Description

Writer Lynell George shares the path many immigrants have walked from Union Station into the heart of Downtown.

Starting Location

The front door of Los Angeles Union Station, Downtown

800 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Duration

55 minutes

Map Image

Description

Los Angeles is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in America. Over 225 languages are spoken within the LA city limits! On this Detour, acclaimed LA author and journalist Lynell George leads you through several of the city’s unique cultural enclaves. Walking the time-honored path traveled by generations of immigrants, you’ll see how they shaped LA by pursuing their dreams and answering the question “What If?”

You’ll set off from Union Station, the traditional and symbolic gateway to Los Angeles. It’s also Lynell’s favorite building in LA because it’s here that her mother first arrived from New Orleans at age 17. Along the way, you’ll visit the “Birthplace of Los Angeles,” a vibrant alleyway and church steeped in cultural heritage, and an out-of-the-way artwork that caused so much controversy when it was unveiled in 1932 that its artist was deported and the mural was whitewashed. You’ll wind through the streets beneath the red lanterns of Chinatown and see a hidden last vestige of the lost neighborhood known as “China City.”

By the end, you’ll take a seat in Philippe’s restaurant, which Lynell calls “LA’s communal dining room.” At Philippe’s, generations of immigrants and Angelenos from every ethnic neighborhood have been gathering for food and conversation for more than a century. So bring your appetite and join Lynell on this journey through Downtown LA, and discover your own “What If?”

Tips & Hours

• This Detour can be taken between 10am and 7pm, every day of the week.
• The most ideal days to take this Detour are Tuesday through Sunday when the America Tropical Interpretive Center is open from 10am to 3pm (that means starting the Detour between 9:40 am and 2:30 pm).
• Wear comfortable shoes and come with an appetite… this Detour ends at one of LA’s most historic and favorite restaurants.

Credits

Narrator

Lynell George

Head of Content

Heather Schuster

Executive Producer

Dan Arden

Advising Producer

Luisa Beck

Producer

Brent Pierson

Associate Producer

Elyssa Dudley

Writers

Lynell George

Research Supervisor

Bo Palinic

Music Supervisor

Mark Governor

Sound Design

Alex MacInnis

Production Assistant

Cameron Kell

Image Credits

• Kat Bawden

Archival Photographs Courtesy of:

C. C. Pierce, C. C. Pierce Collection / Los Angeles Public Library

Harry Quillen, Harry Quillen Collection / Los Angeles Public Library

Lynell George

Featured Voices

Jose Antonio Aguilar

Bonnie Chen

Ed Fuentes

Stephen Gee

Francisco Hernandez

Luis J. Rodriguez

Stephen Gee Interview Courtesy of: Stephen Gee interview audio from Southern California Public Radio’s Take Two® “John Parkinson: The man behind some of LA’s most iconic buildings” (p) (c) 2013 Southern California Public Radio. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Special Thanks:

Jose Antonio Aguilar

Bonnie Chen

Ed Fuentes

Stephen Gee

Francisco Hernandez

Luis J. Rodriguez

Philippe’s

Podcast Episode Contributing Volunteers

Kris L.

Starting Locations of All Detours

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