Echo Park (Los Angeles)

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Aerial view of Echo Park with downtown Los Angeles in the background

Echo Park is a neighborhood in Los Angeles . The neighborhood is northeast of downtown Los Angeles. After it was neglected in the 1950s and was temporarily considered a gang area, it has been subject to increasing gentrification since the beginning of the 21st century. Part of the district once belonged to the no longer existing Edendale district , which was a center of the film industry in the silent film era . Movies and TV shows are still shot in Echo Park today.

Surname

The name is derived from an acoustic effect on the central artificial lake.

Location and geography

Echo Park Lake in Echo Park looking southwest towards Downtown Los Angeles

Echo Park is grouped around the park of the same name with the lake of the same name. It is to the northeast of Downtown Los Angeles and to the west of Chinatown . Westlake is bordered to the southwest and Silver Lake to the northeast . Other adjacent neighborhoods are Elysian Park , Elysian Valley, and Glassell Park .

Neighborhoods in the quarter

The borough has four districts: Angelino Heights, Elysian Heights, Historic Filipinotown, and Victor Heights.

Haskins House, built on Carrol Avenue in 1888
  • Angelino Heights is east of Echo Park Lake and north of 101 Freeway. It is a triangular area with around 500 households. The district has numerous old buildings, especially in the Victorian style. Carrol Avenue , where the music video for Michael Jackson's thriller was filmed, is worth mentioning . The area had been developed and developed in the 1880s. This was aimed at buyers from the upper middle class. However, an economic crisis in 1888 prevented further development. From the 1970s, the residents began to campaign for the preservation of the building fabric in their neighborhood. This led to Angelino Heights being declared the City of Los Angeles' first Historic Preservation Overlay Zone in 1983 . Carrol Avenue is listed on the National Register of Historic Places .
  • Elysian Heights is located north of Echo Park and is characterized by steep hills and canyons. Here are three of the steepest streets in the city of Los Angeles. One of these streets, Baxter Street was used as a demonstration route for automobiles in the early 20th century. Elysian Heights was part of the former Edendale neighborhood where the Los Angeles film industry began. Elysian Heights once again achieved national recognition with Room 8 , the school mascot of the Elysian Heights Elementary School . The gray tabby shorthair cat was a stray cat who settled in school from 1952 and became popular enough that an obituary appeared in the Los Angeles Times after it passed away in 1968 . The cat had received 10,000 letters during its lifetime. Today she is remembered by numerous murals at the school.
Mural in Historic Filipinotown commemorating Filipino-Americans' contribution to the United States
  • Historic Filipinotown is the only area officially designated as a Philipino Enclave in the United States. The neighborhood was officially expelled in 2002 at the request of then Councilor Eric Garcetti . Although Filipino-Americans only make up about a quarter of the population, this proportion is higher than in other designated ethnic enclaves in Los Angeles such as Thai Town or Koreatown . However, the area is still considered the cultural center of the Filipinos living in the greater Los Angeles area. Wall paintings address the contribution of Filipino-Americans to the development of the United States, and a memorial commemorates the fallen and veterans with a Filipino background. In the absence of parking spaces, the festival to celebrate the Filipino-Americans does not take place here, but in the nearby Grand Park.
  • Victor Heights was once part of what could be called the Little Italy of Los Angeles. From 1890 immigrants from Italy settled here and established businesses here until the 1920s . Today Victor Heights is known as the home of wild peacocks . Victor Heights is named after Victor Beaudry, the younger brother of the former mayor of Los Angeles Prudent Beaudry .

geology

The bottom along the border with Silver Lake formed by Sunset Boulevard is made of sandstone . Sunset Boulevard was cut through these hills here. The sandstone walls created in this way threaten to collapse, there is also a risk of falling rocks .

A seismic fault , the Echo Park Fault, discovered in 1992, runs through Echo Park .

Oil production still taking place in Echo Park today

Under Echo Park was a large oil field that stretched further across Westlake and Koreatown . Development began with the first oil well drilled by Edward Doheny and lasted essentially into the 1950s . There remained hundreds of wild and now unknown oil wells that can still pose health risks.

population

According to the 2000 census, 40,455 people lived in Echo Park, and in 2008 the LA Department of City Planning estimated 43,832 people to live in the neighborhood. The largest ethnic group in Echo Park are Latinos (64%), followed by Asians (18.8%) and Whites (12.9%). The proportion of people not born in the United States is relatively high at 53.1% . The median annual income of $ 37,708 residents is low compared to the median income in Los Angeles or the United States. At 46.8% of adults, Echo Park is the Los Angeles County's area with the highest percentage of people who have never been married. Echo Park has been subject to increasing gentrification since the first decade of the 21st century .

history

In order to make the previously undeveloped area attractive to property buyers, the private Los Angeles Canal and Reservoir Company built a water reservoir for drinking water supply from 1868 to 1870. For this purpose, a dam was built through the bed of the Arroyo de Los Reyes watercourse . The Arroyo de Los Reyes originated north of today's Echo Park and flowed through a gorge into the area of ​​today's Downtown , where it emerged from the gorge south of Bunker Hill at today's Pershing Square. The Arroyo was mostly dry, except after heavy rains. To fill the basin, a canal was led from the Los Angeles River to the reservoir. The resulting lake became Reservoir No. 4 and was the largest body of water within the Los Angeles metropolitan area. After the hoped-for economic success did not materialize, the Los Angeles Canal and Reservoir Company transferred the reservoir to the city in May 1891 so that it could be converted into a park . On February 26, 1892, this area was officially inaugurated as Echo Park . Independently of this, the building contractor EC Burlingame cut routes for a railway line to Griffith Park through the sandstone hills in the north to today's Echo Park in the 1880s and 1890s . This later developed into Sunset Boulevard , which today forms the border between Echo Park and Silver Lake.

With the inauguration the park was not finished. This took place in the following years under the direction of Joseph Henry Tomlinson . Tomlinson designed the park as an English park . Among other things, an island in the lake was filled and connected by two bridges in rustic style with the shore and a boat house in Victorian style built. This work was completed in 1895. In 1899, the City of Los Angeles expanded the park to include more green spaces up to Temple Street in the south.

In 1892 the future oil baron Edward Doheny drilled the first oil well at what is now known as Echo Park Deep Pool (1419 Colton Street). This well marked the beginning of the oil boom that made Los Angeles a big city.

Angeles Temple on a historical postcard from the 1930s or 1940s years

The settlement and structural development was through a right of the city, the reservoir No. 4 has been prevented from flooding to a depth of 40 feet. After the park was inaugurated in 1892, this obstacle was removed - the sale of the land began. The real construction boom in Echo Park did not start until the 1920s . During this time, mainly Spanish-style houses were built. Including a branch of the Los Angeles Public Library. 1923 also was the art deco style built Angelus Temple opened. But this boom ended in 1929 with the global economic crisis .

Keystone Studios in Edendale (now Echo Park) around 1915

From 1910, film studios of the silent film era settled in the then independent district of Edendale . The Edendale area is now part of Silver Lake and Echo Park. Mack Sennett founded his film studio in 1912 in the part that is now part of Echo Park . Here at Keystone Studios , Charlie Chaplin , among others, began his career. In the 1920s, however, the studios began to migrate from Edendale.

In order to counteract the effects of the economic crisis, public projects were launched. This included the rebuilding of the boathouse in the Spanish style in Echo Park in 1932 and the construction of the Reina de Los Angeles (better known as Lady of the Lake ) stature, designed by Ada May Sharpless in 1934 in the Art Deco style .

While Echo Park was a popular excursion destination until the end of World War II , it soon began to decline. From 1944 to 1950 the Hollywood Freeway was built through the park area and separated the footpaths to downtown Los Angeles . In 1955, the Pacific Electric Railroad stopped rail service to Echo Park. In 1971, damage occurred in Echo Park as a result of the Sylar earthquake . Among other things, the public library that was previously in the park had to be demolished. The neglect resulted in lower rental rates, making the neighborhood attractive to working class migrant families . From the 1950s onwards, gait activities were also observable.

The increasing neglect of Echo Park in the 1970s and 1980s led to increased gang activity in the neighborhood. Even the stature of the Lady of the Lake had to be temporarily stored due to graffiti . In the 1970s to 1990s, vigorous gang activity was seen by several local gangs. In 2013, a no-walk zone was issued in Echo Park against six gangs active in Echo Park. Along with increasing gentrification , this greatly reduced gait activities.

education

schools

Echo Park has five public elementary schools, two elementary schools that are charter schools and two private elementary schools. The School for the Visual Arts and Humanities is a high school in Echo Park.

Libraries

The Los Angeles Public Library has two offices in Echo Park.

The Echo Park Branch Library is located in the area known as Historic Filipinotown and contains, among other things, a collection on the culture of the Philippines and the history of Filipino-Americans. The library is also the meeting place for the Aphasia Book Club , the first book club for people with aphasia in North America.

The Edendale Branch Library on the Sunset Strip is the second public library in the Echo Park area. The library name is reminiscent of the former artists and film district Edendale, which was on the border of Echo Park and Silver Lake.

Museums

Echo Park is home to a few smaller museums.

Echo Park in popular culture

Buildings on Carrol Avenue in Angelino Heights. Also a location for Charmed .

Echo Park has been the location of numerous films. The lake in Echo Park was already a location for early silent films. Keystone Studios even had to be banned from filming there at one point. The reason was that too many flowers in the park were destroyed during filming. Numerous music videos were also shot here, including for Madonna and Michael Jackson . The album cover for Meets the Rhytm Section by jazz saxophonist Art Pepper was recorded on Baxter Street .

The neighborhood can also be seen in television series. The main characters of Charmed live in a house on Carrol Avenue in Echo Park.

Films directly related to Echo Park

  • The film Echo Park by Robert Dornhelm from 1986 deals with the inhabitants of the neighborhood.
  • Allison Anders' film Mi Vida Loca from 1993 deals with a gang of girls in Echo Park, where Anders lived at the time.
  • The film Echo Park (2016) by Amanda Marsalis describes several episodes from the life of the screenwriter and leading actor of the film Anthony Okungbawa . He lives in Echo Park.
  • The 2018 film published in Echo Park by Nathaniel Lezra presents the lives of several residents of the district represents. LA Weekly, however, ruled that there was another film about Los Angeles who does not want a visit Los Angeles can.

Sons and Daughters of Echo Park

Web links

Commons : Echo Park, Los Angeles  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b c Annie Lloyd: Ten Things You May Not Know About Echo Park. ( Memento of December 29, 2018 in the Internet Archive ), LAist.com of April 5, 2017.
  2. ↑ Map of Central Los Angeles on the Los Angeles Times pages
  3. ^ Echo Park in the Los Angeles Times Mapping LA project .
  4. ↑ Also Angeleno Heights , cf. Gina Pollack, How To Speak LA: Your Guide To The City's Most Debated And Mispronounced Words , LA is July 22, 2019.
  5. ↑ a b Jennifer Mena: Preserving LA's past in Angelino Heights. In: Los Angeles Times . February 13, 2005.
  6. ↑ Vintage Angelino Heights: A window to the past along scenic Carroll Avenue. In: Los Angeles Times . September 7, 2018.
  7. ^ Elysian Heights - a neighborhood in the hills of Echo Park. www. lapropertysolutions.com of March 29, 2010.
  8. ↑ Singer Lana Del Rey pays $ 1,178 million to become Elysian Heights' newest homeowner. In: The Eastsider. November 28, 2018.
  9. ^ Nathan Master: How Baxter Became One of LA's Steepest Streets. In: KCET . July 10, 2017.
  10. ↑ a b Eric Trules: The Gentrification of Mi Barrio, Echo Park. In: Huffington Post . 4th June 2014.
  11. ^ Room 8, The Cat That Adopted An Echo Park School, Died 50 Years Ago Today. ( Memento from December 18, 2018 in the Internet Archive ) LA is from August 13, 2018.
  12. ↑ historicfilipinotown.com
  13. ↑ a b L.A.'s Historic Filipinotown Turns Ten: What's Changed? In: KCET. 2nd August 2012.
  14. ↑ Filipinos are the Minority in Historic Filipinotown and LA's Japanese Population in Steady Decline. In: KCET. May 15, 2012.
  15. ^ Exploring The Remains of LA's Little Italy. In: KCET. from July 10, 2013.
  16. ↑ An LA neighborhood where peafowl don't run afoul. In: Los Angeles Times. May 11, 2009.
  17. ↑ Vacant offices designed by William Pereira to become apartments. In: Los Angeles Times . March 6, 2014.
  18. ^ A b Rory Mitchell: A look into landslides reveals Sunset Boulevard's rocky past. In: The Eastsider. February 26, 2011.
  19. ↑ Kenneth Reich, 2 New Faults Found Under Center of LA In: Los Angeles Times . 7th December 1992.
  20. ↑ ECHO PARK WELLS. In: The Stand-LA
  21. Jump up ↑ Echo Park's profile on the Los Angeles Times website
  22. ↑ a b c d Nathan Masters: Lost LA: Echo Park's Lake Began as a Drinking Water Reservoir. In: KCET . May 16, 2014.
  23. ↑ a b c d e f g h Echo Park Lake. Echo Park Historic Society
  24. ↑ Nathan Masters: Lost LA: Uncovering LA's Lost Streams. In: KCET. September 6, 2012.
  25. ↑ Elijah Chiland: Mapping the long history of oil drilling in LA. In: LA Curbed. March 13, 2018.
  26. ^ A b Movie Industry's Roots in Garden of Edendale , Los Angeles Times, September 16, 2001.
  27. ↑ Relocated marker in Echo Park salutes Mack Sennett's first film studio. In: Los Angeles Times . February 27, 2015.
  28. ↑ The Gangs of Echo Park. In: LA Magazine . July 24, 2013.
  29. ↑ can Echo Park Hipsters be safe from Gangs? In: LA Weekly . June 18, 2013.
  30. ^ With gentrification, Echo Park gang members move outside their turf. In: Los Angeles Times . 3rd February 2014.
  31. ^ Schools in Echo Park in the Los Angeles Times Mapping LA project .
  32. ^ Echo Park Branch Library on the Los Angeles Public Library homepage
  33. ↑ Louse Stein: The Aphasia Book Club. Los Angeles Review of Books October 5, 2015.
  34. ^ Edendale Branch Library on the Los Angeles Public Library homepage
  35. ^ Edendale - a Los Angeles paradise lost. In: Los Angeles Times . July 1, 2010.
  36. ↑ Homepage of the Heritage Square Museum
  37. ^ Homepage of the Tom of Finland Foundation
  38. ↑ Daniel Foster, An LA home where homoerotic artist Tom of Finland lived is a shrine to his legacy , Los Angeles Times of October 2, 2019.
  39. ↑ Echo Park stereoscopic museum showcases 3-D arts and technology. In: The Eastsider. 5th September 2018.
  40. ↑ Michelle Mills: This 3-D museum focuses on eye-catching wonders from the 19th century to present day. In: Los Angeles Daily News . February 18, 2019.
  41. ↑ Location Echo Park on the IMDb
  42. ↑ Billy Gil: The Five Best Music Videos shot in Echo Park. In: LA Weekly . 15th July 2013.
  43. ↑ Oliver Wang: LA ON LP: The Search for Locations on Classic Album Covers. In: KCET . September 12, 2012.
  44. ↑ Mi Vida Loca on IMDb
  45. ↑ Mi Vida Loca on Rotten Tomatoes
  46. ↑ Hal Hinson: Mi Vida Loca (NR). In: Washington Post . 5th August 1994.
  47. ↑ Trailer Watch: Amanda Marsalis's Echo Park. In: Filmmaker Magazine. April 10, 2016.
  48. ↑ Caryn James: Teen-Agers on the Edge and over it. In: The New York Times . July 15, 1994.
  49. ↑ Echo Park in the Internet Movie Database (English)
  50. ↑ Craig D. Lindsey: In Echo Park. In: LA Weekly.