Swan Lake, the Swans of Echo Park
Enjoy the outdoors with friends or on a spontaneous date at Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles, California. Walking through Echo Park Lake, visitors can enjoy enchanting landscapes and booths of local food vendors and artisan crafts. The Californian landscape features lush lotus flowers beds which were planted in 1923 by Chinese missionaries. Built in 1932, the rustic boathouse features a quaint café and Swan-shaped pedal boats.
The charming lake was originally established as a reservoir and then later re-constructed as a park. The architect, Joseph Henry Tomlinson, bestowed the name “Echo Park” because of the natural echo heard throughout the park. He would hear the voices of the construction workers echoing throughout the man-made lake. Re-constructing the reservoir into a park was an eight year endeavor.
Once the lake and park were established, filmmakers, comedians, bohemians, and artists flocked to the up-and-coming area of Los Angeles throughout the early twentieth century. Filmmakers would capture classic films and comedy reels in the park until complaints stopped filming due to crews destroying the natural greenery.
Echo Park’s early glitz and glamour grew into an avant-garde free movement scene. Communes began to form throughout the posh community, one of the most prominent free thinking artist movements were the “Semi-Tropic Spiritualists.” The spiritualists were dismayed by the overbearing capitalist culture taking over Los Angeles due to the oil industry, infrastructure development, and a booming entertainment industry. The rebellious artists decided to gather fellow likeminded individuals to create a “mini society” which encompassed large pieces of land throughout the neighborhood. They made use of the undeveloped areas by creating a communal farm.
Aside from the numerous historical and cultural changes that took place in this modern day “hipster” neighborhood, locals and visitors can enjoy the amenities which Echo Park Lake has to offer. Visitors can enjoy a casual picnic on the grassy hills, a stroll around the magnificent lake, or an impromptu excursion on the Swan-shaped pedal boats. Also, visitors can hike through the neighboring Elysian Park Trail and take a photograph at Elysian Park’s swing.
Check out SoundBite Magazine’s curated playlist inspired by this treasured destination.
A recommendation upon visiting Echo Park Lake for the swan boat experience is to make reservations ahead of time at Echo Park Swan Boats by Wheel Fun Rentals. The weekend dates can book up rather quickly and parking is also a challenge in this popular area. Highly sought after times to reserve a ride on the swan boats is during the evening to experience the sunset or at night when the boats light up.
Coverage by @veropoteart
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