LA Back in the Day - Exposition Park Rose Garden
Exposition park here in LA here in has been around for some time. In the late 1800’s the area that it was in used to be just south of the city line. This made for a legal gray area, so gambling and even brothel set up shop.
That wasn’t supposed to be the focus though. The area was intended to be an agricultural center. Sort of a permanent county fair where farmers and ranchers can sell and show off their stuff. There was a race track supposed to used for showing horses and live stock and hotel that was meant to be for business travel.
Before long the agricultural aspect was lost on everyone, and it became an area mostly for gambling with the hotel even becoming a brothel.
The park became a super sketchy, and USC next door started complaining about the track and its clientele. With the urging of the well-to-do, the city annexed the area and bought out the park land. They decided to eighty-six the riff raff and build a new exposition hall, museum, military armory, and rose garden to class up the joint.
Exposition park, rose garden, museums, and what-not opened in November of 1913. The park has played host to the 1932, and 1984 Olympics and received multiple additions and expansions like the Coliseum and Science center. The rose garden however as stayed mostly the same. Next time you’re in the area do what people have done for 104 years. Stop and smell the roses.
