Pío Pico, a successful businessman who was the last Mexican Governor of Alta California, ordered construction of a luxury hotel in the growing town. It was constructed between 1869 and 1870. The resulting Italianate three story, 33-room hotel, dubbed Pico House (or Casa de Pico) was the most extravagant and lavish hotel in Southern California, and its opening was cause for much celebration. It had a total of nearly 80 rooms, large windows, a small interior court, and a grand staircase. In the days of the hotel's primacy the courtyard featured a fountain and an aviary of exotic birds. It sits across the old Los Angeles Plaza from Olvera Street where the oldest existing house in Los Angeles still stands. It was built in 1818.
This was a part of our day visiting the oldest Mexican barrio and Little Tokyo, a short walk from Union Station in LA. (Photo taken 25 February)
It looks like a fabulous building. Unfortunately when we were on our American Odyssey we were only driven through LA to the airport for the flight home.
@stray_shooter Perhaps we could get the San diego group to catch the train up and we join them along the way, and all go to that LA area for the day! It really was fun!
