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Lost LA
Building The Metropolis
Season 2
Episode 3
Wood, iron, steel, concrete -- these are the materials that gave form to Los Angeles and shaped its identity in the national imagination. This episode also questions the cultural legacy and environmental costs of the city's relentless growth.
Lesson Plan: How has the perception of Los Angeles changed over time?
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26:29
From wildflowers to jacarandas, explore the plants that paint California in vibrant hues.
26:40
Discover how the True Crime genre was shaped by its deep historic legacy in Los Angeles.
26:43
Uncover the origins of the sci-fi genre and its unique connection to historic Los Angeles.
27:10
Auto racing's LA roots, from dry lake beds to movie ranches, left tread marks across the region.
27:05
Trace the devastation of the 1928 St. Francis Dam collapse and its deadly flood.
26:40
How Cold War vigilance and secrecy shaped Southern California culture.
26:39
The Space Shuttle Endeavour’s journey is traced from its origins.
26:40
Tiki culture isn’t a Polynesian import — it’s a Hollywood creation.
26:49
Archives reveal the “forgotten plague” that shaped Southern California: tuberculosis.
26:50
Visit Hollywood Forever, Evergreen and Forest Lawn, where L.A. reinvented the cemetery.
26:40
The hiker-activists who led Angelenos into their hills and onto the trails.