These Photos Show Just How Much LA Has Changed Over the Years

L.A., the City of Angels, La-La Land, Tinseltown … whatever your preferred name for Los Angeles, you have to know a few things about it. There are the sandy beaches, streets lined with palm trees, and more celebrities than IMDb can count. So much has happened since the city was founded way back in 1871. But we’re narrowing in on the last 100 years or so, when we started seeing studios pop up all over town and Old Hollywood took over. From the founding of the Griffith Observatory to the history-making O.J. Simpson chase to the recent California wildfires, we’re looking at (almost) everything that’s transpired in L.A. since the early 1900s.

So hop in our time machine and cruise down the freeways of past, present, and future. If you’re a current Angeleno, you might be saddened to hear the roads weren’t always so jam-packed during rush hour. In fact, they definitely didn’t even have a “rush hour.” To this day, we’re still talking about the Beatles’ performance at the Hollywood Bowl, and any view from Sunset Boulevard looks like it came from a movie. Now, you need to see these periods of time for yourself. Here are major moments, views, and people who defined Los Angeles over the years.

Cars look very different these days — and so does that view of Los Angeles. This scenic shot was snapped at Laurel Canyon in Hollywood. About 63 years earlier, California wasn't even considered one of the United States.

Universal Studios Hollywood first opened on March 15, 1915, when Carl Laemmle invited thousands to his 230-acre property. Shown here is the backlot of the now-famous production company.

The Hollywoodland sign was erected just two years before this photo was taken, as a means of encouraging people to live in the suburban housing development with that same name.

The cars, style, and traffic have evolved so, so much since 1925, and this photo is representative of that. Can you imagine getting through town this easily?!

From 1918 to 1928, you'd typically see a Pacific Electric car transporting hundreds of passengers down Hollywood Boulevard. You won't see those cables today, but you can imagine how much easier it was to get around.

This aerial view of Hollywood in November 1929 proves just how residential it was before more buildings started popping up all over the city.

Old Hollywood is a time we'll never forget, and it shows how much Los Angeles has changed over the years. In this photo, you'll see William C. DeMille holding one of the first Oscars at the inaugural Academy Awards. Winners that year included Hanns Kraly, Mary Pickford, and Warner Baxter (all pictured here).

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Walt Disney started his empire about a decade early, but we love this photo of him working with a penguin at his studios in Burbank.

It wasn't until 1949 that a lot went down with the sign — literally. The "H" fell and wasn't replaced for quite some time, but the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce ultimately decided to bring back the "H" and remove "Land."

Griffith Jenkins Griffin's dream was realized 16 years after his death in 1919. Today, the Griffith Observatory is one of the most visited (and yes, Instagrammed) sites in Los Angeles.

About 82 years ago, you would regularly see people walking to work on foot. Nowadays, the freeways don't exactly offer such a mode of transportation.

An Old Hollywood icon, entertainer Rita Hayworth cruised down the street near Warner Bros. Studio in LA. At the time, she was married to Edward C. Judson, but that was her first of five marriages.

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Your cookouts probably don't look like this one. Back in the 1940s, young people donned their retro swimsuits and cooked beachside in Los Angeles.

As the United States was in throes of World War II, there was trouble in Los Angeles too. The Zoot Suit Riots took place in June 1943, and involved U.S. servicemen and young Mexican-Americans.

In October 1945, film workers conducted a strike against Warner Bros. Studio, picketing and fighting with the Burbank police. This was just one of many labor strikes in the entertainment industry.

On a seemingly more peaceful day in 1945, you can see a palm tree along the side of Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.

This aerial view of Cahuenga Parkway in the Hollywood Hills is hardly visible, thanks to Los Angeles's serious smog problem (There's more where that came from in the following slides).

Is there anything more glamorous than Hollywood at night? In 1951, you could look toward Hollywood Boulevard and see the Pantages Theatre and the Broadway Hollywood Building, among other locales.

We can't think of anything more romantic than checking out the Los Angeles skyline in a retro car back in 1951.

The era of CinemaScope widescreen films began with the premiere of 1953's The Robe. Held at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre (now known as the TCL Chinese Theatre), it was a momentous occasion for the industry.

Richard Todd is looking out beyond Hollywood Hills, and we can't blame him. That same year, he starred in the film The Dam Busters.

Who wears short shorts? Joan Bradshaw! Posing in front of Capitol Records with a cute pup, she starred in a few films but is most well-known for her producing career.

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Architect Bernard Judge had a pretty incredible view while building this geodesic dome house. The feat was ultimately completed two years after this was taken.

Back in 1963, The Amalgamated Flying Saucer Club of America was proud to release this image taken by one of their members. Is it proof that there were extraterrestrials on Earth? We may never know ...

Basketball fans know how amazing it was to witness John Wooden's UCLA basketball team finish its 30–0 season with a huge NCAA championship win over Duke.

Another hot ticket in 1964 was to see The Beatles perform live at the Hollywood Bowl. Weren't alive to see it? You can purchase their album with recordings from the show on Amazon.

We're thinking everyone started taking their photos here after seeing just how cool Fleetwood Mac looked posing near the Hollywood sign.

Presidential hopeful Jimmy Carter saw an opportunity to secure California voters when he supported Proposition 14. Here, you can see their warm welcome when he visited Los Angeles.

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Los Angeles was home to the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, and several competitions were held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Games will return to LA in 2028.

The first LA Marathon took place on March 9, 1986. By the end, 7,581 runners crossed the finish line, making it the largest first-time marathon held in the U.S.

Many look back on the 1990s in Los Angeles as a difficult, tension-filled time. In 1992, the LA Riots, also known as the Rodney King Riots, caused havoc in the city. After four police officers were acquitted following the brutal beating of a black man named Rodney King, a five-day riot ensued.

There were natural disasters too. The Northridge earthquake killed more than 60 people, injured more than 9,000, and caused damage all over the San Fernando Valley.

All eyes were on the 405 freeway, as Al Cowlings drove O.J. Simpson in what became possibly the most infamous car chase in history. Twenty-five years later, people are still talking about that white Bronco.

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It's pretty cool to see the city's freeways light up. The white stream of light is coming from people's headlights and the red are from taillights (Who knew traffic could be so beautiful?).

While so much of LA has changed, the smog situation unfortunately hasn't. Over the past 20 years, it's been named the smoggiest city in the U.S. 19 times.

This photo was taken just before the Hollywood Palladium celebrated its 60th year. Today, it's recognized as a city landmark. But back when it opened in 1940, people flocked to the performance venues for the best shows in town.

If you were living in Los Angeles in 2012, you definitely remember when the Space Shuttle Endeavor made its way to the California Science Center.

There probably isn't a better place to check out Los Angeles than the Griffith Observatory. There, you can see everything from the city skyline to the Pacific Ocean.

Malibu is known for its gorgeous beaches, but it made headlines for the wildfires that devastated the area, killed more than 80 people, and destroyed near-countless homes, including Miley Cyrus's.

Contrary to popular belief, you can spot snow from Los Angeles! The city skyline's backdrop shows a variety of gorgeous snow-capped mountains.