In 1843, the Mexican governor gave the mayor of Los Angeles a plot of grazing land for his cattle. Alcalde Vicente Sanchez called it Rancho Cienega O Paso de La Tijera.
Rancho Cienega means "Swamp Ranch," named for the marshes and wetlands that once lay at the foot of the Baldwin Hills. But Barbara Marinacci, who wrote California Spanish Place Names," says the Rancho – and now, La Cienega Boulevard – are misspelled.
"It's spelled properly with an 'a' instead of an 'e,' so instead of Cienega, it should be Cienaga."
The rancho was sold in 1875 to California businessman "Lucky" Baldwin for $60,000. Less than two decades later, oil was discovered in the rancho, now known as Baldwin Hills. Today, oil is still pumping in Baldwin Hills – and La Cienega is still misspelled.
(airdate: 5/17/2009)
