REINVENTING SOUTHERN CAL CITIES' HISTORY

I'm coming from a Buenos Aires. I cannot say Buenos Aires has the history of the old European cities, but, considering we have more than 400 years history and an European conquest, we architects, are very respectful when we have to design in a historical area. Of course, if you choose not to be respectful, while the building complies with all the City's requirement, the planners will never judge the architect's decision. The best judges are your colleages. But, in Southern California, I'm really lost in history. I have my books, telling me that, for example, Huntington Beach has a history of 100 years, and I cannot find what I could rescue, apart from the cuasi Victorian Newland House. Or maybe a brick room used as a prison....And I could continue with many examples in many SoCal Cities. So, the planners found it easier to select a "style", and designers and architects have the obligation to follow the " Mediterranean", " Spanish" (please avoid the word Mexican Spanish, just leave it plain), "Toscano" (do not say Italian, use Toscano) and that's it. The results are nice houses, nice towns, trying to follow the new urbanism guide lines-as much as possible, there are still too many cars- but all of them practically equal, everywhere. In every City. A pharmacy is like a shopping mall, which is like a restaurant, which is like a house. I have learnt that richness is in the variety, in the freedom of design, or why not allow vernacular? Is it Ok to find a Spanish domestic planter with geraniums in the openings of a public parking in Santa Barbara, just to follow the Mission style??? Have you ever been in Bahia, Brasil? Any response or advice will be more than welcome.