Battle of Chavez Ravine facts for kids
The Battle of Chavez Ravine was a big disagreement over land in Los Angeles. This land, called Chavez Ravine, was home to many Mexican-American families. The city wanted to buy this land, and this led to a long fight that lasted about ten years, from 1951 to 1961.
Eventually, everyone living in Chavez Ravine had to move. Their homes were taken down to build Dodger Stadium. The city first bought the land using something called eminent domain. This means the government can take private land for public use, even if the owner doesn't want to sell.
The original plan was to build new homes for people who needed them. This idea was seen as modern and helpful. But then, people voted against the housing plan. A new mayor was also elected who didn't like public housing. So, the plan for new homes was stopped.
By 1958, the city decided to give the land to the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team. They wanted the team to move to Los Angeles. The new plan was to build Dodger Stadium there. In 1959, the last families still living in Chavez Ravine were asked to leave by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
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What Was Chavez Ravine Like?
In the early 1900s, Chavez Ravine was a quiet, almost country-like place. It was a community mainly of Mexican-American families. The area had three smaller neighborhoods: La Loma, Palo Verde, and Bishop.
By 1951, before the city's big plans, over 1,800 families lived there. Many residents were not rich and made their living by farming. A lot of families moved to Chavez Ravine because they faced unfair housing rules in other parts of Los Angeles.
Some people thought Chavez Ravine looked old and run-down. This made it a target for new laws like the National Housing Act of 1949. This law aimed to improve city areas. But for the Mexican-American families living there, many were doing well and owned their own homes.
Why the City Wanted the Land
By 1951, Chavez Ravine was chosen for a big change. The National Housing Act of 1949 offered money from the government to build public housing. The Los Angeles Housing Authority started buying land in Chavez Ravine that year.
They bought land in two ways: some families sold their homes willingly, and for others, the city used eminent domain. This meant the city could take the land for public use. Between 1952 and 1953, the city bought almost all the land and tore down nearly every building.
The new housing project was going to be called "Elysian Park Heights." A famous architect named Richard J. Neutra designed it. The plan included 24 tall buildings and 163 smaller ones. They would have nearly 3,600 new, low-cost apartments.
Some people at the time said that these city improvement plans often hurt minority groups. They felt that minority landowners were sometimes unfairly forced to sell their land. The city offered less money to people who waited longer to sell. This made people afraid they would get even less if they didn't sell quickly. The prices paid were often much lower than what the homes were really worth.
Walter O'Malley and the Dodgers Move
Walter O'Malley took full control of the Dodgers baseball team in 1950. He was the one who made the deal for Dodger Stadium to be built in Chavez Ravine. This happened between 1959 and 1962.
O'Malley had great success with the Dodgers in the 1950s. They played in many World Series and won one championship. He also helped break racial barriers in baseball with Jackie Robinson in 1947.
However, the Dodgers' home stadium, Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, was getting old. O'Malley wanted a new, modern stadium in Brooklyn. But he couldn't agree with local leaders, so his plans were rejected.
O'Malley then looked to the west, deciding to move the Dodgers to Los Angeles in 1958. This was almost ten years after the Chavez Ravine residents first started losing their homes. O'Malley also helped the New York Giants baseball team move to San Francisco. These moves were very good for both teams.
People Fought Back
In 1953, Norris Poulson was elected mayor of Los Angeles. He was a conservative politician who was against building new public housing. Also, people in Los Angeles voted to stop all public housing projects in the city.
Because of this, the "Elysian Park Heights" housing project was canceled. The city and the government agreed that the empty land in Chavez Ravine had to be used for a "public purpose." For years, the land was mostly empty, with only a few original residents left. The city tried to offer the land to different builders, but no one was interested.
Later, in the late 1950s, the city offered a different piece of land to Brooklyn Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley. They wanted him to build a baseball stadium there. O'Malley was thinking about moving his team from Brooklyn's Ebbets Field to Los Angeles.
O'Malley said no to the first offer. But he became interested in Chavez Ravine after seeing it from an airplane.
As of September 1957, the Chavez Ravine land was still set aside for "public purposes." So, the idea of using it for a baseball stadium caused a lot of debate. Many people argued that a professional baseball team was not a "public use" as required by law for eminent domain.
Some Los Angeles officials thought the area should be used for a zoo. They said a zoo would provide "public recreation" for the city. But in 1957, the Los Angeles City Council approved giving the land to the Dodgers.
This decision was stopped when people gathered enough signatures for a public vote. This vote would decide if the Dodgers could get the land. In June 1958, the vote to stop the land transfer failed. The city then gave the Chavez Ravine site to the Dodgers for a small amount of money. Dodger Stadium was built with private money and is still privately owned.
The Last Families Leave
Many residents strongly resisted being forced to leave their homes. By 1959, after almost 10 years, Manuel and Abrana Arechiga were among the very last families to stay. Their daughter, Aurora Vargas, who was a war widow, also lived with them.
On May 9, 1959, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department came to remove them. Aurora Vargas was arrested for resisting. She was fined and spent a short time in jail. Manuel Arechiga was the very last person to stay. He lived in a tent on the spot where his home used to be for several months.
At first, people felt sorry for the Arechigas. But then, news reports said that the Arechigas owned twelve other rental houses in Los Angeles. This made some public sympathy disappear. However, this was not entirely true; these houses were owned by their cousins, relatives, and children. Manuel Arechiga eventually gave in and accepted the city's offer of $10,500 for his property.
