April 25 at 7:00 p.m. - at New Life Church of the Nazarene
Dinna will discuss the extraordinary story of the namesake of the Leonis Adobe Museum, Miguel Leonis. Leonis was an illiterate French Basque immigrant and larger-than-life figure who became one of the wealthiest land barons in 19th century Los Angeles. His adobe residence was saved from demolition in 1962 and played a pioneering role in historic preservation in the City of Angeles.
Dinna Rivera Pitt is the Historian and Curator at the Leonis Adobe Museum, designated Los Angeles’ first Historic-Cultural Monument. She received a B.A. in Classical Civilization from UCLA and an M.A. with Distinction in History from CSUN. Her diverse graduate work focused on California History as well as Greek and Roman History. Her areas of interest include the ethnic tapestry of early California, architectural history, and the Spartan culture of ancient Greece. Her current research examines the French population of 19th century California and she lectures on their role in the development of Los Angeles.
