Southern California—the year is 1870. Perched on bluffs above the Los Angeles River are the lavish Victorian mansions of the city’s wealthiest residents. East Los Angeles as it was known then was not only one of the area’s oldest neighborhoods, but one of the most prestigious.

One of the more notable residents, in a generous mood during Christmas of 1896, was Colonel Griffith J. Griffith, who offered to donate five square miles of the Los Feliz Rancho to be used by the city as a park. He emphatically stated, “…it must be made a place of recreation and rest for the masses, a resort for the rank and file…”

What followed was the development of several more parks including the original pueblo lands of the old plaza, Elysian Park, Pershing Square, and later Lincoln Park, MacArthur Park, Echo Lake Park and Hollenbeck Park.

Over 100 years ago, in 1907, the world’s largest Alligator farm—boasting over 1,000 in all—came to Lincoln Park. At the time it was a popular weekend getaway destination for city weary Angelinos ready for a walk on the wild side. They crossed wooden bridges over the Los Angeles River to visit Southern California’s first and largest zoological attraction.

Not until 1919, however, did the suburb on the east bank of the L.A. River, finally get a fitting name. Previously known simply as East Los Angeles, the area officially became Lincoln Heights.

With the migration of many of the city’s original residents to Hollywood; Lincoln Heights and its cross-river neighbor, “Little Italy” (now known as Chinatown), formed the heart of Southern California’s Italian American community. One of the major landmarks from this period, the San Antonio Winery, continues to operate today.

Beginning just after World War II, Italians began migrating out of Lincoln Heights into the San Gabriel Valley. This process was accelerated during the 1950’s with the construction of the Golden State Freeway, which split the city right down the middle.

In 2009, Lincoln Heights has undergone significant revitalization. The Lacy Street Studios has been a consistent home for the entertainment industry with a steady stream of productions coming to Lacy Street for filming. Right next door is the Lacy Studio Lofts for rent, which have been occupied by a myriad of creative businesses and people. The LA Lofts and their tenants have created a sense of energy, community and networking that the neighborhood had truly been lacking. Directly across the street is the new multi-million dollar North Central Los Angeles Animal Shelter and all are just up the street from the Metro gold line stop, 5 and 110 freeways, making them very accessible. Their strong Lacy Street presence has done much for the renewal of Lincoln Heights