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Restored Wood wheel at the LA Natural History Museum | Photo by WILL13 via Flickr
Los Angeles was settled in 1781, three years after Chicago. Unfortunately, people who do not know this city write-off the history and focus in on the obvious glitter. Even if this city continues to bulldoze over its past, that in itself is part of the history.
The Los Angeles region has over 200 historical organizations, societies, and museums dedicated to preserving and promoting the varied pasts of the various regions, industries, and individuals in Los Angeles. There doesn't seem to be any official concensus among all thee non-profits, but Heritage Square might be turning into that leader for our city.
On March 2nd, the Highland Park based museum will be hosting LA Heritage Day, which will be the first step in forming a Los Angeles Heritage Alliance that will the goal of unifying efforts of heritage organizations on matters of preservation, promotion, and communication. "Though we've been successful as individual groups, as an alliance," explains organizer Brian Sheridan, "we will be able to work smarter and more efficiently to preserve the regions heritage and the plan for future efforts, as well."
The event is free $10 and open to the public. A partial list of some of the historical groups participating in LA Heritage Day are: San Marino Historical Society, Lanterman House Museum (La Canada), Los Angeles Conservancy, Culver City Historical Society, Chatsworth Historical Society, Los Angeles City Historical Society, Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum, Lomita Railroad Museum and Foundation, Bilingual Foundation for the Arts, Venice Historical Society, Los Angelitas del Pueblo, Highland Park Heritage Trust, Historical Society of Southern California, Costumers Guild West , Grier Musser Museum, Campo de Cahuenga Historic Memorial Assn., Boyle Heights Historical Society, and Rancho Los Cerritos.
Sheridan seems positive about the outcome of the upcoming event. "We've seen other groups united to form Alliance for the economy and for education, so why not for our common history, our regional heritage?"
