In the 1880s, the city of Los Angeles received a thirty-five-acre mud pit and a garbage dump in a land exchange with George S. Patton Sr., the father of the famed World War II general.
Generous application of fertilizer and sweat transformed these raw lands into Westlake Park, an attractive public space for everyone’s enjoyment. A boating lake attracted visitors to Westlake Park, then on the remote western side of the city, quickly turning it into a popular recreational spot.
Wilshire Boulevard began at the west end of the park in 1895, and for nearly thirty years, the park prevented traffic from continuing towards downtown. On December 7, 1934, a viaduct traversing the park connected the original length of Wilshire Boulevard with the final stretch leading to downtown.
In 1942, Westlake Park’s name was changed to MacArthur Park in honor of Army General Douglas MacArthur, influenced by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst, who thought it might boost his presidential ambitions for General MacArthur.
The park is bisected by Wilshire Boulevard. The section south of the boulevard contains a lake, while the northern section houses an amphitheater, a music pavilion, and a children’s playground.
In 2007, the Levitt Pavilion at MacArthur Park was inaugurated, providing the community with free music and entertainment. The pavilion has historically been a renowned stage for jazz, big band, salsa, and world music concerts.
MacArthur Park has been a filming location for popular movies such as ‘Volcano’ (1997), ‘Training Day’ (2001), ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,’ and ‘Drive’ (2011).
