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From Native-Americans to the Mission era, from the birth of Arroyo Culture to the Chicano Art Movement, Highland Park has always been a nexus of ideas, build or imagined. Come explore Los Angeles; first bohemian neighborhood with Departures.

From the Tongva people called the Hahamog'na, to years later the Spaniards, we explore the shifts of power over land in Los Angeles leading to the land divisions, or ranchos, that create Highland Park.

The efforts of Charles Lummis, William Lee Judson and Clyde Browne combined with those inspired by life “on the arroyo,” such as plein air painter Franz Bischoff and block print maker Frances Gearhart, came together to pioneer one of the first artistic and cultural movements to come out of Los Angeles.

When the Arroyo Seco Parkway was finished in 1940, it was a cause for celebration in Los Angeles. But the arrival of one of the nation’s first freeways would have unexpected consequences for Highland Park and its residents.

In the 1950s, Mexican immigrants and descendants began owning, renting and claiming Highland Park as home. This was the pre-civil rights era, where school segregation and manifestations began articulating a vocabulary of resistance and pride within the Latino and Mexican communities of L.A.

For many, the late 1960s through the early 1970s was the high-water mark of both community and social justice organizing in East Los Angeles. But the period immediately following would witness the emergence of novel responses to the most pressing questions of the era, particularly in the form of arts organizations and collectives aimed at bringing politically-minded public art to the larger community.

The failed promises of the civil-rights era coupled with the economic disparities of the 1980s created a dual deterioration in Highland Park seen both in the built and the social environment. The concept of the inner city created a disenfranchised youth that found alternative ways of organizing and engaging with their “turf.”

As we settle into the new millennium, the Highland Park post-urban landscape is embracing all the twists, turns and contradictions that history has presented to the neighborhood.

New Stories

Land of Sunshine | Green Justice

Bringing the San Gabriel Mountains Closer to the People

by Robert Garcia

February 9, 2012 12:45 PM

What will it take to create a recreational area in the San Gabriel Mountains that welcomes families from all backgrounds?

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Land of Sunshine | Arrival Stories

Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris: In Athens, Greece, the Traffic is Worse!

by Jeremy Rosenberg

February 9, 2012 10:00 AM

Coming from other cities, one might be surprised to learn that the freeway system in L.A. is a lot more efficient than it seems.

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Checklist | Guides

Guide: Downtown Art Walk, February 9, 2012

by Ed Fuentes

February 7, 2012 11:05 PM

There is no shortage of street pics during the February 2012 Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk.

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Land of Sunshine | One Ride at a Time

Safe Bicycling Streets: What Will it Take?

by Roadblock

February 7, 2012 1:35 PM

Bike lanes provide dedicated space for cyclists, but there are many things to consider to ensure safe riding on the streets.

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Food | How To

How To: Date Night

by Kevin Van

February 7, 2012 12:41 PM

For this episode, instead of focusing in on one specific technique, I've compiled some of my favorite low-maintenance recipes worthy of date night.

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Food | The Nosh

California Wine: Super Natural

by Michael Newsome

February 7, 2012 12:17 PM

"Natural" is a term rarely used in regards to wine, but when it is, the results can be outstanding.

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Land of Sunshine | Neighborhood Notes

Neighborhood Notes: L.A. County is the Most Linguistically Diverse Jurisdiction & More

by Yosuke Kitazawa

February 7, 2012 11:00 AM

News and stories on the shifting culture of our neighborhoods: L.A. County is the most linguistically diverse jurisdiction in the nation & more.

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Departures - Community | Venice Mixtape

Help Create a Venice Mixtape for a Chance to Win

by Departures

February 6, 2012 4:30 PM

Does Venice reminds of a particular song? Or inspire you to write an original ode to the beachfront neighborhood? Submit a song for a chance to be included in our Venice Mixtape and win a $30 Amoeba gift certificate!

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