Charles’ 
Slide of the Week: January 13th, 2006
Macarthur Park, Los Angeles, California, 1956
Wilshire Boulevard curves like an asphalt rainbow across the lake. Lush greenery and stately buildings reflect in the deep blue water. The vintage band shell on the right is like a space age McDonalds, complete with a “golden arch” framing the stage.
New York’s Central Park may be a zillion times bigger and more talked about than MacArthur Park but it was never the inspiration and subject of a #1 hit song sung to a pounding disco beat. Remember Donna Summer singing? - “MacArthur’s Park is melting in the dark - all that sweet green icing is flowing down…” Yes that’s about the little oasis in the middle of the bustling big city. What in the world does MacArthur Park have to do with cake? It rhymes with lake? Lakes are the last thing that comes to mind when I think of Los Angeles. But the City of Angels does have a few. There’s Silver Lake and Echo Park Lake, which were both formed by Mother Nature, and the man-made lake at MacArthur Park. It was created in the mid-1880s on what was then the far outskirts of town.
These days the lake is more like a big free-form swimming pool– it has a cement deck all the way around it. Chaise lounges and a diving board are all that is missing. Visitors (and residents) that populate the park, many clearly in various and altered states of being, seem oblivious to the abundance of historic plaques, colorful murals and important monuments that decorate the lush setting. The oldest and most beautiful sculpture depicts Prometheus bringing fire to earth. It was dedicated in 1934, the year that Wilshire Boulevard finally cut across the lake. Among the other artistic and cultural oddities are a gigantic piece of hard candy and the Garden of Voices where pre-recorded poems are supposed to be recited in several languages from speakers in park benches in the children’s playground. But none are as interesting and arresting as the namesake monument dedicated in memory of General MacArthur in 1955. A big brass sculpture of the fearless leader stands before a shallow pool of water with the Philippine Islands rendered in miniature. This was worth the trip alone. Even if the pool is empty.
After a brisk walk around the park I was hungry. That’s good because cattycorner from the park, on the south east corner of Wilshire and Seventh Street, stands Los Angeles’ other great deli, Langers. Yes, Canter’s is the other! Langer’s very well may serve the best Pastrami on rye on the planet and they have been doing so there since 1948. While I waited for the dream sandwich and pickle to arrive I was mesmerized by three brilliant 1968 paintings of the guys behind the counter making sandwiches, and the décor that doesn’t look like it’s been touched since those paintings were painted.
Here’s to General Macarthur, his park, pastrami on rye and you!
Charles Phoenix
Los Angeles
January 2006
P.S read more about MacArthur Park in Wilshire Boulevard: Grand Concourse of Los Angeles by Eric Lynxwiler and Kevin Roderick, from angelcitypress.com
Sets this Slide belongs to:
Los Angeles
4 Comments on “Macarthur Park, Los Angeles, California, 1956”
Privacy Policy: Oh yeah...one more thing...I promise I will not share your email address with anyoneIm not that organized! You'll receive my Slide of the Week email and that's it!
file: single-slide-inc.php
April 27th, 2006 at 11:44 pm
My father told me that it was originally Westlake Park, and upon renaming in honor of Gen. Douglas some local wags took to calling it ‘Mac Westlake Park’
I’ll never have that recipe again. Sorry.
…Lorenzo
August 18th, 2006 at 12:57 pm
Mac Arthur Park was the spot to go to after Mass on Sunday. Or a bus ride on the 26 busline Pico Rampau to Clifton’s on Broadway. I grow up in the Wilshire District in the 60’s, back then the Wiltern had a giant clock on the tower that would actually turn for all to see. I believe there was a McDonalds on Western and Olympic, I couldn’t be for sure. Lorenzo is absolutely right I’ll never have that recipe again, man was I lucky! My Godparents owned El Jarrito on Olympic those were the days.. Rosalia H. Alhambra, CA
August 31st, 2006 at 4:56 pm
Hello,
I was watching the Fresh Prince of Belair the other night. He talked about going into Macauthur Park and made it sound like a really bad place. He was even afraid to go there.
My question is; Is this park a real bad place to be?
Thanks for your time,
Ottis
September 1st, 2006 at 8:30 am
It’s not a great place to be, I can say that much. Back in the 80’s - 90’s there was a lot of crime and drugs in the area, and though it is stll sketchy today, it’s a nicer and safer neighborhood.