Pershing Square
Downtown Los Angeles

Pershing Square is the oldest public park in Los Angeles. Its history extends back two hundred years when it was a vacant lot known as block number 15. In 1866, an ordinance was signed declaring the park "...a public square for the use and benefit of the citizens of the common." Over the last century the park has undergone numerous changes including the addition of underground parking in the 1950s. In the 1990s, the park was significantly remodeled by a design team led by architect Ricardo Legoretta and landscape architect Laurie Olin.

Photo courtesy of California Historical Society / Ticor Title Insurance