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Lost LA
When the St. Francis Dam Collapsed
Season 7
Episode 3
Author Geoff Manaugh joins Nathan to understand the 1928 St. Francis Dam collapse, which unleashed a deadly flood that devastated the Santa Clara River Valley. Visit the dam site, follow the 54-mile flood path to the Pacific, and uncover stories of loss, resilience, and heroism. Explore the disaster’s impact on Mexican American families and hear from experts on its lasting significance.
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26:40
California’s deserts have sparked imaginations around the world. This episode explores the creation of the Salton Sea; the effort to preserve Joshua Tree National Park; and how commercial interests created desert utopias like Palm Springs.

51:47
"Lost L.A.: Descanso Gardens" explores the history of one of southern California's most-beloved public gardens.

26:50
Americans have long looked at the California shore and seen the end of the continent. Instead, this episode interprets that sandy edge as the beginning of a Pacific world.

25:06
See how the many restrictions many Angelenos had to navigate, exposing Los Angeles as a place of coded segregation and resistance.

23:50
Los Angeles is often identified with Hollywood, but there's more to the entertainment industry than its facade of movie stars and blockbuster films.

25:32
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26:50
American history has long been told as a triumphant march westward from the Atlantic coast, but in southern California, our history stretches back further in time.

28:32
In this episode, "Lost LA" examines how the modern metropolis has reshaped its own topography. The program explores downtown L.A.'s lost hills and tunnels, as well as the vanished canals of Venice Beach.

20:57
In this episode, "Lost LA" explores the various ways Southern California's inhabitants have used the hills around Dodger Stadium.