Geographically, the Arroyo Seco—literally “dry creek”—is the defining natural feature of Northeast Los Angeles. This long, dramatic canyon begins at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains north of Pasadena and winds south along the western edge of South Pasadena. It skirts the historic Garvanza district, continues through Highland Park, and ultimately joins the Los Angeles River just north of Elysian Park.
For most of the year the Arroyo Seco is dry, but for thousands of years it served as a vital hunting ground for the region’s earliest inhabitants. Bears, coyotes, and other wildlife roamed among the live oaks, sycamores, and thick grasses that lined the canyon floor.
By the early 1800s the rugged terrain became a refuge for outlaws—a secluded place to rendezvous, hide stolen goods, and launch raids on travelers and nearby settlements.
In the 1850s the Arroyo gained an unusual distinction as the temporary home of the U.S. Army’s experimental Camel Corps, championed by Jefferson Davis during his tenure as Secretary of War. Imported dromedaries were watered and pastured here, and it was not uncommon to see the camels tethered beneath the canyon’s giant sycamores.
In the early 1900s, the lower Arroyo Seco evolved into a center of artistic and intellectual life, becoming a stronghold of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Rejecting industrialization, its adherents crafted their own homes, furniture, and surroundings—celebrating natural materials and hand workmanship.
The legacy of the Arts and Crafts era remains woven throughout Northeast Los Angeles: shingled Craftsman homes, monumental stone fireplaces and retaining walls built from Arroyo boulders, and a creative, independent spirit that still shapes the community today.