Ghosts, a Curse, and Attempted Murder: The History of Griffith Park
Please join the Los Angeles City Historical Society for a special webinar with award-winning author and historian, Colleen Adair Fliedner
Please join the Los Angeles City Historical Society for a special webinar with award-winning author and historian Colleen Adair Fliedner. The talk will delve into the history and legends of Griffith Park, as well as the life of Griffith J. Griffith, featured in Fliedner’s latest book, “Fascinating True Tales from Old California.”
Griffith Park traces its roots back to around 1796 when Jose Vicente Feliz was given more than 6,600 acres northwest of the Pueblo of Los Angeles as a reward for his service to his king and country. Feliz was one of the Spanish soldiers who accompanied the first 44 settlers to establish El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles in 1781. During the next decades, the land became notorious for a series of strange occurrences, including ghostly sightings, murders, and mysterious deaths. Many people believed that the curse placed upon Rancho Los Feliz by one of Jose Vicente Feliz’s descendants was responsible for the many tragedies.
Award-winning author and historian, Colleen Adair Fliedner, will delve into the history and legends of Griffith Park, as well as the life of Griffith J. Griffith, who had purchased Rancho Los Feliz in 1882. Griffith tried to murder his wife, served time in prison, and ultimately left his property to the City of Los Angeles in his will. His vision was to use the rancho’s remaining land to benefit the “plain man” by transforming it into a beautiful park, building an observatory on Mount Hollywood, and creating a Greek-style outdoor theater.
Who was Griffith J. Griffith? A philanthropist, a visionary, a self-serving madman? Colleen will explore the multifaceted nature of this intriguing figure, whose name endures through the park that brought him the fame and immortality he sought.
Join us on June 11 for this fascinating presentation. Learn more here and find out where to purchase copies of Colleen’s latest book, “Fascinating True Tales from Old California,” here: https://www.colleenadairfliedner.com/
About the Book
For over four centuries, California has been an ever-changing landscape of innovation and revolution, triumph and tragedy.
In “Fascinating True Tales from Old California,” author Colleen Adair Fliedner mines the history of theGolden State to collect more than fifty tales of famous Californians and their escapades from 1542 through 1940. For many, like James Lick, Leland Stanford, and John Downey, California was a place to strike it rich. Others sought freedom and a new beginning, including Chinese immigrants and African Americans, like philanthropist and freed slave Biddy Mason. And still some characters just wanted to live their lives outside of society’s rules, like swindler James Reavis or the cross-dressing stagecoach driver, Charley Parkhurst. Readers will be entertained and enlightened as they take a trip through California’s colorful past.
About the Author
Colleen Adair Fliedner is an award-winning author, journalist, and historian. She has written four nonfiction books, radio and TV commercials, screenplays, and hundreds of articles for newspapers, magazines, and online publications. Her credits include the Los Angeles Times Travel Section, the Orange County Register; Westways, Home & Away (both Auto Club publications), France Today, BajaTRAVELER, and Native Peoples Magazines. Her most recent book, In the Shadows of War: Spies, Love & the Lusitania, is a historical fiction novel.
Colleen began her professional career as a research historian, writer, and oral historian at California State University, Long Beach, CA. She was a staff writer for the Orange County Register newspaper’s online travel website and was a regular contributor for Talking Travel Radio Network based on the East Coast.
Colleen lives in Orange, California with her husband, Rick, and two Pomeranians. They can’t wait to get back on the road again to visit their favorite places in the state.
LOCATION
Webinar via Zoom
REGISTRATION
This is a free event but registration is required.
This is a free webinar, but we welcome donations if you would like to support our programs. If you are not already a LACHS member, please consider joining LACHS today. Donate and/or become a member online. Your support is very much appreciated!
If you have questions about the event, please email us at lacityhistoryevents@gmail.com.
