History Lesson

It rained on the day in Campo de Cahuenga, near what is now Universal City, when Mexican Gen. Andres Pico and Lt. Col. John C. Fremont signed the accord that ended the Mexican-American War in California.

And recently, on the 150th anniversary, Mother Nature lent an air of authenticity: She drenched nearly 100 history buffs as they reenacted the signing.

“It’s an amazing historical event that happened right here in our backyard,” said Guy Weddington McCreary of North Hollywood, president of the Campo de Cahuenga Historical Memorial Assn. “You just don’t find that every day.”

Many believe that Campo de Cahuenga, which lies in a bustling commercial neighborhood, is one of the most important historical landmarks west of the Mississippi River. Not only did the document end the war in California, it also paved the way for the state’s entry into the union.

About a year later, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, formalizing the Treaty of Cahuenga and ceding an area including modern California, Nevada, Utah, most of Arizona and New Mexico, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. Mexico also relinquished all claims to Texas.

*

In exchange, the United States paid $15 million and assumed $3.25 million in claims against Mexico. Three years after the Cahuenga accord, California joined the union.

To commemorate the event, history buffs from throughout Southern California donned authentic garb Jan. 13 and performed a color guard ceremony while others read excerpts from the document, a replica of which they signed.

Roland Barajas, an actor from Westminster who has played the role of Pico for the past four years, acknowledged that he knew little about the significance of Campo de Cahuenga before being invited to participate in the annual reenactment.

“All these years I thought it was a Mexican restaurant,” Barajas said.

But after he began studying books and original manuscripts, Barajas said the small adobe and courtyard on Lankershim Boulevard took on a new meaning, prompting him to have a period outfit created for his performances.

Huell Howser, host of the television shows “Visiting” and “California Gold,” acknowledged that although he was familiar with the Treaty of Cahuenga, he did not know where it was signed.

“I have driven by this place 100 times and I never knew it was here,” Howser said. “In fact, this afternoon I drove by it and never knew it was here.”

As a member of the state’s Sesquicentennial Commission, Howser presented McCreary with a proclamation from Gov. Pete Wilson declaring that the treaty will be commemorated statewide.

*

Later, members of the Yesteryears Dancers, including women decked out in 19th century dresses, bonnets and lace gloves, re-created dances from the period. Fiesta dancers from the Carolina Russek Dance Company also performed in honor of the Pico Fiesta that followed the signing of the treaty.

As a special way to mark the 150th anniversary of the signing, observers wrote their names on a drawer from the original desk on which the agreement was codified. Officials said they will bring the drawer out again in 25 years.

Hollywood Hills resident Eveline Bock was impressed by what she saw.

“I find it so remarkable we have something so historically important to this area that so few people know about,” Bock said.