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According to a number of books I have read, Los Angeles began as a sailing "station" where cattle hides were cured so that they could be transported to other parts of the world to be made into leather products. A semi-permanent village grew up around the "industry" as workers brought to the station by the sailing vessels remained ashore to process the hides. A couple of Louis L'Amour novels also substantiate this info. Ha!
Any dates? Cattle hides suggests a fairly late date.
The pueblo of Los Angeles was founded in September 1781 at a site about 20 miles northeast of San Pedro Bay where the cattle industry L'Amour referred to was located. The site was first visited by a Spanish explorer in the late 1500s who noted that it would be very suitable for a town; but no settlement was established there until 1781. I don't recall if L'Amour indicated dates. One of his books in which Los Angelos is referred to, I believe, is "Lonesome Gods."
