The river provided a source of water and food for the Tongva people prior to the arrival of the Spanish. After the establishment of Mission San Gabriel in 1771, the Spanish would refer to all of the Tongva living in that mission's vicinity as Gabrieleño. The Tongva were hunters and gatherers who lived primarily off fish, small mammals, and the acorns from the abundant oak trees along the river's path. There were at least 45 Tongva villages located near the Los Angeles River, concentrated in the San Fernando Valley and the Elysian Valley, in what is present day Glendale.