Monrovia, CA: History of Monrovia, Illustratedby John L Wiley. 1927. 292p The Spanish colonization of California led to the establishment of missions to convert the native population to Christianity and exert Spanish control over the region. The arrival of the Spaniards brought significant changes, including the spread of European diseases and the exploitation of indigenous peoples. Similarly, the founding of Monrovia in the late 19th century was part of a real estate boom in Southern California,