USA: Highland Park, Los Angeles

October 2025

The Highland Park community of Los Angeles is just northeast of Downtown and is considered part of NELA. It’s main street – Figueroa Street – was part of the Transitional (1932-1934) and Alternate (1936-1940) Alignments of Route 66. This main drag was replaced on December 30, 1940 with the Arroyo Seco Parkway, which would itself become Route 66. Thus, Highland Park is the first community along Route 66 to be bypassed by a freeway. Highland Park has always been an innovator and an originator in Los Angeles. It was an early artists’ community and its vibrant art and music scene is still on vivid display today. That arts scene began with the California Plein Air movement in the late 1800’s with artists such as Franz Bischoff, Alson Skinner Clark, and husband and wife artists Elmer Wachtel and Marion Kavanaugh. Today, countless galleries share NELA Second Saturday Gallery Night, a tradition that has been ongoing for more than a decade now. Quite a few landmarks make Highland Park a must-see on your Route 66 exploration of Los Angeles. The most famous is probably Chicken Boy, the western-most of the so-called “Muffler Men” along Route 66. Located at 5558 N. Figueroa, Chicken Boy is just a short walk from the Highland Theatre (5604 N. Figueroa), designed by L.A. Smith and opened on 5 March, 1925. Two historic signs along Figueroa have been relit through community efforts: the Highland Theatre rooftop sign as well as the Mannings Coffee Store sign (5705 N. Figueroa). Perfectly located along the Metro Gold Line (light rail), Route 66 here can be easily walked and explored in detail from the Highland Park Station south to either the Southwest Museum or Heritage Square stations.

https://www.route66ca.org/highland-park/

After the cruise from New York City to Los Angeles, my brother continued home and I stayed with TFR for a few days to prepare for my trip to Europe [see: two weeks across Europe]. T took some time off work to show me around, and on days he was at the office, I had a few long walkabouts.

I had no idea at the time that Highland Park was the penultimate "highlight" of Route 66 (the last stop before Santa Monica). I saw the Chicken Man without understanding the significance. That might have been due to the whole neighborhood having a funky vibe. In such a place, a large chicken man atop a building doesn't really stick out but simply adds to the uniqueness. The neighborhood has gone through a golden age, decline, and gentrification. The place is very Latino flavored - after the construction of LA's first freeway, many middle class people left and Mexican-Americans moved in.

Scattered around the hills of Highland Park are old mansions built in a variety of styles. Clearly the place used to have money (a lot of which has returned). In addition, LA's light rail passes right through the center making it easy to skip the car and head to downtown or Pasadena (very nearby). The array of restaurants and bars is also amazing - it is hard to find anything negative to say about it other than it is expensive (as is living in any big, US city).

I hadn't been to Los Angeles in many years. For a brief time Brian considered working there, but finally he decided his career was best advanced by staying in New York City. I often wondered about our life trajectory had we moved to LA. While I was at T's house I gave some thought to "what if I moved here?". However, one never hears of people retiring to California for a reason (mostly financial). I am not sure it would be a wise place to spend my remaining years.

SoCal revisited - I liked it. I need to return more while I can.