A deep ravine near downtown Los Angeles, it was for many years the home of poor Mexicans and whites. It was in a very secluded area and many people then, and even more so today, have no idea that it even existed. The ravine had 3 neighborhoods as well, they were:
- La Loma
- Bishop
- Palo Verde
In May of 1959 the residents were forcibly evicted from Chavez Ravine after a long court battle dealing with the selling of the land to build Dodger Stadium. Most of the ravine was bulldozed flat, and some of the buildings including the Palo Verde Elementary School (Minus its roof) are buried under the stadium and its parking lot. Although a small portion of the homes still remain in Elysian Park.
In the past, Chavez Ravine was also the location of the 1st arboretum, a potter's field, smallpox infirmary, and tuberculosis sanitarium.