Park Within a Park: Montecillo de Leo Politi Park
If you’ve spent much time in Elysian Park, you’ve probably encountered Montecillo de Leo Politi Park. It’s a canyon park space, tucked away near Scott and Academy roads that can be reserved for private events.
Who was Leo Politi?
Montecillo de Leo Politi Park is a dedicated memorial to Leo Politi, a prominent artist, and author born in Fresno, who gained fame in Los Angeles by residing as one of the last remaining residents of Bunker Hill. Politi was known as "The Artist of Olvera Street" and produced various murals and publications celebrating the ethnic diversity of the region, with a particular focus on children and children's literature. His work earned him the moniker "the Italian Dr. Seuss."
To commemorate Politi's legacy, Sunset Boulevard and Echo Park Avenue were renamed Leo Politi Square in 2008, on the centenary of his birth. The Leo Politi tree stands opposite the Biscailuz Building at Olvera Street, where his 1978 mural "The Blessing of the Animals" is also on display. Leo Politi Elementary School is located near the intersection of Olympic and Hoover in the Pico-Union district of Los Angeles. This hillside canyon picnic area was dedicated to Politi in 1994, two years before his passing at the age of 87.
Grassy meadow in the Montecillo de Leo Politi Park.
A small amphitheater in the park for gatherings or events.
Amenities in the Montecillo de Leo Politi Park
Although it is one of the least-utilized areas of Elysian Park, the Montecillo de Leo Politi Park boasts tennis courts and comfort stations that were constructed in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration, as well as the former Recreation Lodge.
While it was once a site where people could rent a lodge with kitchen facilities by permit, it is now referred to as the "Old Lodge" site. In 1965, a proposed convention center threatened the lodge and picnic area, but Grace E. Simons successfully prevented the plan from being executed (and founded our organization!). However, a fire in the early 1980s, which burned over 300 acres, resulted in the destruction of the lodge.
