By Pebbla Wallace
If you thought there was only one Great Wall in the world, you would be sadly mistaken. There is another great wall that is important to us in the City of Angeles, and that is the Great Wall of Los Angeles, which is one of the longest murals in the world.
For years, I have driven past this mural painted on the Tujunga Flood Channel in North Hollywood not knowing its real importance. Then one day, while taking a walk with my dog along this half-mile long mural and walking trail, I was quickly enveloped by the wall’s vibrant colors of red, blue and orange, and whisked into the various stories of our city. It was then that I realized – this isn’t just a mural, its California History captured in art.
The idea of this mural first began in 1974 when the U.S Army Corps of Engineers contacted Judith Baca, an educator and artist who is well known for her murals throughout Los Angeles, to create a beautification project. She organized the project by gathering a team of artists, historians, ethnologists, and scholars and employed over 400 youth and families from diverse Los Angeles communities. Baca stated in a LA Times article, “I wanted the project to be done by people who were as diverse as those in the mural”. This led her to create an arts organization called Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC). The Great Wall of Los Angeles is not only a visual masterpiece, but also a testament to community collaboration and storytelling.
The actual drawing and painting of the Great Wall began in 1976, and reflected the style of the Chicano(a) mural movement of the 1970s. With vibrant colors, this 13.5 feet high, 2,754-foot-long mural is arranged in chronological order. The mural begins with the prehistory of California, illustrating the Indigenous People who lived on this land prior to colonization, and continues the story into the late 1950s. The mural is a true tribute to the people and events that shaped California history (both good and bad), and includes such events as: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, The Gold Rush, the mission system, dustbowl refugees, the Chinese Massacre, and the Zoot Suit riots. The wall also depicts historical figures such as Biddy Mason, Dr. Charles Drew, Junipero Serra, and the founders of Los Angeles. These are just a few of the California events and figures that can be seen on the wall.
The wall was completed in 1984, with restoration done throughout the years to restore damaged due to heat, high waters, and other factors that are unique to the Los Angeles flood control channel. In 2017, the Great Wall of Los Angeles became nationally recognized, and was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of Interior.
The creation of the wall is not only an artistic and historical masterpiece, but with Baca’s leadership, it’s also a testament to community collaboration.
Future Plans for the Great Wall. There are future plans for the Great Wall, which include a bridge and solar lighting. The bridge will allow visitors of the mural to get a closer look at the art. Plans to expand the mural beyond the 1950s to Present Day will begin this Fall. Baca and SPARC plan for the mural to be a mile long when it is completed.
Note: The Great Wall of Los Angeles is located on Coldwater Canyon between Burbank Boulevard and Oxnard Avenue. A virtual tour is available online at: https://greatwallinstitute.sparcinla.org/virtual- tour
