June 20, 2018
Baldwin Hills(Kenneth Hahn Regional State Park)
The Baldwin Hills are low mountain range in West Los Angeles. They were originally a Mexican land grant which was purchased by FPF Temple of Temple Block(currently LA City Hall) and Temple Street fame. After Temple’s bank failed in 1875, the land was purchased by Elias J. (Lucky) Baldwin(hence the name, Baldwin Hills) who used the land for grazing livestock. When Lucky passed on in the early 1900’s the land passed on to his daughter and oil was discovered on the land. The portion of the hills east of La Cienega Blvd(which cuts though a pass in the hills) is where the park is located, the western and southern portions are still active oil fields.
Read MoreThe Baldwin Hills are low mountain range in West Los Angeles. They were originally a Mexican land grant which was purchased by FPF Temple of Temple Block(currently LA City Hall) and Temple Street fame. After Temple’s bank failed in 1875, the land was purchased by Elias J. (Lucky) Baldwin(hence the name, Baldwin Hills) who used the land for grazing livestock. When Lucky passed on in the early 1900’s the land passed on to his daughter and oil was discovered on the land. The portion of the hills east of La Cienega Blvd(which cuts though a pass in the hills) is where the park is located, the western and southern portions are still active oil fields.
View to the east.
One of the features that drew me to the park was the view it affords of Downtown Los Angeles with the snow capped San Gabriel Mountains in the winter. The mountain just to the right of downtown is Mt. San Antonio which is the highest point in Los Angeles County at about 10,000 feet in elevation. There are several viewing sites on the eastern end of the park. This is one that is more to the south near the hummingbird forest. Just beyond the houses at the right side of the photo is where the 1932 Olympic village was located, a concept that was introduced in the Olympics that year.
