American Alcalde Los Angeles History Chronicled Through Stories of its Mayoral Elections: Volume I: 1848 - 1859 Birth an City

The American Alcalde series chronicles over 175 years of Los Angeles mayoral election history, detailing the municipality's transformation from a once small Spanish and Mexican pueblo into the preeminent global city it is today.This volume includes stories about Dr. Alpheus Hodges, a genial young medical doctor who at age 28 was a surprise choice to be the city's first mayor. Benjamin Wilson, a mountain of a man for whom a mountain is named, who may have been the most accomplished and impressive figure in Southern California history, not to mention being grandfather to one of the nation's most important military generals.Stephen C. Foster, a Yale-educated scholar who resigned the mayoralty to lead a lynch mob that hanged an alleged murderer, only to be reelected shortly thereafter. And Benjamin Eaton, the father of Pasadena, who skillfully accomplished almost everything he tackled in life, except being elected mayor.