Your Scene: Pico House in downtown Los Angeles

Since the start of this reader photo series, we’ve displayed destinations spanning the globe, from Antarctica to Kashgar, China. Now we’re heading back home and focusing on sights in Southern California. You’d be surprised at what lies just around the corner.

Times reader Andy Hoang submitted this photo of Pico House in downtown Los Angeles. If you’ve ever been to the Olvera Street area near Union Station, you’ve probably passed this picturesque yet unassuming structure fronting Main Street. Amid downtown’s skyscrapers and four-star hotels, who would guess that Pico House was at one time the grandest hotel in Los Angeles?

The structure was built under the vision of Pio Pico, California’s last governor under Mexican rule. When it was completed in 1870, it was the first three-story building Los Angeles. Today, the hotel is part of El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historical Monument. The hotel is not open to the public at this time.

Times staff writer Christopher Reynolds recently explored downtown Los Angeles and wrote up these 11 micro-itineraries. For more about the area, visit our Southern California guide.

View past photos we’ve featured. To upload your own, visit our reader travel photo gallery. When you upload your photo, tell us where it was taken and when. The more we know about the photo, the more likely it is that we’ll feature it in our daily “Your Scene” posts here. To help us credit you properly, please include your name and city of residence.

-- Jason La