Avila Adobe

There's a small exhibit about Christine Sterling, the 'mother of Olvera St', in the Avila Adobe , the oldest surviving house in LA. Built in 1818 by a wealthy ranchero and one-time LA mayor, the ranch-style home was later used by the military, then became a boardinghouse and a restaurant. Restored and furnished in heavy oak, it's open for self-guided tours and provides a look at life in the early 19th century. Sterling herself lived here until her death in 1963.