The rise of the golden city: Los Angeles in the twentieth century

At the turn of the twentieth century, Los Angeles was poised to become the premier city on the West Coast.Within thirty years, the boosters, businessmen, and politicians made it a reality. These people believed that the twentieth century belonged to the city of Los Angeles, and they propelled the city into the forefront. They did so by constructing a massive aqueduct system; annexing lands to the east, west, and south of its original borders; developing a harbor; building a massive infrastructure including roads and rail lines; instituting the nation’s first zoning laws; and fostering financial investment. By 1930, the city became the largest in the West, boasting a population of 1,238,084