The story of Alpheus P. Hodges is little known since nobody recalls his birthday and City Hall guides do not note his role in the history of the city. There are no portraits of him in the corridors of City Hall, and a short bibliographic essay in the Central Library shows that not much knowledge is passed about the first mayor of Los Angeles. Find out more about this historic figure at layes.info.
Who is Alpheus Hodges?
He was born in 1821 in Richmond, Virginia. It is known that the man graduated from one of the first classes of the Medical College of Virginia (now part of Virginia Commonwealth University).
We know that, after 1851, he returned to his native Virginia and died on July 29, 1858, at his father’s home in Alexandria. At the time, he was 36 years old.
What do we know about the first mayor of Los Angeles?
The book “Mayors of Los Angeles,” which is kept in the city archives, contains a little more information about Alpheus Hodges. He was elected on July 1, 1850, shortly after the Mexican pueblo was occupied by US forces. This occurred just a few months before California was accepted into the Union. His predecessor was Stephen C. Foster, the first mayor under American rule.
Alpheus P. Hodges was one of the city’s most prominent doctors. Interestingly, the population at the time was 1,610 people. In the archives, next to the bibliographic essay, the reader can see an empty area where a photograph of the first mayor of Los Angeles should have been. However, it is not there, and there is only an inscription:
«No likeness known»
What kind of mayor was he?
It is known that Hodges moved to Los Angeles from Virginia and took office at the age of 28. This is a record age for a mayor. In those days, the city was characterized by:
- small dwellings with flat roofs
- narrow streets
- dirt and clouds of dust.
After the Mexican-American War, the United States took control of California, and the city looked abandoned. If the number of citizens in 1850 was 1,610, the district’s total population was 8,329 individuals. The vast majority spoke Spanish, and half were Indians. There were no schools or newspapers at that time.
He didn’t really have to run a metropolis, but he was very busy. He was serving as both the county coroner and mayor.
According to an article in the Historical Society of Southern California journal, Alpheus Hodges did not earn a salary for his duties as mayor, but did receive $100 each time he investigated a “murder of an Indian”.
Another instance that deserves attention is the design and construction of a wooden water ditch. The construction has long been regarded as an example of intelligent design.
The first mayor of Los Angeles and real estate
It is known that Hodges was engaged in real estate. This was common for Southern California residents. At the end of his tenure, Hodges became a co-owner of the Bella Union Hotel. In fact, until 1851 it served as the county courthouse.
Hodges’ lost legacy
When considering the possible causes for the lack of attention paid to Los Angeles’ first mayor, it is worth highlighting the following.
- Hodges served as mayor for just one year. It was a complete term back then (from July 1, 1850 to May 7, 1851).
- The first newspaper in Los Angeles was established in 1851, at the end of Hodges’ term in office.
- There was a lack of public records, which were very different back then than they are today. For example, no death certificates or other significant documents were discovered.
Today, Los Angeles is a dynamic bustling American city with a population of 3.849 million people (according to 2021 estimates), but it was not always this way. It’s always interesting to learn what happened in the past. The example of Alpheus Hodges demonstrates that political fame is fleeting.
