On August 2, 1769, the Portolá expedition (the first Europeans to see inland areas of California) camped close to the Los Angeles River near what is now the southeastern corner of the city park.

California Historical Landmark #655 (Portolá Trail Campsite) is at the park's Meadow Road entrance.

[2] Street and other boundaries are: the northern apex at Exit 138 of the Golden State Freeway, thence southeasterly along the freeway, southerly along the Los Angeles River, westerly along North Broadway, northwesterly along Stadium Way, Academy Road and northerly along Elysian Park Drive.

China (32.3%) and Mexico (27.3%) were the most common places of birth for the 54.4% of the residents who were born abroad, a high figure compared to rest of the city.

[3] Thirteen percent of the neighborhood residents aged 25 and older had earned a four-year degree by 2000, an average figure for the city.