FROM A FLOOD, A PARK IS BORN
The Kenneth Hahn State Conservation Area is an urban park, born out of a tragic event.
The park sits on an isolated, 500 foot rise in the center of the LA basin, called the Baldwin Hills. Once a meeting place for the Tongva people, it eventually became an oil drilling field, (which continues to this day). But in 1963, a reservoir built on the site gave way and tore open on live television, ripped through the neighborhood, and flooded what is now Village Green, killing 5.
After the flood, Kenneth Hahn had a vision for the abandoned basin; let’s build a park there. Today, Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area is an oasis, and one of the largest inner-city parks in greater Los Angeles. This lush and peaceful 338-acre recreational retreat is a getaway from the stresses of urban living.
With Hunt Design, Harvest Moon Studio created exhibits about Supervisor Hahn, the park’s history, and a Smartmap media piece linked to projections, to help visitors get oriented.