LOS ANGELES, Calif., May 15 - The Griffith J. Griffith Charitable Trust, headed by great grandson Griffith Van Griffith, submitted a City of Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument Application (HCM) to designate Griffith Park a City of Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument (HCM). At 4,218 acres, Griffith Park is one of the largest city parks in the United States. In regards to acreage, the Griffith Park Los Angeles HCM nomination is believed to be the largest single resource local landmark application ever submitted to any United States municipality.
In December 1896, Colonel Griffith J. Griffith and his wife Tina deeded the land to the City of Los Angeles to be made available as a public park accessible to all. Colonel Griffith correctly predicted that someday a metropolis would encircle his donation, which he saw as vital to the future well being of the City and its people. As Griffith himself once said:
”Sunlight and air are the first requisites of sanity and health….public parks are a safety valve of great cities and should be made accessible and attractive, where neither race nor creed nor color should be excluded….give nature a chance to do her good work and nature will give every person a greater strength in health, strength and mental power.” Aside from the wilderness area itself, within Griffith Park are numerous buildings, structures and objects including the Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Sign, the Greek Theater, and numerous examples of “Park Style” retaining walls, culverts, and channels built through federal assistance programs in the 1930s. Such resources and many others are recognized in this application as contributory to the historic significance of the Griffith Park itself.
The Griffith J. Griffith Charitable Trust selected architectural historians from the Los Angeles office of ICF Jones & Stokes to complete the HCM nomination.
Click here to download Griffith Park Historic Summary (pdf file)
About ICF Jones & Stokes and ICF International
ICF International joined forces on February 14 with Jones & Stokes, one of the premier multidisciplinary environmental consulting firms in the western United States. For nearly 40 years, Jones & Stokes supported a broad mix of federal, state, and local government and private-sector clients on infrastructure improvement projects, restoration and planning projects, and compliance with mandated government programs. ICF Jones & Stokes provides an array of integrated services in environmental planning and natural resource management, especially in the transportation, water, energy, and natural resources sectors. ICF Jones & Stokes’ Web site is www.jonesandstokes.com.
ICF International (NASDAQ: ICFI) partners with government and commercial clients to deliver consulting services and technology solutions in the energy, climate change, environment, transportation, social programs, health, defense, and emergency management markets. The firm combines passion for its work with industry expertise and innovative analytics to produce compelling results throughout the entire program life cycle, from analysis and design through implementation and improvement. Since 1969, ICF has been serving government at all levels, major corporations, and multilateral institutions. More than 3,000 employees serve these clients worldwide. ICF’s Web site is www.icfi.com.
