In 1781 twelve families trooped north from Mexico to California. On a stream along the desert's edge they built a settlement called Los Angeles. For many years it was a market town where nearby farmers and ranchers met to trade.

Then in 1876 a railroad linked Los Angeles to San Francisco and, through San Francisco to the rest of the country. The next year farmers sent their first trainload of oranges east. By a new railroad provided a direct route between Los Angeles and Chicago.

Then in the 1890 's oil was discovered in the city. As derricks went up, workers built many highways and pipe lines. Digging began on a harbor that would make Los Angeles not only an ocean port but also a fishing center. The harbor was completed in 1914. That year the Panama Canal opened. Suddenly Los Angeles was the busiest port on the Pacific Coast.

Today the city is the main industrial center in the West. It produces goods not only for other West Coast communities but also for those in other parts of the country. It leads the nation in making air planes and equipment for exploring outer space. Many motion pictures and television programs are filmed in Los Angeles. The city is also the business center for states in the West Improvements in transportation are the main reason for Los Angeles' growth