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In the comments section of the Franklin Canyon Wednesday Workout post, we were chatting about a supposed plaque that marked the center of Los Angeles. Despite my familiarity with the park, I had never seen it. So, the search was on. And it wasn't that hard as, of course, Franklin Canyon staff had it clearly marked on a free map available at the Sooky Goldman Nature Center within the park.
The late Allen Edwards worked for the USGS and was a docent at the park for the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority. He embarked on finding the exact center of Los Angeles and as fishy as it sounds, it happened to be where he spent a lot of his time: in Franklin Canyon where he volunteered, according to Angi Orton, Director of Volunteer Services for the MRCA. The National Parks Service has never confirmed this spot as the center (that's where calling it the "alleged" center comes into play), but to date, no one else (at least that we know of) has tried to pin point the center of LA.
Angi Orton points the way to the alleged Center of Los Angeles from Franklin Canyon's main parking lot. From here, the hike is nothing thrilling. You're looking at about 5 minutes. To find this lot and its relation to the Center of LA plaque, check out this Google Map. (Zach Behrens/LAist)
With reporting by Zach Behrens
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I'm not sure if it's still around, but the William O'Douglas Outdoor Classroom was located in Franklin Canyon. They hosted a lot of field trips for inner city schools to visit the great outdoors and would frequently show "the Center of Los Angeles" to the kids during their hikes.
I always suspected that at the heart of LA was a cold block of green cement.
Now can you find my keys???
HOW TIMELY - especially with the new 3-D "Journey to the Center of the Earth" coming out - but alas no shirtless young Pat Boone in the new flick.
great spot for a geocache!
I was just there last week, now i gotta go back.
I thought I remembered a brown and white sign on the tree denoting the center. Is that still around? It was probably eight years ago that a friend and I stumbled upon that spot.
Yep, I have a tiny cel phone pic but I went back to take new ones. Sqwigeebo, the WODOC classroom is still there and this summer has a resident snake, "Mr. Bones." (If you check my Franklin Cyn Wednesday Workout post you can see more about WODOC.)
I ride right by the COLA (Center of LA) plaque on my local mountain bike loop. It's just North of the dirt parking lot next to some old wooden steps, at the base of an oak tree. I always stop to show it to friends who haven't been to Franklyn Cyn. before.
I've always thought it was amazing to have a beautiful singletrack trail going through the center of LA!