December 14, 2004
CONTACT-- 
Luis Inzunza/Marc Littman
Metro MEDIA RELATIONS
(213) 922-2711/(213) 922-2700
www.metro.net/press/pressroom
e-mail-- mediarelations@metro.net
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Campo De Cahuenga:
Discover One of California's Historic Jewels Via Metro

The Campo De Cahuenga Museum across from Universal City commemorates the birthplace of California, and the historic site is easily accessible by Metro. The museum is now open to the public on Saturdays and admission is free.

Come and learn about California history at Campo De Cahuenga, the site where the signing of the Treaty of Cahuenga on January 13, 1847, indirectly led to California's statehood by ending hostilities in California for the duration of the Mexican War. The treaty was consolidated into the final treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on February 2, 1848 between the United States and Mexico.

The Campo De Cahuenga Museum is located next to the Universal City Metro Rail subway station on Lankershim just north of Ventura Boulevard. The museum houses artifacts and other items from the treaty signing, including a partial recreation of the adobe building foundation built between 1795-1810 and where the treaty was signed.

Museum hours are Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. except on holiday weekends when it is closed. The public is welcome to browse or can arrange docent-guided tours by calling Guy Weddington McCreary at (818) 762-3998 or Elizabeth Perrin at (805) 578-9236.

Conveniently located next to the Metro Rail Universal City station, the museum also is served by Metro Bus lines 240, 150, 152 156, and Metro Rapid Bus Line 750. For more trip information go to metro.net or call 1-800-COMMUTE.

History is captured in beautiful ceramic art work all around the Universal City Metro Rail subway station. There are drawings of Lt. Co. John C. Freemont and General Andres Pico as well as written historical facts about the resistance of the native Californianos and the eventual signing of the capitulation papers that ended hostilities between California and the Americans.

Walking on the grounds is like being in another era. The building has Spanish style architecture with its roof made out of tejas (Spanish clay shingles). It has a big patio with a large water fountain. There are many trees, shrubs and plants

The Campo De Cahuenga Museum is a replica of the adobe that stood on the site of the signing of the Treaty of Cahuenga. The Campo De Cahuenga Historical Memorials Association will commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Cahuenga on January 16, 2005 at 1 p.m. with a reenactment of this event with people dressed in colorful period clothes. There is also the firing of a cannon as well as music, Mexican dancers and other festivities.

"Our goal is to do our best to contact more schools and let people know about Campo De Cahuenga. It gives me great pleasure to see kids and college students come and learn about how California was established," said Duek Perrin, President of Campo De Cahuenga Historical Memorials Association.

The original adobe fell into disrepair during the ensuing decades and was in ruins by 1877. In 1923 the City of Los Angeles bought the property and established a memorial park. The original foundation was rediscovered in 1995 by archaeologists working for Metro during Metro Red Line subway construction. Excavation over several years revealed a large adobe building extending out into the middle of Lankershim Boulevard. In viewing the recreation of the historic original foundations, made with river rocks and partial adobe walls, Californians unearth not only the origins of California as a state but also find a source of pride for who they are and were they come from.

METRO-211

Pressroom | www.metro.net