Griffith Park: The Untold History

Griffith Park is one of the largest municipal parks in the United States. Its founder, Griffith J. Griffith, donated the land to the city as a public recreation ground for all the people — an ideal that has been challenged over the years.

At more than 4,500 acres, Griffith Park is one of the largest municipal parks in the United States. Its founder, the controversial and complicated Griffith J. Griffith, donated the land to the city as a public recreation ground for all the people — an ideal that has been challenged over the years. In this episode, Sarah Wilson, director of Education at the Autry Museum of the American West, explains the upcoming “Investigating Griffith Park,” exhibition and the effort to create an archive of all things Griffith Park. It also features Casey Schreiner, hiker and author of the book “Discovering Griffith Park: A Local's Guide,” in a visit to a Mexican-era adobe within the park boundaries. We also ride the historic Merry-go-Round where Griffith’s ideal of equal access was challenged.

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Riots, Love Fests, Buried Secrets: Griffith Park's Hidden Histories (Article)

Since its gifting to Los Angeles on December 1896, Griffith Park has been the sprawling landscape on which Angelenos have drawn their dreams. Learn more about its many unexpected histories.

The Complex Life of Griffith J. Griffith (Article)

Perhaps best known for the large tract of park space that now bears his name, Griffith J. Griffith was a complicated man whose wealth and bombastic nature gave the city one of its most unforgettable characters.

Griffith Park's Lesser-Known Wonders (Article)

Beat the crowds by visiting these unexpected landmarks.

LOST LA “Griffith Park: The Untold History”

Full Episode

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The Riots of Griffith Park (Clip)

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The Sensational Story of Griffith J. Griffith (Clip)

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The Liberation of Griffith Park (Clip)

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Griffith Park: The Untold History