Viewing “Charles Lummis: Reimagining the American West”
Southern California is home to several beautiful and unique sights and one of my favorites is the Lummis House in Highland Park. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting the home on multiple occasions and it never ceases to delight. With its handmade craftsmanship and its garden setting it’s a hidden oasis next to the 110 freeway.
It’s no wonder then that this incredible structure was built by one of the most interesting persons in Los Angeles History – Charles Fletcher Lummis.
Lummis was a journalist, a poet, a historian and a photographer. He adored Southern California and was instrumental in the preservation of it’s Southwest heritage. Sadly, he’s largely forgotten today save for those who share his passion for the area we live in. Luckily, one of “those” happens to be KCET which will be premiering the documentary “Charles Lummis: Reimagining the American West” tomorrow night at 9pm. Here’s an exclusive clip:
I had the pleasure of viewing the piece in its entirety and it’s a beautiful tribute to an extraordinary gentlemen. I was able to spend an hour getting to know more about Mr. Lummis than I ever could have imagined. From his Harvard dropout to his walk (yes, walk) from Ohio to Los Angeles to his tenure at a New Mexican pueblo he lived a life that most of us could only dream of. Of course not everything came up roses and Lummis was far from perfect but he is an important figure in our region’s history. Settling in Los Angeles at the same time that it exploded from a small town to a bustling city he helped ensure the city never forgot it’s roots through his preservation of historic artifacts and establishment of the Southwest Museum. He’s an instrumental piece of the Southern California landscape and it’s wonderful to see his story unfold onscreen.
AND, if you want to make a week out of it you can catch the film tomorrow (9pm, KCET) and then head to both the Lummis House and Southwest Museum on Sunday for the annual Museums of the Arroyo Day. Both museums (along with 4 others) will have fun activities and free admission from 12-5.
