Kuruvungna Springs (Los Angeles, California)

 spring, religion, Native American

Kuruvunga Spring is California State Historical Landmark number 522.
The springs have a UCLA Archaeological designation of CA-LAN-382.

The Sacred Springs are three adjacent natual springs used as a natural fresh water source by the Tongva Native Americans since at least AD 400, first as a communal watering source, then as the "Sacred Springs," the main source for the Kuruvungna Tongva Village.
In the Tongva language, Kuruvungna means "a place where we are in the sun." After the Spanish conquistadors of the Portolá Expedition came north from México and conquered the Tongva (4 August 1769) according to a diary kept by Father Crespí, the Tongva were converted to Christianity.
In 1770 Father Serra "directed" the Tongva to walk to the San Gabriel Valley where they built the San Gabriel Mission. Their name was then changed to the Gabrielino Indians, builders of the Mission. In the late 1800s the Sacred Springs fed into the water supply of the City of Santa Monica.
The site is located on what is now the campus of University High school and it once served as the location for their horticulture classes.
The springs still flow at 22,000 to 25,000 gallons of water a day.
The site is supported by the Gabrielino / Tongva Springs Foundation which works together with the community to preserve and protect one of the last natural historical landmarks and sacred sites of the Gabrielino Tongva people.