Griffith Park Turns 125 This Year

by SweisKloss
September 9, 2021

One of our current renovation projects is in the Hollywood Hills near Griffith Park with a clear view of the Griffith Observatory. This got us thinking about the history of the area and the widely recognizable landmark of the three-domed observatory, which has welcomed over 85 million visitors since its opening night in 1935.

The Park itself was established in 1896 when Griffith Jenkins Griffith, AKA “Colonel” Griffith J. Griffith, donated over 3,000 acres for the city to use as a public park. The Observatory, however, took much longer to get off the ground. Even though Griffith was a successful businessman and philanthropist, he was personally a distraught individual. He attempted to murder his wife and was sent to prison (for only a couple of years), marring his position in the community, which resulted in members of city council blocking Griffith’s donation for the Observatory.

Griffith set up a trust to bequeath the money for the Observatory to the city. It wasn’t until 16 years after his death that the Griffith Observatory would come to fruition. Respected architects John C. Austin (designer of Shrine Auditorium) and Frederick Ashley were hired along with consultant astronomer Russell Porter to design the Observatory. The architectural style is typically identified as Art Deco with a mash-up of Moderne, Modified Greek, and Beaux-Arts influence.

Because the Observatory was built during the Great Depression, cost for materials and labor was extremely low. Therefore, high quality finishes and durable materials could be used. The domes were—and still are—copper covered, and travertine, marble, bronze metalwork, and ornate wood were used to evoke elegance and stateliness. Plenty of attention was given to the planetarium and the powerful telescope that was placed on the roof. And scientists were commissioned to design the exhibits.

The Observatory needed restoration in the early 2000s. Brenda Levin of Levin & Associates and Steven Johnson of Pfeiffer Partners, Inc. were brought in to head up the renovations. Levin said the building and exhibits had “been loved to death.” Their charge was to “maintain its historic status and find 40,000 square feet of new space to expand the exhibit program seamlessly, melding the existing and new.” Levin and Johnson accomplished this beautifully and then some.

The Griffith Observatory is now open Friday-Sunday each week. The Park offers wonderful hiking trails, picnic areas, horseback riding, and plenty of other recreational activities. And you cannot beat the breathtaking views. For more information, click here.