Eric Dively 
Griffith Park was created by civic-minded philanthropist, Colonel Griffith Jenkins Griffith. He donated 3,015 acres of land to the city of Los Angeles on December 16, 1896. It’s one of the largest urban parks in North America totaling 4,511 acres. The Los Angeles Dept. of Recreation and Parks operates the park which is the largest historical landmark in the city Los Angeles.
Individuals with a wide range of interests enjoy Griffith Park including exercise enthusiasts, tourists, families and nature lovers. Recreational events take place all over the park. The Hollywood Sign and Greek Theater are places of interest for out of town visitors and locals alike. The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens are also located here and golf courses are spread throughout as well. It’s easy to see people enjoying themselves everywhere in the park.
Wildlife and vegetation are important aspects to the park and a cougar named P-22 lives somewhere in these hills. Forest fires have a detrimental impact for the survival of life that calls this location home. In May of 2007, a wildfire decimated 817 acres. This destroyed the bird sanctuary while causing hundreds of people to evacuate. The fire also threatened the zoo and observatory but ended up barely sparing them both. This is a dire problem due to the extremely dry climate in southern California. “No smoking” and “No campfire” signs are posted throughout in an attempt to keep fires from starting.
Griffith is robust and less disturbed by humans as opposed to New York City’s Central Park and Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Many different perspectives of downtown Los Angeles are accessible from Griffith Park. Visitors can also see Runyon Canyon from the park’s observatory. The Autry Museum, Bronson Canyon, La Kretz Bridge, merry-go-round and the Southern Railroad are other notable attractions.
