Exploring City of LA's "Central Park" (11/13)

LAConservancy.org, Larry Mantle, AirTalk (KPCC); Xochitl, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Pacific left, Hollywood sign upper center, Griffith Observatory foreground, the Valley behind hill

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LA landmark celebrates its 125th birthday

Griffith Park is vast, from the Santa Monica Mountains to the Valley. See Hollywood sign?

From behind the Hollywood sign, see LA and the South Bay. Turn around for the Valley.

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We don’t need to be native Angelenos to be familiar with the country’s largest municipal parkland, Griffith Park.

And if one does not know the park itself, one is surely familiar with the great Griffith Park Observatory.

It’s been in many movies filmed here showing off the world-famous Hollywood sign, most notably 1955’s Rebel Without a Cause with James Dean and Quentin Tarantino’s more recent Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Downtown LA (DTLA) is that cluster of building in front of the OC from Griffith Observatory

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In a city known for cars, asphalt, smog, freeway traffic, urban sprawl, surf, sand, and suffering with suburban quarters surrounding a concrete jungle, Griffith Park is a verdant escape from the hustle and bustle of the Big City.

But it’s also home to things like the L.A. Zoo, the Autry Museum, prides of man eating mountain lions, and the Greek Theatre, and according to the L.A. Times' Mary Forgione, also boasts a rich cultural (Native American Tongva/Kizh as well as modern) history that might contain a few facts that even regulars at Griffith Park might not know.

DTLA at left. Looking south toward the OC, the harbor, and Mexico from above Observatory

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On AirTalk, L.A. Conservancy Director of Education Sarah Lann joins Host Larry Mantle to talk about a daylong event this weekend.

• LA Conservancy’s event, Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021

Angelenos have mixed feelings about tourists.

The Conservancy and the City of Los Angeles have collaborated to put it on. To commemorate this 125th birthday, AirTalk listeners are encouraged to call in with their favorite Griffith Park memories and stories.

What does the West Coast’s "Central Park" mean to visitors to Southern California and Los Angeles residents? Share a story by calling (866) 893-5722 or by emailing atcomments@kpcc.org. 

RSVP FREE (info.laconservancy.org)

For more information from the Los Angeles Conservancy on this weekend’s events celebrating the 125th birthday of Griffith Park and to RSVP (free) to attend, see here. More

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