FUN WITH MAPS – ISSUE 2021-191 DAILY FEATURE:

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (October 4, 2021) –  In Issue 2021-191 of Steve Kovacs Fun with Maps, we celebrate the founding of the college home of many movie and television stars.

FIGHT ON, TROJANS!

The University of Southern California (USC) was founded by Robert M. Widney in 1880 on this day.  It is the oldest private research institute in California and also the largest private employer in the Los Angeles area.

If you were one of the 53 students enrolled when the school opened, you had a faculty of 10 professors and paid $15.00 per term. Things have changed a bit – today’s enrollment averages 47,500 and students can expect a bill for almost $30,250 per term.

USC has the distinct honor of having the most alumni who have gone on to win Academy Awards and Emmys, and ranks second with most football players drafted to play in the NFL; such as the infamous Orenthal James (O. J.) Simpson.

Los Angeles steadily grew from a small Pueblo in 1781 to City status in 1835, to the metropolis of today.  Part of the expansion and growth is captured by Aldrich in this 1935 map of Los Angeles.

Map ofr Los Angeles – 1935 (Credit Steve Kovacs)

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Antique Maps & Fun Facts here on Loveland Beacon.