NORTH HOLLYWOOD : Treaty of Cahuenga Will Be Re-Enacted

A re-enactment of the historic signing of the Treaty of Cahuenga--the treaty that helped end the Mexican-American War--will be held Sunday at Campo de Cahuenga, a city historical monument in North Hollywood.

The free event, held at the adobe at 3919 Lankershim Blvd., will begin at 1:30 p.m. and feature look-alikes of U.S. Army Lt. Col John C. Fremont and Mexican Gen. Andres Pico. The men signed the treaty at the Campo, a former adobe home, on January 13, 1847.

Guy Weddington McCreary, president of the Campo de Cahuenga Historical Assn., said the event is a “living history.” Although the organization holds a celebration in January to mark the actual treaty signing, McCreary said foul weather limits the January celebration to lectures that provide little feeling for the event.

“This gives us a chance to change the whole perspective of the thing,” McCreary said. “We’re actually getting people involved historically and go through the signing itself. For example, after the treaty was signed, Pico threw a fiesta. We’ll have a fiesta too.”

Highlights will include the Russek Spanish Fiesta Dancers, Claremont Rifle/Hampton’s Legion in authentic uniform and display items from the Mexican-American War.

Following the signing of the treaty in 1847, Mexico gave up claims to California, which joined the United States as the 31st state in 1850. The fighting, which claimed 13,780 American lives, began when settlers rose up against Mexican rule in 1846.