, Grand Ave. and ending for a photo in front of Angels Flight. From there, some moved on to celebrate at Grand Central Market

This year's Walk eschewed our normal downtown-to-the-ocean route to try something a bit different. After a brief gathering at the San Gabriel Mission -- now being renovated after a 2020 fire -- we walked nine miles to Los Angeles' Pueblo and Olvera Street, followed by an afternoon traveling through downtown and adding on around four more miles.

Thanks to everyone who made all of the trek, some of it, or even just helped give rides to their friends. Here are some highlights from the day:

 

Happy Easter: A Visit to the San Gabriel Mission

It's a rite of passage for California 4th graders: The California Mission project. Now that the Blogger Kid is in 4th grade, we're in the middle of it as we speak. As the Kid is busy working on his project (Assignment: San Luis Obispo's mission), we recently visited the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel to tour the grounds and attend Palm Sunday mass. According to Wikipedia:

The settlement was founded by Spaniards of the Franciscan order on "The Feast of the Birth of Mary," September 8, 1771, as the fourth of what would become 21 Spanish missions in California. San Gabriel Arcángel, named after the Archangel Gabriel and often referred to as the "Godmother of the Pueblo of Los Angeles", was designed by Father Antonio Cruzado, who hailed from Córdoba, Spain. Cruzado gave the building its strong Moorish architectural influence. The capped buttresses and the tall, narrow windows are unique among the missions of the California chain.

Here are more images from our visit to the San Gabriel Mission:


Mission church


Inside the Mission, after Sunday mass


More from inside the Mission


Closer up to the altar


The foundation of the San Gabriel Mission was first layed in 1791 and dedicated in 1805.


Father Junipero Serra


Original aqueduct, how water got to the mission


Cemetery, used for burials between 1778 and 1865.


Anchor


Original tannery vats


Re-creation of Tongva housing


cannon