The self-guided tour will feature 10 properties ranging from nearly century old bungalows to mid-century cottages to Spanish colonial compounds. Most of these dwellings continue to serve as home to individuals involved in artistic fields, including dance, tile making and the entertainment industry.

One of the properties featured on the tour was built by Maynard L. Parker, a prolific photographs whose images were a frequent sight in home décor pages of the Los Angeles Times and other national publications from the 1940s through the early 1970s. Parker’s photos, which are housed at the Huntington Library, ranged from typical Southern California tract homes to interiors designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

The 1940s era home was built out of garage kits that Parker, an Elysian Heights resident who died in 1976, customized with mid-century finishes and styling.

Tour Tickets & Details

The self-guided tour will be held on Sunday, November 12 from 11 am to 4 pm. The tour starts at Williams Hall, 2000 Stadium Way near Dodger Stadium. Tour visitors will pick up tickets, a program and map at Williams Hall before touring the homes in any order they want.

This Master Plan will outline the needs and interests of both sides. The current head of the DWP, S. David Freeman, agreed that planning for the future would be a good idea. Community meetings in the coming months will explore various options and come to a consensus on how both the community and DWP would benefit.

1. The first workshop was held on March 27th. The goal was to introduce the concept of a Master Plan and give the community a chance to express their concerns and desires. Over 2000 invitations were sent out. The mailing list was compile from neighborhood organizations and the results of a title search for addresses near the reservoir. Also, flyers were posted in local businesses and banners hung up on the reservoir fence and at Ivanhoe Elementary School. Approximately 150 people attended the workshop.

2. The second workshop was held on May 20th. The goal was to present some ideas that came from the first workshop and get more suggestions and ideas. In an effort reach as many people as possible, over 20,000 invitations were sent out. The address list was compiled from DWP billing records. As before, flyers were also distributed and banners were hung up. Approximately 240 people attended this workshop.

3. A third workshop was held on July 24th. The goal was to clarify some of the findings in the first two workshops. Over 150 people attended the third Silver Lake Master Plan workshop at John Marshall High School on Saturday, July 24th. The Master Plan team setup large display boards with photographs and drawings highlighting various ideas and proposals that were developed from the first workshop and, based on input from the second workshop, refined for presentation in the third workshop. Since many participants in the second workshop said they did not have time to adequately review the proposals before the presentation or were confused by some of the ideas and concepts being presented, the third workshop was structured so that attendees would be able to view the proposals and concepts between 8:30 and 10:30 AM before the formal presentation. By the time Mia Lehrer and her team started the formal presentation at 10:30, many of the participants had taken advantage of the opportunity to discuss the various proposals and ideas with members of the Master Plan team, SLRA and CSSLR Board members, and their neighbors. This was a great chance to have an in-depth discussion about the Master Plan.

4. A final meeting was originally planned for November, 1999, where the Master Plan team was going to present the Master Plan the community the community. That meeting was rescheduled to either late January or February 2000 to give the project team more time to organize the community input, consult with city officials and to insure that elected officials will be at the final meeting. Please check the community calendar for more news.

Griffith Park was host to much of this progressive spirit. In 1900, the City constructed in the Park the first municipally-operated golf course in the nation, called Riverside. In the next decades, the concept of golf for the ordinary citizen spread throughout the U.S., and throughout Griffith Park itself, as other major courses, such as Wilson and Harding, were constructed. Today, the Park retains four municipal courses. In contrast to Leisure was Rehabilitation. Griffith Park, which had long been the site of alfalfa farms, became the laboratory for a favorite issue of the Progressives: prison reform. Inmates from the City Jail in Lincoln Heights were transported to the “Prison Farm” in the Park to earn their keep by farming alfalfa while benefitting physically and mentally from the hard work and fresh air. Meanwhile, the respite of the 19th century Ostrich Farm was brought to life again by an animal menagerie in the Park Center area, below Bee Rock, known as the Griffith Park Zoo.

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.

They seek to be progressive and innovative. They want to attract the greatest number of individuals and businesses into membership, thereby creating a pool of resources from which can be drawn ideas, energy and finances for the betterment of their community. They also exist to promote their area so many are encouraged to shop, dine and become familiar with the many resources and attractions of the Silverlake community. They wish to support programs to assist and inform businesses and residents of issues that include crime prevention, city ordinances, small business management issues as well as organize a network of professional and business contacts in Silverlake.

All seniors purchasing books at Skylight will receive a discount on any Tuesday before 4 pm. They love special orders and will locate that hard to find book you have been trying to lay your hands on. They also offer a Frequent Buyer Program. Skylight is open every day (except Thanksgiving and Christmas).

Send us an email or come by and see us to sign up for their printed newsletter Skylight Booknotes. Their mailing list and customer information is strictly confidential, and they never sell, rent or give away information about Their customers. They believe that what you read should be no one’s business but your own.

Previously, there had been no mechanism in place to deal with preservation or history-related concerns in Echo Park. EPHS filled that void, and was instrumental in bringing the Jensen’s Recreation Center sign to the attention of the Department of Cultural Affairs. This resulted in the re-lighting of this unique Echo Park landmark on August 20 1997, after five decades of darkness.

EPHS sponsored Echo Park History Day at Barlow Sanitorium (built in 1902 – Historic Cultural Monument #504). This open house event featured guest speakers, tours, and an exhibit of vintage photographs and memorabilia from our archives. “Old-timers” in attendance were encouraged to be interviewed as part of our ongoing oral history outreach.

They publish a quarterly newsletter and hold general meetings three times per year featuring guest speakers on topics ranging from architectural preservation to historic education overviews of our community.

They are a grassroots, non-profit organization completely staffed by volunteers. Everyone is welcome to participate in our activities, including non-residents of Echo Park. Their operating costs are covered solely by membership dues and donations. The general public is welcome at all of their  functions free of charge.

In 1868 a company was formed to build the dam No. 4 – now known as Echo Lake Park. Water from the dam by a ditch that flowed into a rolling mill for wool in downtown Los Angeles. By the end of 1880, however, investors like Thomas E. Kelly, bought the dam and land to build more homes and businesses, but were faced with a problem. The City was entitled to raise the water level of the dam 40 feet further, which meant that the properties Kelly (now includes the commercial area of Sunset Boulevard) would be flooded. An agreement was reached whereby the City would give up its right to flood the area, after which Kelly donated 30 acres of land including the dam, to build a public park. In 1895, the park and its lake opened its doors to the public even in a somewhat primitive state, but bought more land and for 1907 the park was extended south of Temple Street.
Echo Park and its boats
The boat has since worked since 1896 as the first structure built in the style Queen Victoria. The current position of Spanish style, was built in 1932, after the lake was emptied for construction. In the early years they had built canoes glided the lake and made parties to the boats at night.
Their Lady of the Lake
This Art Deco-style statue located north of the position of boats, was designed by artist Ada Sharpless and displayed to the public in 1934. The statue was originally located across from where you are now, but was damaged in 1980 and was withdrawn from public view to be temporarily restored. Over a decade later, in 1999, their Lady of the Lake was returned to the park.
The layer of lotus flower
The giant pink flowers that emerge from the lake each summer, have dazzled the visitors for over seventy years. Planto Who?, Remains a mystery. Legend says they were planted by missionaries of the Angelus Temple after returning from China. The lotus flower blooms in July and coincides with the annual Lotus Festival.
The Echo Park Recreation Center
On the shore of the south side of the park is the center are the Spanish Colonial style designed by the same architects who designed the County Medical Center, and USC. The Center opened in 1925, replacing the club house. Second was the Recreation Center of the City. The Club House moved to 1004 Echo Park Avenue, where it remains today. The Center was built on land that was added to the park shortly after 1900 and had the popular play area and library. The park was divided by the highway to the top Holywood 1950