At the end of the 19th century, when Los Angeles was still a small town, one man, Griffith Jenkins Griffith, envisioned a city of a million or more people, people who needed”… a place of recreation and rest for the masses, a resort for the rank and file…” As a Christmas gift in December 1896, he deeded five square miles of rancho lands to the City of Los Angeles, to be used for a public park in his name.
Griffith Park is the largest urban municipal park in the nation. It boasts an impressive roster of special facilities, amenities, and recreational opportunities that, by conservative estimates, are enjoyed by upwards of 10 million visitors annually. This visitor base is drawn from both tourists and from the City of Los Angeles and surrounding communities themselves, which is one of the most culturally diverse regions in the world. As they approach the 100th anniversary of this grand gesture of philanthropy, the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles, the City Council, the Recreation and Parks Commission, and the staff of the Department of Recreation and Parks, have joined in planning a Griffith Park Centennial that will honor the gift, the giver, and the preceding 100 years in the life of their city. Please join us in this celebration. Come visit the Park and participate in their year round events.
