Local Namesakes

Each of the nearly 200 parks and recreation centers in the San Fernando Valley area is named after someone or something. Some of the references--Chatsworth Park North in Chatsworth, Jesse Owens Mini-Park in Van Nuys--are obvious. Others might be a bit obscure. Some of the more creative and interesting names:

Apollo Park, Lancaster: This park was named for Apollo 11’s manned flight to the moon. Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin, the second man to set foot on the moon, was the honored guest at the park’s 1972 dedication ceremony. Each of the park’s three lakes was named for one of Apollo 11’s crew members--Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins--and an Apollo capsule marks the park’s entrance.

Dexter Park, San Fernando: This county park was named for the Wheaton Dexter family, which originally owned the park property.

Fehlhaber-Houk Park, Tujunga: The 1.2-acre park rests on land that once was part of Fehlhaber Ranch, an early settlement north of La Tuna Canyon. The property was donated to the city of Los Angeles in 1975 by John L. Houk and Betty H. Swanson, who stipulated that the site be called Fehlhaber-Houk Park.

Hjelte Sports Center, Sepulveda Basin: The center, which includes multipurpose fields suitable for baseball, football, soccer and most other outdoor sports, was named in honor of George Hjelte, who died in 1979 at age 85. For nearly four decades, Hjelte worked for the city Department of Recreation and Parks, eventually reaching the office of general manager before retiring in 1962.

McGroarty Park and Cultural Art Center, Tujunga: Originally known as Rancho Chupa Rosa when it was built in 1923, the property served as the private residence of John Steven McGroarty, a poet, historian, dramatist, journalist and congressman. When he died in 1944, the house and adjoining land were willed to his niece. The city of Los Angeles purchased the property in 1953 and, in 1970, the home was declared a historical monument.

Orcutt Ranch Horticulture Center, West Hills: The center occupies just a corner of what was originally known as Orcutt Ranch, the 200-acre vacation residence of William and Mary Orcutt. Orcutt, known by some as the father of modern geology, came to Los Angeles in 1899 to work for Union Oil. While probing La Brea Tar Pits, Orcutt stumbled across the remains of a giant sloth, touching off one of the richest paleontological finds in history. He eventually went on to become president of Union Oil. In 1966, what remained of the Orcutt estate and gardens was purchased by the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and designated Historical Monument No. 31.

Parque de la Amistad, San Fernando: Friendship Park is actually a park within a park. The playground, recently constructed in a corner of Las Palmas Park, was funded largely through money raised by community members who wanted to offer their children an alternative to gang membership.

John Quimby Park, Canoga Park: This small park, which includes a children’s playground and outdoor basketball courts, was named in honor of John P. Quimby, a former assemblyman from San Bernardino. Quimby was responsible for pushing through legislation, which became known as the Quimby Act, requiring developers to set aside land or funds for development of local parks.

Two Strike Park, La Crescenta: This park was not named in honor of one of baseball’s best clutch hitters nor after a lucky prospector who uncovered a pair of veins. Rather, the County Board of Supervisors adopted the name in 1954 to recognize the land’s donation by a group known as Two Strike Series Inc.

Tapia Park, Calabasas: This park, under the jurisdiction of the county Parks & Recreation Department, was named for the family of Felipe Santiago Tapia. A soldier with Juan Bautista de Anza’s second expedition in 1775-76, Tapia eventually settled in the Malibu area. His son, Jose Bartolme, received a land grant and built a house along the coast in 1802.