Atwater Village, Los Angeles

Atwater
—  Neighborhood of Los Angeles  —
Historic Glendale-Hyperion bridge over the Los Angeles River near Atwater Village. 1927 photo.
Atwater Location in Central Los Angeles
Coordinates: 34°06′59″N 118°15′23″W
Country	United States
State	California
County	Los Angeles County
City	Los Angeles, California
Elevation	404 ft (123 m)

Atwater Village Street Festival, 2007

Atwater Village is a neighborhood in northeast Los Angeles, California. It lies at an elevation of 404 feet (123 m).

Geography

Atwater Village lies between the Los Angeles River to the west and Glendale to the north and east. In addition, the neighborhood shares borders with the neighborhoods of Silver Lake to the south, Elysian Valley to the southeast, Glassell Park to the northeast, and Los Feliz and Griffith Park across the river to the west. Much of Atwater lies in the old river flood plain, which resulted in deep, fertile soil.

Principal thoroughfares include San Fernando Road, Fletcher Drive, and Los Feliz and Glendale Boulevards. The Golden State and Glendale Freeways run along the district's western and southeastern borders, respectively.

History

What is now Atwater Village began originally as a part of Rancho San Rafael, which covered much of what is now Glendale and northeastern Los Angeles. In 1868, W.C.B. Richardson purchased a portion of the rancho and renamed it Rancho Santa Eulalia. In 1902 this land was eventually subdivided and with some subdivisions offered for sale to prospective homebuilders. The subdivision that stretched from the Southern Pacific tracks to the Los Angeles River was eventually named Atwater Tract for its proximity to the river – “at-water”. The area would later be known as “Atwater” with the word “Village” added in 1986.

In subsequent decades, residents began to settle in the area. Many new residents were newly prosperous workers, including many working at the nearby DWP substation. Spanish-style houses and bungalows were built in the 1920s to 1940s, many of which still retain their original details. Growth was aided by the construction of a line of the Pacific Electric Railway with its distinctive "red cars", which ran down Glendale Boulevard. The line, along with the rest of the streetcar system, however, was dismantled in favor of freeways and buses.

The Tam O'Shanter Inn, established in 1922, is one of the oldest restaurants in Los Angeles County. Walt Disney was a frequent patron there.

Franciscan Pottery, formerly known as Gladding McBean, a well-known manufacturer of pottery and dinnerware, was located in Atwater. The company moved the plant to China in 1978 and the large property is now occupied by Costco, Best Buy, and Toys R Us.

Before the Golden State (I-5) Freeway, there was a drive-in movie theater located in the area of the freeway below what is now the Friendship Hall, the entrance of which was where the freeway's southbound Glendale Boulevard offramp is now. It was demolished to construct the freeway.

Demographics

According to the Los Angeles Times, there are 14,888 people in the neighborhood. It is one of the most highly diverse neighborhoods in Los Angeles County, with a population split between 51.3% Hispanic, 19.7% Asian, 1.4% Black, 22.2% White, and 5.4% other.Many of the Asians are Filipinos. There is a high number of people who make $20,000 or less.

Lately the neighborhood has experienced a major demographic change through the occurring rapid gentrification

Education

Los Angeles Unified School District operates the following public schools:

• Atwater Avenue Elementary School
• Glenfeliz Boulevard Elementary School
• Washington Irving Middle School
• John Marshall High School

National Catholic Educational Association operates the following schools:

• Holy Trinity School

Los Angeles Public Library operates the Atwater Village Branch.

Disneyland incarnation

Buena Vista Street, the new entrance to the California Adventure theme park at the Disneyland Resort, is partly modeled after Atwater Village during the 1920s and 30s, when Walt Disney first arrived and set up shop in Los Angeles. Disney frequently visited Atwater, considering his original animation studio was located in the adjacent Silver Lake neighborhood.

Once opened, Buena Vista Street will feature a miniature replica of the Glendale-Hyperion Bridge, as well as a retail location called Atwater Ink and Paint Art Supply.

Notable Residents

• Jerry Salas lead singer for the legendary band El Chicano, voice on the hit song "Tell Her She's Lovely" (1973-Present)
• Leonardo DiCaprio world renowned actor split time growing up with his mother in Atwater Village and father in Echo Park
• Lance Ito judge in the O.J. Simpson murder trial attended John Marshall High School
• Michelle Phillips member of the The Mamas & the Papas musical group attended John Marshall High School

External links

• Atwater Village book
• Atwater Village Chamber of Commerce
• Friends of Atwater Village
• Atwater Village Neighborhood Council
• Councilman Eric Garcetti's website, 13th district
• Atwater Village Profile by Los Angeles Times