June 30, 2009, "Day of Reckoning" for the Southwest Museum

Los Angeles Oldest Museum

As a child growing up in Council District 14, I was blessed to be exposed to the vast collection of the Southwest Museum.

Childhood exposure has turn into adulthood appreciation of the contributions of the Native American Culture and the impact on our local history.

In recent years, earthquakes, mis-management, and the ravages of time has taken its toll on this cultural icon, but the museum still stands as a proud symbol of our city's and community cultural identity.

But now in the biggest challenge to the Museum, the Los Angeles City Council Board of Referred Powers will take up the Autry National Center proposal to expand their site in Griffith Park and relocating the vast collection of the Southwest to newly expanded location, if approved.

This saga has played out here in cyberspace, on the the pages of local newspapers (but rarely in the "OLD GRAY HAG ON SPRING STREET", aka LA Times), has been debated thoroughly in the local community and in the chambers of City Hall.

The cast of characters have included an convicted felon, a ruthless law firm, widow of a singing cowboy, flip-flopping politicians, a "Barrio Pimp" and citizens across the community who care about preserving our cultural identity.

Then there is the cost, in terms of payouts to lobbyists, payoffs to the "connected few", favors for the political class, and the cost to our community heritage.

My hope is that the five members of the Board of Referred Power will pause and give thought to what damage a gutted and hollow Southwest Museum would have on our community heritage and city history.

Your thought...................

**Board of Referred Powers Special Meeting Los Angeles City Hall, Room 350Board of Public Works Hearing200 N Spring St., Los AngelesTuesday, June 30th, 2009 at 3:00pm

The future fate of the first museum in Los Angeles, the Southwest Museum, is tied to a set of decisions to be made by the City of Los Angeles. A June 30 th special hearing is the pivotal meeting. The City will decide whether to approve Autry’s proposed project to double its size in Griffith Park and absorb the Southwest Museum.

The Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council and the Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition are opposed to the three requested actions as presented in the staff report without modifications to protect the Southwest Museum and Casa de Adobe’s future.

*autrylies.com/

*Eastern Group Publication Editorial