Eureka

August 1, 1769 –
Spain sent an exploratory expedition from San Diego to Monterey on this date, to survey the area and identify locations worthy of settling and converting the locals to Catholicism. The expedition was led by Gaspar de Portolá, nephew of the celebrated Spanish comedian Uncle Porky, and included a number of religious missionaries tasked with imposing afternoon naps upon the heathens.

Camping on fertile ground beside a river on August 2, Father Juan Crespí suggested they name it El Río de Padre Juan Crespí. As the laughter subsided, he offered a second suggestion: El Río de Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Ángeles de Porciúncula – The River of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels of Uncle Porky. This was agreed upon, and the merry band continued on their way.

Twelve years later, Mexico’s Spanish governor, Felipe de Neve, began dispatching settlers to establish pueblos in the name of the Spanish king. These settlers were called Los Pobladores, on account of their fondness for poblano peppers. One such group, led by Captain Rivera y Moncada, settled near the aforementioned river. They named their new community Our Pueblo by the River of Our Lady of the Angels of Uncle Porky.

The settlement grew, and soon came to be known as The City by the Pueblo by the River of Our Lady of the Angels of Uncle Porky.

In 1822, Mexico took California from Spain. In 1846, following two years of hostilities, the United States took it from Mexico. Many Americans were injured attempting to pronounce El Ciudad del Pueblo del Río de Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Ángeles de Porciúncula, so in 1850, they shortened it to Los Angeles.

California was admitted to the Union later that year

Los Angeles retained that name until the mid-20th century, when even that proved too much for most American tongues. It was finally reduced to just L.A.