@latimesAug 25, 2026 · 2:52 · original sound
Before there was Dodger Stadium, there was Chavez Ravine, a community of mostly Mexican-American homeowners. Its residents were forced out by the city of L.A., who claimed that the land would be used to build more public housing. Over the course of the 1950s, the city offered below-market offers to families, pressuring them to accept. In the end, the families who refused to sell were physically carried out of their homes, screaming and crying, by police officers. But instead of following through on their promise to build public housing, the city sold the land to the Dodgers, and the stadium opened in 1962. A new digital archive aims to preserve the photos and history of Chavez Ravine’s residents. @bexcastillo spoke with the co-founders of the project, including Carol Jacques, who was born and raised in Chavez Ravine. City officials portrayed the community as a slum. Carol painted a different picture, recounting beautiful flowers blooming everywhere, canaries singing, quiet nights, neighbors making friendly chit-chat and sharing meals. Carol described the deep roots of Chavez Ravine’s community as a story of joy, sadness and survival: “It’s a story of those that bloomed where they were planted.” Members who shared their photographs with the archive retain the copyright. To view the photos or obtain permission for usage, visit library.lmu.edu/archivesandspecialcollections/chavezravine/.
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