Elysian Park is one of the largest parks in Los Angeles, California, United States, at 600 acres (240 ha). Most of Elysian Park falls in the neighborhood of the same name, but a small portion of the park falls in Echo Park.
The park was created by city ordinance on April 5, 1886. City engineer George Hansen sponsored the ordinance. The land was considered "worthless" at the time and only a few other parks existed within the Los Angeles city limits. For some time the land sat unimproved, but eventually roads, trails, and landscaping was added.[1][2]
Parts of Elysian Park were swapped for other lands held by the Los Angeles Dodgers when Dodger Stadium was built.
Notable features
editAngels Point is a small hill in Elysian Park overlooking Dodger Stadium and the Downtown Los Angeles skyline. Atop the hill is a large metal sculpture art installation by local artist Peter Shire of the 1980s postmodern Memphis Group.
Chavez Ravine Arboretum opened in 1893 and contains more than 100 varieties of trees from around the world, including what are believed to be the oldest and largest Cape Chestnut, Kauri, and Tipu trees in the United States.[3]
Grace E. Simons Lodge is an event space with waterfalls and reception rooms. It is named after the activist who stopped the construction of a convention center on the park grounds.[4]
Marion Harlow Memorial Grove is a small tree and plant grove along the Elysian Park hiking trail.
The Avenue of the Palms was planted around 1895.[5]
A section of the park called Radio Hill, beneath a radio tower, used to have a native plant garden and spice and herb gardens, but fell into an unmaintained state. As of 2021, advocates were seeking to revitalize the Radio Hill area with new trails and a dog park.[6]
History
editWhat is now Elysian Park was part of the original Spanish land grant for the Pueblo of Los Angeles.[7]
References
edit- ^ "When L.A.'s Oldest Parks Were Young". May 9, 2013.
- ^ "The Origins of Elysian Park". June 28, 2013.
- ^ "Chavez Ravine Arboretum". August 20, 2015.
- ^ ""Elysian Park is Their Playground": How Grace Simons Saved One of L.A.'s Oldest Parks". December 6, 2016.
- ^ "The Origins of Elysian Park". June 28, 2013.
- ^ Wesler, Ariel (July 30, 2021). "Elysian Park residents pushing for off-leash dog park on Radio Hill". Spectrum News 1. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ^ Stargel, Cory; Stargel, Sarah (2008). Early Los Angeles County Attractions. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-5928-5.
- ^ a b "The Elysian Park Love-In Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary This Sunday". LAist. April 14, 2017. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^
- ^ "Elysian Park Love-in, March 26, 1967". am on the radio. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ "Elysian Park Love-In Los Angeles 1967 Gary Grimshaw AOR 3.53 Event Poster". Concert Poster Auction. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
Original 1st printing 17&3/8 x 22&3/8" concert/event poster for the 3/26/1967 Easter Sunday Love-In, an all-day happening held at Elysian Park in Los Angeles, CA......... by Gary Grimshaw, image is featured in the Art of Rock book on page 270 (plate 3.53).
- ^ Magnuson, Sulfiati (June 26, 2019). "This first Love-In for L.A. held in Griffith Park's Elysian Field on Easter Sunday, 1967". Getty Images. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
It wasn't just self-identified hippies who attended, but bikers, the "straight" ones, the curious ones, singles and families, and self-proclaimed clans ("families" created by choice) flying home-made banners. And, yes, many were high, openly flaunting the laws. at the 1st Elysian Park Love-In on March 26, 1967 in Los Angeles, California