In time, many other immigrants began to arrive in Los Angeles there were Italians, Japanese, Chinese and African Americans(Stoltz). For tourists, Sonora Town was a place they could visit and get a vision and idea of the Spanish past of Los Angeles (Masters). Anglo communities considered Sonora Town the dangerous part of Los Angeles because of it’s appearance and its Mexican residents.

The housing was a huge problem in the town but the Mexican residence could barely find any work so they made due with what they had. The inhabitants of Sonora Town had very little resources and built their own shacks although they weren’t very stable (Masters). The Mexican-American War had recently come to an end and that caused tension between the Anglo communities and the Sonoran miners of Sonora Town (Masters). When the Gold Rush was ending, Sonoran immigrants were evicted from their “mining claims” but they stayed in Southern California and called Sonora Town their home (Masters). I made a sign and put it up around Chinatown to demonstrated that it was once Sonora Town, occupied by Mexicans from Sonora during the first Gold Rush. Sonora Town became the first barrio of the city of Los Angeles and was home to the city’s Spanish-speaking Angeleños and to the miners from Sonora who had came in search of wealth during the first Gold Rush (Stoltz). There is a rich history in the Nauvoo area and the farming community is a large part of the ongoing force that keeps the community vibrant.Today, Chinatown is a well known area of the Los Angeles County because of it’s riches of the Chinese culture. It is now known as the Sonora Town Hall Cottage and is enjoyed by small families, couples and honeymooners. It was moved to their property and fully restored in 2007. Greta and her husband Dave thought it important to restore the building and use it as part of the B&B business. The 1880 voting poll was going to be torn down by the township several years ago. Come sit for a while on the front porch and watch the time go by or even better, watch the corn grow! Greta's grandmother loved her flower gardens, as does Greta thus, Sonora Gardens came to life when Greta started her Bed and Breakfast business. In 1912 Greta's great grandparents decided to build a house, which is now known as Sonora Gardens. Greta, her parents and her brother all reside in Sonora Township today. The Wilson family came to this area from Ireland to work on the Mississippi River and eventually settled in the Township of Sonora. In 1880 a new voting poll was to be built up on the bluff east of the river about three miles and the village name Sonora became the name of the township. In time, the Keokuk Dam was built and many of the little landings and villages were flooded. The name Sonora remained with the village and eventually came a voting poll where people could vote. At that point in time there were most likely many snakes in the area where they settled along the Mississippi River. Sonora means snake crossing, which explains why they selected this particular name. Sonora came about when a group of Spaniards came to the area and settled for a short while creating a small village between the river towns of Hamilton and Nauvoo. Many people wonder how the name SonoraĬame about and what the word Sonora means. Greta Wilson Wetzel invites you to come and stay on her family farm that has been a family treasure for five generations. Sonora Gardens Farmstead is located on a 165-acre farm that produces field corn and soybeans.

Sonora town