Los Angeles State Historic Park

History

This former site of the Southern Pacific Transportation Company's River Station (1876−1901) is considered the "Ellis Island of Los Angeles" where new arrivals from the East first disembarked. Corn leaking from train cars and sprouting along the tracks gave rise to the nickname The Cornfield.

Park development

In 2001, a 5 foot of the historical Zanja Madre irrigation canal was uncovered.

In 2006, a contest was held in conjunction with the California State Parks Foundation to select a design for the park. The preliminary park opened on September 23 of the same year. Hargreaves and Associates of San Francisco won the competition.

Development of the park has been slow. California's budget deficit forced officials to scale back plans for the park in 2010, earmarking $18 million instead of the planned $55 million. Plans for a bridge, water fountain, theme gardens, an upscale restaurant, as well as an ecology center with restored wetlands were tabled. The tabled features may be added later if funding becomes available. The park open with a campfire circle, restrooms and parking lot.

Numerous community fairs and gatherings have been held in the park. It also contains several plaques that relate the history of the Cornfield, Chinatown and Downtown Los Angeles.

References

References

1. Rasmussen, Cecilia. (2003-07-13). "Pasadena's Gold Line will travel a history-laden route". Los Angeles Times.
2. "Los Angeles SHP". California State Parks.
3. Pool, Bob. (2010-12-08). "L.A. State Historic Park plan downsized: State budget deficit prompts more modest project atop old rail yard near downtown". Los Angeles Times.
4. Cheng, Sophia. (2013). "Community Organizing in Los Angeles Chinatown: Historical Case Study of the Cornfields". UCLA.
5. "California State Park System Statistical Report: Fiscal Year 2009/10". California State Parks.
6. Hernandez, Daniel. (2005-09-12). "'Not a Cornfield' idea is food for thought". Los Angeles Times.
7. Pool, Bob. (2006-07-31). "3 firms are finalists to design park at Cornfield Site in L.A.". Los Angeles Times.
8. Lin, Sara. (2006-09-24). "'Cornfield' produces park: Hundreds turn out to celebrate the open space where new industrial use had been envisioned". Los Angeles Times.
9. Pool, Bob. (2006-11-18). "Planting the seeds of a future park: The state names the winner of the design team that will transform L.A.'s 32-acre Cornfield into a swath of green at the edge of Chinatown". Los Angeles Times.
10. Amter, Charles. (2007-10-06). "This park's a little green". Los Angeles Times.