The area boasts a rich cultural history and a thriving and eclectic biodiversity as a riparian corridor and a microclimate.
State Parks’ fiscal and staffing challenges present the larger community with the perfect opportunity to shape the future of this unique space.
Since Pre-Columbian times, lower Topanga Canyon has inspired and nurtured artists.
· It was a Sacred Chumash meeting site during the Pre-Columbian era.
· In the 1800’s during the height of the cowboy era it was highly regarded as a Mexican Ranch and Rodeo.
· In the 1950’s after it’s purchase by the Los Angeles Athletic Club, it became a Village populated by artist, poets, painters, writers and film makers such as:
•Bertol Brecht, Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, Charlie Chaplin,
•Carol Lombard, Ida Lupino, Shirley Temple, Greta Garbo, Buster Keaton,
•Hampton Francher (screenwriter, “Bladerunner”),
•Conrad Hall (Cinematographer, “American Beauty”),
•Mama Cass, and John Barrymore.
More recently, artists such as Denis Hopper, Alex Baldwin, Joseph Fiennes, Lisa Bonet and Billy Zane have called it their stomping ground. It remained an artists enclave until 2000, when it was purchased by California State Parks.
The Lower Topanga Eco-Arts Park is a non-profit project of the Technology Initiatives and Applications Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity whose mission is to stimulate the conception, development, and implementation of, and itself conceive, develop, and implement, technological solutions to better the quality of life for people, in the areas of education, employment, the environment, health, life essentials, community services, government services.
For More Information contact: info@lteap.org
