Occupying a land area of 463 1/2 square miles, Los Angeles has spilled over from the plain into the canyons and foothills. Like an empire in miniature, it boasts mountains and deserts, canyons formed by skyscrapers and by rock, a Mediterranean climate, and working ranches. The city has spread out and around the independent communities of Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Culver City, Universal City, and Inglewood. The Los Angeles city limits are twisting and confusing, so make sure to keep a street map handy.

Imagine a sprawling formation made up of a thousand pieces from a thousand different jigsaw puzzles. Illuminate it with klieg lights and flashing neon signs, garnish it with rhinestones, oranges, and oil wells, and you have Los Angeles.

The city has many faces: excitement, tranquility, tall buildings, cottages, ultramodern electronics plants, offbeat religious sects, health fads, sunshine, smog, movie stars and would-be stars, artists, writers, libraries, museums, art galleries, superhighways, and real estate booms.

Los Angeles presents a distilled, concentrated picture of the United States. People are drawn to its glamour, riches, excitement, and sunshine—all of which have encouraged a general informality. Beneath the glitter and salesmanship there is a pioneer spirit. Although no further geographic frontiers exist, many writers, researchers, scientists, and artists have settled in this area to explore scientific and intellectual frontiers.

Los Angeles is a young city with ancient roots. Along with modern architecture, exuberant growth, and a cultural thirst, it has retained a Spanish serenity and historical interest. On September 4, 1781, Don Felipe de Neve, governor of California, marched to the site of the present city and with solemn ceremonies founded El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula—"The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels of Porciuncula"—now popularly shortened to "Los Angeles."

The little pueblo slumbered until 1846, when the seizure of California by the United States converted it into a vigorous frontier community. The gold rush of 1849 fanned its growth; for a time, lawlessness became so prevalent that the city was referred to as "Los Diablos"—The Devils. The railroads reached it in 1885 and 1886 and, helped by a fare war, brought a tidal wave of new settlers. By 1890, a land boom developed, and the population figure reached 50,000, with oil derricks appearing everywhere. The piping in of water from the Owens Valley in 1913 paved the way for expansion and doubling of the population in the 1920s. In the half century between 1890 and 1940, the city grew from 50,395 to 1,504,277—a gain of more than 2,000 percent. The war years added new industries and brought new waves of population that continued throughout the 1980s. Currently, the city's economic assets are invested in "growth" industries such as electronics, machinery, chemicals, oil, printing, publishing, tourism, and entertainment.

The city's geographic scope makes it almost essential that visitors drive their own car, or rent one, for sightseeing in areas other than the downtown section and Westwood. Parking facilities are ample.