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Lost LA
Zzyzx: The Snake Oil That Fueled a Community
The kind of dreams that Curtis Howe Springer peddled were tied to health and prosperity, but it didn't take long before "the last of the old medicine men" brought Zzyzx to ruins. CSU Desert Studies Center's Jason Wallace outlines the ploy Springer used, a radio ministry, and how his bogus claims eventually caught up with him in the 1970s.
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From wildflowers to jacarandas, explore the plants that paint California in vibrant hues.
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Discover how the True Crime genre was shaped by its deep historic legacy in Los Angeles.
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Uncover the origins of the sci-fi genre and its unique connection to historic Los Angeles.
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Auto racing's LA roots, from dry lake beds to movie ranches, left tread marks across the region.
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Trace the devastation of the 1928 St. Francis Dam collapse and its deadly flood.
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How Cold War vigilance and secrecy shaped Southern California culture.
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The Space Shuttle Endeavour’s journey is traced from its origins.
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Tiki culture isn’t a Polynesian import — it’s a Hollywood creation.
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Archives reveal the “forgotten plague” that shaped Southern California: tuberculosis.
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Visit Hollywood Forever, Evergreen and Forest Lawn, where L.A. reinvented the cemetery.
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The hiker-activists who led Angelenos into their hills and onto the trails.