Contemplating MacArthur Park

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This photo shows a man sitting cross-legged, facing MacArthur Park's artificial lake and boathouse, as well as several high-rise buildings in the background. Included is a marquee of the Westlake Theatre visible toward the left, behind a tree branch. Three small fountains and several canoes sit in the middle of the lake. In the mid-1800's, this area was a swampland. MacArthur Park, created in the 1880s under the name Westlake Park, was later renamed in honor of General Douglas MacArthur. By the 1890s, it was a vacation destination surrounded by luxury hotels in the early part of the 20th Century, the area became known as the Champs Elysees of Los Angeles. MacArthur Park has been designated City of Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument number 100.