Los Angeles 1876

Carleton Watkins created this albumen print of Los Angeles sometime in the 1880s. This period saw the city rapidly transforming from a small town into a sprawling metropolis. Watkins' photograph captures a moment of transition, revealing the early stages of urban development in Southern California. The image presents Los Angeles as a landscape of opportunity and growth but we should not take it at face value. Watkins was hired to make promotional images of the West, designed to encourage investment and migration. His photographs also helped to reinforce an emerging mythology of the ‘Wild West’ as a place where hard work and determination could lead to success. To fully understand this image, it’s crucial to consult archives, newspapers, and other primary sources that document the social and economic conditions of Los Angeles during the late 19th century. By doing so, we can better understand the complex interplay between art, commerce, and the shaping of urban identity.