Little Armenia, Los Angeles

{{Infobox settlement

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|image_skyline = Little Armenia Neighborhood Sign.jpg

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located at the intersection of
Normandie Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard

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Little Armenia ({{langx|hy|Փոքր Հայաստան|translit=P’vok’r Hayastan}}) is a neighborhood in Central Los Angeles, California. It is named after the Armenians who escaped genocide and made their way to Los Angeles during the early part of the 20th century.{{Cite web |url=https://laist.com/2007/07/10/neighborhood_pr.php |title=Neighborhood Project: Little Armenia: LAist |access-date=2019-08-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824183514/https://laist.com/2007/07/10/neighborhood_pr.php |archive-date=2019-08-24 |url-status=dead }}

The area is served by the Metro B Line at the Hollywood/Western, Vermont/Sunset and Vermont/Santa Monica stations.

History

In 1999, the Honorary Mayor of Little Armenia, Garo Keurjikian, had a vision to establish an area in East Hollywood representing the Armenians who migrated to America. He worked with councilwoman Jackie Goldberg to bring his vision to life. After working on the establishment of Little Armenia for a year, the ceremony opening took place on October 6, 2000 outside of Saint Garabed Armenian Apostolic Church. The name came from the large number of Armenian-Americans who live in the area and also from the large number of Armenian stores and businesses that had already opened in the neighborhood by the early 1970s.

On October 6, 2000,[http://www.littlearmenia.com/html/little_armenia/00-1958.asp Little Armenia Designation] the Los Angeles City Council designated a portion of East Hollywood as “Little Armenia” in an effort to recognize the community’s vast “presence and voice in Los Angeles".{{r|LAT 2000-10-07}}

On April 24, 2015, the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Western Avenue was designated as Armenian Genocide Memorial Square to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.{{cite news |last1=Van Dyke |first1=Jonathan |date=April 30, 2015 |title=L.A. will never forget the Armenian genocide |agency=Beverly Press La Brea Park News |url=https://beverlypress.com/2015/04/l-a-will-never-forget-the-armenian-genocide/ |access-date=10 March 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Mejia |first1=Brittny |last2=Goldenstein |first2=Taylor |last3=Blume |first3=Howard |date=24 April 2015 |title=Armenian genocide: Massive march ends at Turkish consulate in L.A. |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-armenian-genocide-march-los-angeles-20150424-story.html |quote=Officials on Friday designated the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Western Avenue as Armenian Genocide Memorial Square, an area that is part of Little Armenia.}} It was proposed by Los Angeles City Council members Mitch O'Farrell and Paul Krekorian and approved by the Los Angeles City Council on March 18, 2015.{{cite web |last=Arranaga |first=Tony |title=COUNCIL APPROVES DESIGNATION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEMORIAL SQUARE - 13th DISTRICT WEBSITE |url=http://www.cd13.com/council_approves_designation_of_armenian_genocide_memorial_square |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150326225358/http://www.cd13.com/council_approves_designation_of_armenian_genocide_memorial_square |archive-date=2015-03-26 |publisher=Cd13.com |accessdate=2015-03-29}}{{cite web |title=Agenda : Los Angeles City Council : March 18, 2015 |url=http://ens.lacity.org/clk/councilagendas/clkcouncilagendas394167_03182015.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402121945/http://ens.lacity.org/clk/councilagendas/clkcouncilagendas394167_03182015.html |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |access-date=March 28, 2015 |publisher=Ens.lacity.org\accessdate=2015-03-29}}

File:Certificate Little Armenia - Honorary Mayor.png

File:Chamber of Commerce, Garo Keurjikian.jpg

Geography

As defined by the City Council, Little Armenia is "the area bounded on the north by Hollywood Boulevard between the 101 Freeway and Vermont Avenue, on the east by Vermont Avenue from Hollywood Boulevard to Santa Monica Boulevard, on the south by Santa Monica Boulevard between Vermont Avenue and U.S. Route 101 and on the west by Route 101 from Santa Monica Boulevard to Hollywood Boulevard".{{Cite news |date=2000-10-07 |title=Part of East Hollywood Is Designated 'Little Armenia' |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-oct-07-me-32895-story.html |access-date=2024-07-25 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

Thai Town is located to the north of Little Armenia.{{r|LAT 2000-10-07}}

File:Mural The History of Armenia.jpg

Events

On April 24 each year, Armenians gather in the neighborhood to observe Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day{{cite news |title=Southern California observes Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day |url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/southern-california-observes-armenian-genocide-remembrance-day/3396209/ |access-date=3 May 2024 |publisher=NBC News |date=April 24, 2024}} (Solidarity events also take place in Montebello, Glendale and Beverly Hills).

Transportation

Little Armenia is served by the Metro B Line subway, which runs north-south along Vermont Avenue and east-west along Hollywood Boulevard.

Metro subway stations include:

Los Angeles Department of Transportation provides bus service through the neighborhood.

Parks and recreation

Parks within Little Armenia's official borders are the following:

Barnsdall Art Park - 4800 Hollywood Boulevard. The park includes the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Hollyhock House and a city-run arts center built in 1919-1921. [http://www.laparks.org/dos/historic/barsndall.htm City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks: Barnsdall Art Park] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628052047/http://www.laparks.org/dos/historic/barsndall.htm |date=June 28, 2014 }}

Education

Public schools within Little Armenia's official borders are operated by LAUSD.{{col-begin}}{{col-break|width=45%}}

=Public=

Kingsley Elementary School,
5200 West Virginia Avenue
Ramona Elementary School,
1133 North Mariposa Avenue

=Private=

Alex Pilibos Armenian School,
1625 North Alexandria Avenue

Notable places

File:Surp Garabed Church, Hollywood - close.JPG

Places of interest within Little Armenia's official borders include the following:

Armenian Genocide Memorial Square. Located at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Western Avenue. {{cite news |last1=Van Dyke |first1=Jonathan |date=April 30, 2015 |title=L.A. will never forget the Armenian genocide |agency=Beverly Press La Brea Park News |url=https://beverlypress.com/2015/04/l-a-will-never-forget-the-armenian-genocide/ |access-date=10 March 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Mejia |first1=Brittny |last2=Goldenstein |first2=Taylor |last3=Blume |first3=Howard |date=24 April 2015 |title=Armenian genocide: Massive march ends at Turkish consulate in L.A. |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-armenian-genocide-march-los-angeles-20150424-story.html |quote=Officials on Friday designated the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Western Avenue as Armenian Genocide Memorial Square, an area that is part of Little Armenia.}}
The Church of Scientology Los Angeles headquarters. Located on Sunset Bl. between N. Catalina St. and L. Ron Hubbard Way.{{Cite web|title = Church of Scientology of Los Angeles - All Are Welcome!|url = http://www.scientology-losangeles.org/|website = Church of Scientology of Los Angeles|accessdate = 2015-11-15|language = en}}
Hollyhock House
Hollywood & Western Building
Zankou Chicken's first restaurant in U.S.A.