Francis Ching, 60, a native Hawaiian, is retiring after 20 years as supervisor of the Los Angeles County Dept. of Arboreta and Botanic Gardens, which includes the LA County Arboretum in Arcadia.
"A Late Summer Night's Dream" was the theme of a benefit party organized to raise funds for the los Angeles County Arboretum. A detailed description of the entire evening is given.
The 22nd annual Baldwin Bonanza begins tomorrow, including a barbecue, live and silent auctions, and plant sale. The arboretum's finances and budget are discussed.
Nine visitors to the Arboretum were injured when a large eucalyptus branch fell on them. They were taken to Arcadia Methodist Hospital where all but two were treated and released. The more seriously injured had a broken right arm and spinal damage.
After using the name "Arboretum of Los Angeles" for 55 years, the Arboretum has been given permission to use the name Los Angeles County Botanic Garden. Hopefully the new name will increase attendance.
One of the houses on the north cove of the lake at the Arboretum which was built for the filming of the movie "Road to Singapore," starring Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour, and Bob Hope. The house is up on stilts in the lake. The movie was filmed in 1940.
Man is riding bicycle on a path inside Rancho Santa Anita Park and Lake (later, the Arboretum), with many palm trees. Sign reads "Open to the Public Daily until 7PM, private property" and "Curves, drive slowly through park." The following information is from Sandy Snider: This is indeed, today’s Arboretum, but at the time the property was owned by a real estate syndicate named Rancho Santa Anita Inc. The enterprise was headed by the Chandler family (Harry until he died), and they bought the land from Anita Baldwin in 1936 for purposes of residential development. About 1939 they opened “the park” to visitors in hopes of encouraging land sales. About 30 acres surrounding the lake was sort of set aside as Santa Anita Park and Lake, that was roughly the area made available for movie location rentals and clearly for bicyclists, etc. 1939 is the circa date for this photograph, but it could have been anytime between 1936 and 1947 (when the land was sold to State and County for use as an Arboretum). The granite boulders lining roadways were typical Baldwin Ranch landscape features, and the pillars seen in the photo are also from Baldwin times. In the background you can see more boulders in a circular sort of shape – likely the old Baldwin Lily Pond.
The possibility of a fee for admission to both the Arboretum and Descanso Gardens is being considered by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. At a hearing, Hal Roach, a member of the Board of Governors expressed the hope that the Supervisors would not resort to charging a fee. The fee would NOT be used to keep up the Arboretum, but would go into the County General Fund.
Peter Atkine, Chief Executive Officer of the Arboretum, has told the Los Angeles Arboretum Foundation Board of Trustees that he will resign as of July 1.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has extended the summer concert series at the Arboretum for an additional five years. The California Philharmonic is under the direction of Victor Vener.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a program for the development of a Hall of Environmental Education at the Arboretum. The Arboretum foundation has pledged $500,000 to the total $1,295,000 bill. There is no timetable for the work, but it will take approximately 2 or 3 years.
