Once An Ostrich Farm, Griffith Park Is Now L.A. Gem

A 4,200-acre expanse in the Los Feliz section of Los Angeles easily qualifies as one of America's best-known urban parks, especially given its many appearances in popular television programs and Hollywood movies. Home to attractions that include an observatory, zoo, golf courses, an outdoor amphitheater, and hiking and horseback trails, Griffith Park is a sweeping urban retreat rightly considered a Los Angeles gem.

To be sure, today's Griffith Park bears little resemblance to the ostrich farm started by Griffith J. Griffith on ranch property at the easternmost end of the Santa Monica Mountains in 1882. A Los Angeles property developer, Griffith later donated much of the current park grounds to the City of Los Angeles and created a trust fund for the park's development. Other donations and the purchase of additional land by the City of Los Angeles subsequently expanded the Park to its current size.

Residents and non-residents alike often experience a feeling of eerie familiarity when visiting the Park for the first time, a feeling often triggered by the domed structure of the Griffith Observatory. The Observatory boasts a commanding view from its perch high atop the south slope of Mount Hollywood not only of the nighttime stars high over L.A., but also of the entire Los Angeles River Basin, including downtown L.A., nearby Hollywood, and somewhat farther afield, the blue Pacific Ocean.

The Observatory's skydome location has resulted in a number of uncredited but noteworthy appearances for the L.A. landmark in movies and television. Readers with a touch of gray at the temples will recognize the Observatory as the filming location for Rebel Without A Cause, the classic James Dean movie. Other cameo appearances include The Terminator, The Rocketeer, Bowfinger, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, and Transformers. A two-part Star Trek: Voyager episode called "Future's End" also made ample use of the Observatory and nearby property, along with a quirky appearance as Rain Robinson by Sarah Silverman.

Although I delight in my childhood memories to the Observatory, the attractions at Griffith Park are by no means limited to stargazing. The Park is also home to the Los Angeles Zoo, frequent outdoor concerts held at the park's Greek amphitheater, and the Museum of the American West. Two 18-hole golf courses, a baseball field, basketball and tennis courts, an outdoor swimming pool and miles of footpaths and horse trails make the Park a favorite destination for the residents of America's second largest city.

A so-called Master Plan for the future development of Griffith Park is currently under the supervision of the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks. The plan, which calls for additional commercialization of the Park, is opposed by groups like Save Griffith Park, a cooperative effort supported by the Los Feliz Improvement Association, the Sierra Club, the Hollywood United Neighborhood Council, the Oaks Homeowners Association, Equestrian Trails, Inc., and troubled residents of Los Angeles.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleSearchNet.com

Matt Paolini is a senior researcher for CityBook, the family-safe Los Angeles yellow pages, which carries an extensive directory on Los Angeles clubs parks.

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated