Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area |
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View east of the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area Park and the Baldwin Hills, from the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook Park
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 Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
Location in California
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
Location in the United States
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| Location | Los Angeles County, California, USA |
| Nearest city | Los Angeles, California |
| Area | 401 acres (162 ha) |
| Established | 1984 |
| Governing body | California Department of Parks and Recreation |
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, often called Kenneth Hahn Park, is a large state park in the Baldwin Hills Mountains of Los Angeles. It's managed by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. This park is one of the biggest green spaces in the Greater Los Angeles Area. Many people even call it "L.A.'s Central Park" because of its size and importance. The park covers about 401-acre (162 ha) and first opened in 1984.
Contents
Park History: From Ancient Times to Today
The Baldwin Hills: A Look Back in Time
The Baldwin Hills area has a very long history. For over 8,000 years, it was the home of the Tongva people, who were the original inhabitants of this land. Later, in the 1800s, this area became part of large Spanish and Mexican ranches. These included the Rancho Rincón de los Bueyes and Rancho La Cienega o Paso de la Tijera. As Los Angeles grew quickly in the 20th century, the rugged hills here helped protect this special area from being built on.
In 1932, the area just east of the park was chosen for a very important event. It became the site of the first-ever Olympic Village built for the 1932 Summer Olympics. Los Angeles was the host city for these games. To remember this historic event, 140 trees were planted on the hills. Each tree represents a nation that took part in the 1984 Olympics.
A reservoir, a large artificial lake for storing water, was built in these hills between 1947 and 1951. It was called the Baldwin Hills Reservoir. Sadly, in 1963, the dam holding back the water broke. This caused a lot of damage, washing away homes and flooding nearby areas. News channels showed live aerial footage of this event, which was a first for television. Today, you can still see the empty bowl where the reservoir used to be.
How Kenneth Hahn Park Was Created
In 1977, a local leader named Kenneth Hahn had a great idea. He was a supervisor for Los Angeles County. He convinced Vice President Walter Mondale to turn old oil-drilling sites into a public park. Before it became a park, this area was a popular spot for motocross, a sport where people ride motorcycles over rough terrain. Locals even called it 'Motorcycle Hill'.
The land for the park was bought, and it includes part of the Ballona Creek watershed. This area acts like a natural pathway for wildlife, connecting the hills through Culver City to the Ballona Wetlands.
The park is named after Kenneth Hahn because of his hard work to save this land. His son, James Hahn, later became the mayor of Los Angeles, and his daughter, Janice Hahn, served on the Los Angeles City Council and in the U.S. Congress. The park first opened in 1983 as the Baldwin Hills State Recreational Area. It was renamed in 1988 to honor Supervisor Hahn and his efforts to protect this important natural space. Since then, the park has grown even bigger. Some nearby oil wells stopped producing oil, and their land was cleaned up and added to the park.
Recreation: Fun Things to Do and See
Kenneth Hahn Park is a fantastic place for walking and hiking. It offers some of the best views in the area! From here, you can see:
- North towards the famous Hollywood Sign.
- East to the tall buildings of Downtown Los Angeles with the San Gabriel Mountains behind them.
- Southeast to the Santa Ana Mountains.
- South to the Los Angeles Harbor area.
- Southwest to Santa Monica Bay, Los Angeles International Airport, and the huge Pacific Ocean.
- West to the beautiful Santa Monica Mountains.
The park is a popular spot for picnics and family gatherings. There are 100 picnic tables in different picnic areas. You'll also find four playgrounds for kids, a half basketball court, a multi-purpose field, and a sand volleyball court. The park also has lovely garden areas, including a peaceful Japanese garden with a stream and a waterfall. In 2017, a 9-hole disc golf course was added, which is a fun game similar to golf but played with frisbees.
Fishing at the Lake
There's a lake in the park where you can go fishing! It's regularly stocked with fish. Depending on the season and weather, you might catch trout or catfish.
Flora and Fauna: Plants and Animals
The park is home to many native plants. Its natural habitat is called Coastal sage scrub, which is a type of plant community. You can also find oak woodlands in the northern valleys and bunch grass grasslands on the windy, open areas to the southwest.
The park is also home to many animals. You might see California ground squirrels, gray foxes, raccoons, striped skunks, desert cottontail rabbits, and opossums. California quail are also common. The Baldwin Hills area is a nesting ground for 41 different kinds of birds! Local Audubon Society groups even offer monthly birdwatching walks in the park, so you can learn about all the different bird species.
Images for kids
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Say’s Phoebe perched atop sign indicating Park to Playa Trail connection.
