Sharing Memories of the L.A. River

As Roraback is taking his time and hasn’t reached Canoga Park yet, let me say something about Lee’s Lake. If he can find an old Thomas map of the city he’ll see a tiny blue triangle labeled “Lee’s Lake.” It has been replaced by a guard-gated development of condos or “town homes” with a fountain.

About 20 years ago, when we took up bird watching, we stumbled on Lee’s Lake. It was a small pond surrounded by tall trees and bordered by green lawns and a deserted old wooden mansion. We were delighted to find wintering ducks and stately egrets and herons--real wild birds, not your city park mallards. The big house and the grounds were not fenced in, yet few people seemed to frequent it--at least whenever my wife and I would visit the place. It was supposed to have been used as a movie set. It was also supposed to be the source of the L.A. River. I never knew the actual facts behind either supposition.

I get a twinge of regret whenever I drive past the site, thinking how lovely it was--and how strange to find it untouched only 20 (or fewer) years ago. If he can’t find that Thomas map, the old lake was on Roscoe just west of what is now the Hughes plant at Fallbrook.

SANFORD WOHLGEMUTH

Reseda