Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles

These six panels reflect the historical, cultural, and natural elements of the Long Beach area. San Pedro Bay, discovered in 1542 by Joao Rodriquez Cabrilho, a native of Portugal serving the Spanish crown under Fernando Cortez, earned its name, "Bay of Smokes," from the thousands of Indian cooking fires sighted by Cabrilho. Panel 1 shows Chumash pictographic and painted images once commonly found among rocks and caves in southern California. Panel 2 is a facsimile of the first map of San Pedro Bay made by the 1602 Don Sebastian Viscaino Expedition. Panel 3 depicts the San Gabriel River system as it appeared in 1888, serving Ranchos Los Cerritos, Los Alamitos, Los Coyotes, Palos Verdes, and San Antonio. Panel 4 is a cross-section of the geological stratification of Signal Hill showing the Inglewood Fault and petroleum deposits. Panel 5 shows the late 18th and 19th century brands of livestock used by the Manuel Nieto family on their land grant, and by Don Juan Temple, Alcalde of the Pueblo Los Angeles, on Rancho Los Cerritos. The last panel is of the DC3 airplane produced by Douglas Aircraft.
Photo: © Robin Dunitz