Construction of the 5, or Golden State Freeway
The freeway cuts through the western part of Elysian Valley (“Frogtown”), isolating it from surrounding neighborhoods.
RELATED STORIES
Tires, Oil Changes, and Community Building
Since 1977, Pepe’s Tire Shop in Cypress Park has continued to provide quality service to its customers, growing into a true pillar of the community. Raised in the border town of Tecate, Mexico, Pepe arrived in Los Angeles in 1966 at the age of 17 and landed in the then-Italian neighborhood of Cypress Park. At…
Fighting for Educational Justice
Ronni Solman moved to Los Angeles in 1970, for work and to chase the sun. At the time, she was involved with the New York chapter of the Committee to Defend the Black Panthers, working to raise money for legal defense for the Black Panther Party. The group needed a representative to work with the…
The River and Elysian Valley
Decades ago, Ceci Dominguez remembers a very different LA River than the one undergoing rapid revitalization by way of nearby gentrification today. The word “river” might even be a bit generous here, as “flood channel” or “sewage line” could better describe its function in those days. “My kids would ride their bikes and wander down…
A Tree Grows in Elysian Valley Pt. 1
Ruben Molina and his family moved to Elysian Valley in 1958. Having arrived in Los Angeles from El Paso, Texas five years prior, his family had moved around between a hotel, duplexes and small homes in Cypress Park and Lincoln Heights before settling into the home on Glover Place. Ruben, now a dedicated community music…