Welcome to LaLaLand! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Queen of the Cow Counties

There were probably other snarky names for Los Angeles prior to the 1870s, but 'Queen of the Cow Counties' was one of the more family-friendly and referred obliquely to the Spanish name for the city dedicated to The Blessed Virgin Mary.
During the Gold Rush, Los Angeles provided miners with cattle for meat and with other foodstuffs, hence the 'cow' moniker.

Answer: The New Beulah Land

In "Pilgrim's Progress", John Bunyan stated that heaven could be seen from Beulah Land and L.A. boosters felt that even if their city wasn't heaven, you could see the promised land from its shores. Other hyperbolic names for the Los Angeles of the 1870s were "The Home of Sunlit Skies of Glory", "The Wonder City of the United States", and "The Home of Contented Labor." The Riviera name referred to the beautiful little town of Santa Barbara, a few hours north of Los Angeles and still a world-class destination.

Answer: You are within a one hour's drive from 3 National Parks

If you drove really, REALLY fast in your Lamborghini, you MIGHT be able to reach Joshua Tree National Park in under an hour, but the odds (and traffic) make that close to impossible. The nearest other National Parks --- Sequoia/King's Canyon, Death Valley, and Yosemite are at least an 8-hour drive and Channel Islands is out in the ocean.

Answer: Cotard's Syndrome.

Dr. P.C. Remondio wrote in 1892 : "From my personal observation I can say that at least an ten extra years lease of life is gained by a removal to this coast from the Eastern states; not ten years to be added with its extra weight of age and infirmity, but ten years more with the additional benefit of feeling ten years younger during the time, for there is a rejuvenating atmosphere that is remarked upon and felt by all newcomers after a residence of several months." That was definitely before the days of choking and deadly smog. Those of you who like "The Walking Dead" may be familiar with Cotard's Syndrome.

Answer: A larger-than-life size elephant studded with 15 thousand walnuts

The elephant was the main attraction at the Chamber and was the brainchild of Frank Wiggins, the Chamber's director of exhibits. Originally displayed at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, the elephant remained at the Chamber for 30 years, eventually joined by a 12-foot high bottle of wine (removed at the implementation of Prohibition).

Answer: San Pedro

San Pedro remains the Port of Los Angeles and is the terminal for both cruise and cargo ships. In exchange for becoming part of L.A., San Pedro received ten million dollars' worth of schools, hospitals, parks, libraries, police and fire departments, and water from the Owens Valley Aqueduct.

Answer: The Broken Glass Patrol which provided shard-free streets

The Automobile Club knew that its very existence depended on maintaining auto safety -- and contented drivers --throughout the Los Angeles area, and together with the Chamber of Commerce, was one of the main reasons automobiles became entwined with the daily life of the Southland. With the advent of safer tires, the patrol was largely disbanded by 1929.

Answer: El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula

There wan't much to suggest that in a little over one hundred years Los Angeles would be much different than it was in 1769. It was formed mainly to provide the Presidio in Santa Barbara with foodstuffs. Perhaps its only major attraction was a constant source of a water thanks to a meandering little river called Rio Porciuncula, named after the village in Assisi, Italy, which had been the home of St. Francis.

The mission at San Gabriel soon provided abundant food and became one of the most active in the mission system.

Answer: Ramona

When it was published in 1884, 'Ramona' was often called the "Uncle Tom's Cabin of California". Although many Indians were treated fairly by the missionaries and the Spanish, others were little more than slaves. Hunt's story told of how the American conquest of California brought sorrow to a Scots/Native American girl and her Indian husband. Hunt described California as "like nothing in nature except the glitter of a brilliant lizard in the sun or the iridescent sheen of a peacock's neck."

Answer: The worst outbreak of smog ever recorded in the city

Smog had been building the the Los Angeles basin for years, but September 8, 1943 was a day virtually without sun. The foul, choking air caused thousands to be hopitalized, businesses were forced to close early, movie production ceased, and students were sent home. What Los Angeles had desperately tried to ignore became a horrible reality and the fanciful dreams of the city's boosters came to a crashing end.