photo courtesy of the city of Beverly Hills

The city of Beverly Hills unveiled a Golden Shield plaque on March 30 at a significant site in the city’s history near the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Alpine Drive. Councilman Lester Friedman, left, Mayor Julian Gold and Councilwoman Lili Bosse joined members of the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission at the unveiling ceremony.

The plaque was installed at the location where Maria Rita Valdez de Villa, an early landowner, built a home in 1838 on land that later became Beverly Hills. It is recognized as the site of the first home in the city. The plaque also recognizes the original Mexican land grant, El Rancho de Las Aguas, which was incorporated into the city of Beverly Hills in 1914.

The Beverly Hills Golden Shield Cultural Recognition Program pays tribute to locations with historical and cultural significance in the city. For information, visit beverlyhills.org.