Los Angeles River

For centuries, the Los Angeles River was unpredictable-- prone to flooding, a raging torrent during rare Southern California rains, and just a trickle and marshlands the rest of the year. To tame it, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers walled in the river just before World War II. Decades later, roadside signs that proclaimed "Los Angeles River" prodded the question: How can this cement drain, strewn with trash and abandoned refrigerators, be considered a river? Abused through the 20th century, the L.A. River is amid a comeback thanks to the Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR) and local governments. The realization that this arroyo has been as crucial to the development and growth of the city as the climate is again alive in the community. The vintage photographs for this historic and redemptive look at one of the great natural features of Los Angeles County were collected from private and public archives.

Author Ted Elrick is a freelance writer and the former editor of DGA Magazine, the trade publication of the Directors Guild of America. FoLAR is a nonprofit organization founded in 1986 to protect and restore the natural and historical heritage of the Los Angeles River and its riparian habitat through inclusive planning, education, and wise stewardship.