EPHS News

Judge blocks school district building plans

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 03:36:00 +0000

The Right Site Coalition scored a major legal victory in the fight to prevent the Los Angeles school district from demolishing more than 2 blocks of Echo Park homes for a new school -- even though enrollment has been plunging. The school district now has to basically return to the beginning of its selection process or appeal the judge's ruling

The EPHS, a member of the coalition, has opposed the proposed 9A site because of the needless destruction of scores of old homes near Alvarado Street and Sunset Boulevard.

More details in the LA Times.

Elysian Park Bike Tour - Sat. July 19

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 04:32:00 +0000

The EPHS launches it's first-ever bicycle tour on Saturday, July 19 at 10 am. Hit the historic highlights of the Elysian Park's western edge (the route is limited to paved roads). The 90-minute tour headed by Matthew Dubois will include stops at Barlow Hospital, the old Navy Armory and Police Academy. Space is extremely limited. The tour is free to EPHS members and $5 for all others.

The tour begins in the parking lot of the Grace Simons Lodge off Stadium Way. See map below.

View Larger Map

Explore Elysian Park

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:25:00 +0000

Please join us on Saturday, June 28 at 10 am for the Elysian Park Walking Tour. The Elysian Park Tour, which is co-sponsored by Citizens Committee to Save Elysian Park, focuses on the lesser known but historically rich eastern edge of the park.

This tour takes about two hours to complete and includes walking up and down hills and upon unpaved trails. Reservations required. Please visit the Walking Tour section of www.HistoricEchoPark.org for details.

The Story of Room 8 Cat

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:53:00 +0000

The EPHS Quarterly meeting on Wed. May 14 at 7 pm will feature Roger Vargo and his presentation on Room 8 Cat, the feline who reigned supreme at Elysian Heights Elementary School during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Come share your Room 8 Cat stories and photos.

The meeting will be held at the Barlow Library and Barlow Hospital, 2000 Stadium way. The presentation on Room 8, which is free and open to the public, will be preceded by news and updates on historical society events and issues of interest to members.

Echo Park Lake Walking Tour - Sat., May 24

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Sun, 04 May 2008 15:42:00 +0000

The Echo Park Lake Walking Tour starts at 10 am and will include some of the neighborhood’s most prominent landmarks, such as Jensen’s Recreation Center, Angelus Temple and, of course, the lake. The tour takes about two hours to complete and includes several stairways. Building interiors are not included. Reservations required. The tours are free for EPHS members; we ask a $5 donation of all others. Please see the Walking Tour section http://www.historicechopark.org/ for details.

Church alters parking plans

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:03:00 +0000

Some good news (we hope) regarding Angelus Temple's plan to build a giant parking structure between the Temple and businesses along Sunset Boulevard. In a recent meeting with EPHS, church officials indicated that they now plan to build the multi-level structure along Glendale Boulevard, sparing, at least for now, several old buildings along Lemoyne Street. This is an option the EPHS has suggested in previous meetings.

Locating the parking structure along Glendale Blvd. would still require the demolition of some church-owned buildings from the 1940s (they already demolished an older apartment court). However, keeping the parking garage on Glendale Blvd. (already a busy highway fronted by similar large commercial structures) would preserve the small-scale, older buildings on Lemoyne Street, which forms a pedestrian-friendly link between Echo Park Lake and the Sunset Boulevard business district. This plan would give the church the parking it craves and help preserve the area's historic fabric.

In another encouraging sign, EPHS president Kevin Kuzma and EPHS member Matthew Pope have been meeting with an Angelus Temple contractor working on several buildings the church owns nearby (Angelus Temple is perhaps Echo Park's single largest property owner) to inform them on building materials and designs that fit in with the neighborhood's historic character.

Explore Echo Park Stairways

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 20:43:00 +0000

Please join us for the Echo Park Stairway Walking Tour on Saturday, April 26 at 10 am. The walk includes the Baxter Stairs as well as Fellowship Park, Red Hill and the modernist Harwell Harris house (exterior only). Starting Place:Elysian Heights Elementary 1562 Baxter St. at Echo Park Ave Reservations are required. Click here for details

The story of Room 8 Cat appears in Daily News

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 05:14:00 +0000

The Daily News on Wednesday will present a special feature on Room 8 Cat, the feline mascot of Elysian Heights Elementary School. Don't miss it.

LAUSD Fails to Learn

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 20:20:00 +0000

L.A. City Beat takes a look at the school district's effort to demolish more than two blocks of Echo Park to build a new school on Site 9A despite a sharp drop in enrollment and a flawed selection process. The story focuses on the the Villanueva family, which was forced to sell their home under the threat of eminent domain. Here's an excerpt:

"A year later, the family was served an eminent domain notice that they would be evicted from the house in which they had lived for 26 years. They ended up moving around the block, and have now joined other Echo Park community members engaged in a legal battle entering its third year over the massive swath of 49 mostly modest stucco homes that the school district has swallowed up in this once tight-knit neighborhood.

Declining elementary school enrollment and fierce local opposition raise questions not only about the district’s tactics in the name of its aggressive building program, but whether the upheaval in the neighborhood was even necessary. It’s hard to imagine that voters – if they could have known about the ruin it would mean for dozens of families here – would have generously approved three bond measures, totaling nearly $10 billion."

Click here for the full story.

Fargo Hill Climb This Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 03:51:00 +0000

If you have not read it, the Spring quarterly issue of the EPHS News features a two pages of stories on the steep streets of Echo Park and Elysian Heights. If you want to experience these hills first-hand, then maybe this Sunday's annual Fargo Street Hill Climb is for you (or you can at least watch from the sidelines).

Elysian Park Walking Tour - Sat., March 15

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 06:49:00 +0000

Please join us on Saturday, March 15 at 10 am for the Elysian Park Walking Tour. The Elysian Park Tour, which is co-sponsored by Citizens Committee to Save Elysian Park, focuses on the lesser known but historically rich eastern edge of the park.

This tour takes about two hours to complete and includes walking up and down hills and upon unpaved trails. Reservations required. Please visit the Walking Tour section of www.HistoricEchoPark.org for details.

L.A. Heritage Day This Sunday, March 2

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 05:38:00 +0000

The Echo Park Historical Society will be present at the first-ever Los Angeles Heritage Day on Sunday, March 2 from 12 pm to 4 pm. The event will be held at Heritage Square in Highland Park. More details on the Franklin Avenue blog and Heritage Square Museum

Echo Park Lake Walking Tour -- Feb. 16

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 05:56:00 +0000

The Echo Park Lake Walking Tour originally scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 9 has been postponed one week to Feb. 16. The tour starts at 10 am and will include some of the neighborhood’s most prominent landmarks, such as Jensen’s Recreation Center, Angelus Temple and, of course, the lake. The tour takes about two hours to complete and includes several stairways. Building interiors are not included. Reservations required. The tours are free for EPHS members; we ask a $5 donation of all others. Please see the Walking Tour section http://www.historicechopark.org/ for details.

School District Loses Legal Battle

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:21:00 +0000

A state court of appeal blocked the Los Angeles Unified School District from demolishing more than 2 blocks of Echo Park for a new school. Read the court ruling. The 9A site has been opposed by the Right Site Coalition, which includes the EPHS, in light of the destruction of historic resources, a flawed selection process and a sharp drop in enrollment that makes a new campus unnecessary. The demolition will be delayed as the lawsuit challenging the site returns to a lower court for review. More about 9A.

Signs of History

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 18:40:00 +0000

Jensen's Recreation Center was designated a Los Angeles cultural historic landmark about 10 years ago but a monument sign was finally installed today. The sign is one of the first that will crop up around Echo Park as the city, at the urging of the Echo Park Historical Society, installs the signs in front of official landmarks around Echo Park. Thanks to Kabira Stokes Hochberg from the office of Councilman Eric Garcetti for her help in getting the signs installed. Visit the Landmarks section of HistoricEchoPark.org for maps and more info about significant sites.

Photo courtesy of Malcom Schenot.

LAUSD Targets Echo Park History

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:33:00 +0000

A front-page story in the LA Times today describes how a sharp drop in enrollment has forced the school district to scale back or eliminate new campuses. However, that approach does not include the 9A site in Echo Park, where the district wants to build a nearly 1,000 seat campus despite community opposition and a steep drop in student population.

The historical society as a member of the Right Site Coalition has opposed the site because of the destruction of nearly two-blocks of homes and businesses, some nearly a century old. While residents have been forced to move under the threat of eminent domain, the project is on hold pending the outcome of a legal challenge brought by the coalition. More details.

Leo Politi's Life & Times

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 22:40:00 +0000

The L.A. Times published a story about the life of artist and author Leo Politi, whose accomplishments will be celebrated this year, the 100th anniversary of his birth. Politi is best remembered for his work that captured images of Olvera Street and Bunker Hill. But he lived in Angelino Heights, at 945 E. Edgeware Rd., for more than 30 years. The intersection of Echo Park Avenue and Sunset Boulevard will be named in his honor later this year.

As part of this year's events, Leo's son, Paul Politi, will speak about his father and his legacy at the Echo Park Historical Society's quarterly meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 7 pm. The meeting will be held at Williams Hall, 2000 Stadium Way. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Echo Park Stairway Tour - Jan. 26

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 05:25:00 +0000

Please join us for the Echo Park Stairway Walking Tour on Saturday Jan., 26 at 10 am. The walk includes the Baxter Stairs as well as Fellowship Park, Red Hill and the modernist Harwell Harris house (exterior only). Starting Place:Elysian Heights Elementary 1562 Baxter St. at Echo Park Ave Reservations are required. Click here for details

Lady of the Lake Damaged

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 18:08:00 +0000

Part of the left hand of the Lady of the Lake statue has been broken off. The statute, which is located on the eastside of the lake near the boathouse, was returned to public view in 1999 after spending several years in storage. The EPHS will seek to have the damage repaired by the city.

Echo Park Lake Walking Tour - Dec. 22

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:22:00 +0000

The Echo Park Lake Walking Tour on Saturday, Dec. 22 starts at 10 am and will include some of the neighborhood’s most prominent landmarks, such as Jensen’s Recreation Center, Angelus Temple and, of course, the lake. The tour takes about two hours to complete and includes several stairways. Building interiors are not included. Reservations required. The tours are free for EPHS members; we ask a $5 donation of all others. Please see the Walking Tour section http://www.historicechopark.org/ for details.

The Boats are Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 15:29:00 +0000

Paddle (or pedal) boats will return to Echo Park Lake this Saturday, Dec. 1. The boats were put into dry dock earlier this year and their future was clouded because of financial reason. Details on the Chicken Corner blog. Recreation boating, including nightime boating parties, have been a favorite pasttime at the lake since it opened more than a century ago. Photo by Martin Cox via LA Observed.

Echo Park Literacy Center Opens

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 15:03:00 +0000

EPHS members and supporters are invited to get involved in the new Adult Literacy Center at the Echo Park Branch Library. The center will focus on building the skills and confidence of adults who read English below the sixth-grade level. The center is looking for both students and tutors for this free program. For details, contact Lisa Hsia at hsia@lapl.org or at (213) 623-4078 ext. 10890

Bungalow is History

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 18:04:00 +0000

Only two days after the Historic Echo Park Home Tour celebrated the neighborhood's cultural heritage, a nearly century-old bungalow was demolished Tuesday morning. Details on the Chicken Corner blog. The EPHS has waged a nearly 3 year-old effort to relocate the Delta Bungalow. We are checking to make sure a demolition permit was issued.

Echo Park Stairway Walking Tour - Nov. 24

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 23:46:00 +0000

Did you miss our home tour? Then please join us for the Echo Park Stairway Walking Tour on Saturday Nov., 24 at 10 am. The walk includes the Baxter Stairs as well as Fellowship Park, Red Hill and the modernist Harwell Harris house (exterior only). Starting Place:Elysian Heights Elementary 1562 Baxter St. at Echo Park Ave Reservations are required. Click here for details

More than 300 attend Home Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Echo Park Historical Society) — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:53:00 +0000

Despite the cool and cloudy weather and threat of rain, more than 300 people attended the 2007 Historic Echo Park Home Tour on Sunday, Nov. 11. We had visitors come to the tour from all across Southern California. We would like to thank our tour sponsors and the more than 100 volunteers who made this year's tour, headed by Holly Hampton, possible. More details.