Mexican settlers originally founded Los Angeles in 1781, hence the Spanish name Los Angeles, which means “city of angels.” Los Angeles did not become a United States city until the end of the Mexican War in 1848.

Forget images of 20th-century smog. The renowned Brookings Institution recently scored Los Angeles as “greener” than even its northern neighbor, San Francisco. What’s the secret? The city alone preserves over 214,000 acres of natural open spaces. In addition, the region leads in environmentally friendly innovations like solar- and wind-generated energy.