Kelyn Struiksma | Contributing Writer
Since 1850, Los Angeles County has been dedicated to developing into a place that best represents its large, ever-increasing population. LA has slowly evolved into a locale that embodies its residents by providing a variety of landmarks such as athletic stadiums, educational buildings, outdoor green spaces and many unique restaurants, coffee shops and ice cream parlors.
Over a century and a half, the following monuments and landmarks were built and progressed, representing the history that has defined and shaped LA, while also attracting millions of people all over the world to better understand and appreciate all that is offered here in Southern California.
Griffith Park
Griffith Park, a monument initially dedicated to the vision of one man, has since expanded into a public space for LA residents to better enjoy their city.
The park was originally part of a Spanish land grant. It’s named after a former owner, Colonel Griffith J. Griffith, who was a park commissioner, civic philanthropist and advocate of recreation for health. He donated the acreage to the city of LA in 1896.
Mike Eberts, a professor at Glendale Community College and author of “Griffith Park: A Centennial History,” understands Griffith to be a “definitely flawed man.”
“But I can’t think of anyone who gave the city a bigger gift,” Elberts said in an interview with the LA Times.
Spanning over 4,210 acres, Griffith Park has become the largest public green space with urban influence in the United States, according to the park’s official website.
Unlike many of the attractions in LA, Griffith Park has free admission, allowing visitors the opportunity to enjoy the various activities offered on the grounds. These include looking out from the observatory, hiking, horseback riding and attending concerts at the Greek Theatre.
Griffith Observatory
Located on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park, the observatory has been influential in the field of public astronomy since its start in 1935 and currently serves as a gateway to the universe for its visitors.
Tallying over 76 million guests since its opening day, the observatory not only attracts people from all over the world but claims to have more people look through its telescope than any other one on Earth.
The mission statement of the Griffith Observatory is to “[inspire] everyone to observe, ponder and understand the sky.”
Griffith Observatory is one of the most popular informal educational environments that LA offers and is believed to be the most-visited public observatory in the world.
It was renovated between 2002 and 2006 by professional architects, exhibit designers, astronomers, engineers and construction workers to continue its strong public educational influence. Planning for the renovation began in the late 1970s and a master plan was developed 20 years later with a budget of $93 million.
Both the observatory and park are operated by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, giving tourists the ability to look through telescopes, tour exhibits, attend live showings and enjoy panoramic views of LA.
Hollywood Sign
What is now considered a worldwide symbol of the entertainment industry began as an outdoor ad campaign for a suburban housing development plan called “Hollywoodland” in 1923, according to the sign’s official site. The town not only prospered when it came to the glam and glitz of celebrities, but during that time it was stable in real estate.
The 13 letters that stand 30 feet wide and nearly 43 feet tall were initially created with a blinking light feature. At night, the sign would flash in three sections: “Holly,” “wood” and “land.” From its creators’ original intention of keeping it only a year and a half, the Hollywood Sign has since become one of the most visited and iconic landmarks in LA for nearly a century.
During the three-month renovation in the early 1970s, Hugh Hefner hosted a fundraiser at the Playboy Mansion where new individual letters were each auctioned off for $27,700.
The place where many LA residents and tourists come to cross an item off their bucket list was also featured alongside the Eiffel Tower, the Great Pyramids of Egypt and New York’s Times Square during the millennium countdown on Dec. 31, 1999.
“The Hollywood Sign hike is kind of a best-of-both-worlds situation,” says Jake Meyers, a junior communication studies major with an emphasis in media studies. “It gets you outside doing something active, but it is also unique to LA and feels like a little adventure. It’s great to do with people who are visiting because the sign is so iconic. Once you get to the top, you can see the sign and the whole city, and it’s a perfect place to post an Instagram, which is always an added bonus.”
The Hollywood Sign’s appearance and purpose have both evolved over the years, but the fixture still symbolizes the city’s attempt to be a place “where magic is possible, where dreams can come true,” according to its website.
Hollywood Walk of Fame
Los Angeles has slowly developed into an entertainment-crazed society, as hopeful actors and actresses occupy the streets, living their idea of the American Dream: stardom.
Many argue that the Hollywood Walk of Fame is one of the most successful marketing techniques ever produced. The concept behind the Walk of Fame is attributed to E.M. Stuart, volunteer president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce when it began the construction of the walk in 1953.
In a chamber press release, Stuart’s vision for the stars and walk was to “maintain the glory of a community whose name means glamour and excitement in the four corners of the world.”
The thought of embedding stars in the streets of LA may have come from a visit to the Hollywood Hotel, as stars were painted and placed on its ceilings along with names of various celebrities. The walk’s stars, made of terrazzo and brass, face both ways so people walking either direction can easily see and enjoy them.
After five years of planning and construction, it was in 1958 that the first eight stars were placed on Hollywood Boulevard. Reconstruction began to take place immediately after the unveiling of the first stars and it wasn’t until 1960 that the next star was placed. According to the history of the Walk of Fame, 1,550 stars were added within that year.
With more than 200 nominations annually, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce continues to host an average of two celebrity star ceremonies a month.
“The Walk of Fame was a lot different than I expected,” explains senior accounting major Abby Johnston, who visited the landmark recently. “I thought [the stars] would all be together in a specific section. However, they are spread out throughout a couple of blocks. This is better because it allows you to see all the stores and shops and cool, quirky things offered in Hollywood.”
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art
LACMA has its roots in the LA Museum of History, Science and Art, which was established in 1910. However, 50 years later, in 1965, the Museum of Art decided to separate as its own art-focused institution. Twenty years following its reestablishment, the art collections continued to grow and LACMA further expanded to what is now known as the Anderson Building, housing modern and contemporary art.
LACMA, most commonly known for Chris Burden’s “Urban Light” collection featuring dozens of lampposts on the sidewalk of Wilshire Boulevard, is also considered to be the largest museum in the western United States, attracting millions of visitors every year. Refinery29 recently reported that LACMA is one of the top 10 most Instagrammed LA landmarks.
The museum is meant to be a service to the public, as it offers 120,000 works of art offering perspectives from a range of cultures, ages and generations creating “meaningful, education, aesthetic, intellectual and cultural experiences for the widest array of audiences,” according to its founding principles.
With a $15 ticket, visitors are able to stop by any day of the week to enjoy the art on display. Discounts are available for LACMA members, seniors, students and children.
Diddy Riese
Diddy Riese Cookies first opened in 1983 and has continually been serving fresh, home-baked cookies, brownies and ice cream sandwiches at reasonable prices to the LA community.
The original custom-made ice cream shop was named in honor of Grandma Riese, and its mission is to “sell high-quality desserts at very affordable prices.”
The small parlor is known particularly for its wide selection of cookies, individually costing 35 cents each, but one can purchase three cookies for $1 and a dozen for $4. The custom cookie sandwich environment allows customers a choice between a variety of different types of cookies and nearly a dozen flavors of Dryer’s ice cream for $1.75.
“Diddy Riese is a blast and a half!” says junior nursing major Hannah Kemp. “You get to choose any two homemade cookies with a scoop of ice-cream in the middle. It’s super-delicious, affordable on a college budget and definitely worth the trip to enjoy downtown Westwood.”
Mark Perry, the current owner of Diddy Riese, emphasizes the importance of freshness. He’s committed to the product, rather than the profit, he says in an article published by the Los Angeles Weekly. “Three things make a restaurant successful: quality, consistency and price,” Perry says. “Most important is consistency. We are absolutely dedicated to the product.”
Diddy Riese was recently featured on Buzzfeed’s “28 Droolworthy Junk Food Treats to Eat in LA” and “27 Ice Cream Shops You Need to Visit before You Die.”