We all know the French are responsible for most of the good things in America.
But who knew that they played an instrumental part much closer to home? Namely, well, home - aka Los Angeles.
As LA Frog informs us, “French immigrants were more instrumental in the making of Los Angelesthan their overwhelming reputation for béret, baguette, stinky cheeses, and serial surrendering would lead to believe.” Turns out we played a fairly important role in the early and sustained development of California in general.
As it happens the Pico House, in historic el Pueblo, is doing a thing called “Pioneers and Entrepreneurs, French Immigrants in the Making of Los Angeles 1827-1927.” The show is apparently not very well curated, but as a Frenchman my interest certainly has been piqued enough to consider taking a gander.
And for those of you who scoff at my claim of France’s importance in America’s history, might I point a few things out…
And on a side note, I’m going to punch the next person who tells me that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s independence from America (or Spain). Where the hell do you think they got Flan from?
Special thanks to Laure for pointing out the article to me.
Photo by lazybone cafe via Flickr.
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1 Mahatma Kane Jeeves // Jan 10, 2008 at 9:46 pm
The French in Los Angeles invented the French Dip sandwich. They also sniffed out truffles, hidden under the foliage at the south end of the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. And don’t forget that UCLA brain surgery students must spend their first semester observing French students eating pheasants, or other small birds, meticulously, with a fork and knife–not using their fingers even once!
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