Watts Towers facts for kids
|
Watts Towers of Simon Rodia
Simon Rodia State Historic Park |
|
Watts Towers
|
|
 Location in Southern Los Angeles
Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location in California
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 1765 E. 107th Street, Los Angeles, California 90002 |
|---|---|
| Built | 1921–1954 |
| Architect | Sabato Rodia |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000297 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | April 13, 1977 |
| Designated NHL | December 14, 1990 |
The Watts Towers, also known as the Towers of Simon Rodia, are a group of 17 amazing sculptures. They are found in Watts, Los Angeles, California. These towers, structures, and mosaics were all designed and built by one person.
That person was Sabato ("Simon" or "Sam") Rodia. He was an Italian immigrant who worked as a construction worker. He spent 33 years, from 1921 to 1954, building them all by himself. The tallest tower is nearly 100 feet (30 meters) high!
The Watts Towers are a great example of outsider art. This means art made by people who are not formally trained artists. They are also a type of Italian-American naïve art.
In 1990, the Watts Towers became a National Historic Landmark. They are also a California Historical Landmark. They are a special place in Los Angeles, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The area around the towers is now called the Watts Towers of Simon Rodia State Historic Park.
Contents
Meet Simon Rodia, the Builder
Sabato ("Simon" or "Sam") Rodia was born in Serino, Italy, in 1879. When he was 15, he moved to the United States with his brother. He lived in Pennsylvania for a while.
Later, he moved to Seattle, Washington, and got married. He then lived in Oakland, California, where his three children were born. After his marriage ended around 1909, he moved to Long Beach, California. He worked in construction and other jobs.
Finally, in 1920, Rodia settled in Watts, Los Angeles. He started building the Watts Towers in 1921. Some people called him "Sam" or "Simon." He even appears on the famous cover of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album!
How the Towers Were Built
Simon Rodia built the towers using steel rebar (metal bars used to strengthen concrete). He made his own special concrete mix. He wrapped the rebar with wire mesh. He then decorated the towers with all sorts of interesting things.
He used pieces of porcelain, tile, and glass. He also added found objects like bottles, ceramic tiles, seashells, small statues, and mirrors. Rodia called his creation "Nuestro Pueblo," which means "our town" in Spanish.
He built everything by hand, without any special machines. He also didn't have a set plan or design. Kids in the neighborhood would bring him broken pottery. He also used damaged pieces from local factories.
You can see old soda bottles from the 1930s to 1950s in the green glass. Some still have the logos of brands like 7 Up and Canada Dry. The blue glass likely came from old milk of magnesia bottles.
Rodia bent the metal framework for the towers using nearby railroad tracks as a makeshift vise. He found many materials along the Pacific Electric Railway tracks. He would walk nearly 20 miles to find materials!
In 1954, Rodia had a mild stroke. He also fell from a tower. In 1955, he gave his property to a neighbor and left Watts. He was tired of dealing with the city about permits. He also felt he was getting old and the towers were sometimes damaged by others. He moved to Martinez, California, where he lived until he passed away in 1965.
Saving the Watts Towers
After Rodia left, his small house on the property burned down in 1956. The City of Los Angeles then wanted to tear down the towers. They thought the structures were unsafe.
But many people wanted to save them! Actor Nicholas King and film editor William Cartwright bought the property in 1959. They wanted to protect the towers. People from all over the world spoke out against the demolition.
King, Cartwright, and others formed a group called the Committee for Simon Rodia's Towers in Watts. They worked with the city to test the towers' strength. On October 10, 1959, tests showed the towers were very strong. They could handle a lot of force. This proved they were safe and should not be destroyed.
Keeping the Towers Safe
The Committee for Simon Rodia's Towers took care of the site until 1975. Then, they partnered with the City of Los Angeles. In 1978, the State of California also joined in.
Today, the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department manages the towers. The Watts Towers Arts Center helps take care of them. They also offer art classes for young people and adults.
In 2011, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) received a grant. This money helped them study the towers' condition. They wanted to make sure the art stayed strong and safe. Over time, some pieces of tile and glass can come loose. These are carefully collected and put back during ongoing restoration work.
The towers held up well during the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Only a few pieces fell off. A big restoration project by LACMA started in 2017. The site reopened in November 2022 after the work was finished.
California Historic Landmark Marker
A special marker at the site explains the towers' importance:
NO. 993 WATTS TOWERS OF SIMON RODIA – The Watts Towers are perhaps the nation's best known work of folk art sculpture. Using simple hand tools, cast off materials (glass, shell, pottery pieces and broken tile) Italian immigrant Simon Rodia spent 30 years building a tribute to his adopted country and a monument to the spirit of individuals who make their dreams tangible. Rodia's Towers inspired many to rally and preserve his work and protect it for the future.
Watts Towers Arts Center
The Watts Towers Arts Center is a community art center right next to the towers. It opened in 1970. Before that, classes were held under a canopy. The center was built by the group that saved the towers.
The center has changing exhibits of modern artworks. You can also take tours of the Watts Towers from here. The Charles Mingus Youth Arts Center, part of the main center, offers art classes. These classes are mainly for young people and adults with special needs.
They also partner with places like CalArts and Sony Pictures. This allows them to offer media arts and piano classes. Every September, the center hosts the Day of the Drum and Jazz Festival. This event includes art booths and live music.
Watts Towers Crescent Greenway
The Watts Towers Crescent Greenway is a short bike and walking path. It is only 0.2 miles long and runs next to the Towers. It is one of the shortest "rail-with-trail" paths in the U.S.
See also
In Spanish: Watts Towers para niños
