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THE TOWERS OF SIMON ROD IA
1 7 6 5 E A S T 1 0 7 T H S T R E E T, L O S A N G E L E S 9 0 0 0 2
PUBLIC RECOGNITION
> UNIT OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE HISTORIC PARK SYSTEH
> CULTURAL HERITAGE NONUNENT OF CITY OF LOS ANGELES
> LISTED ON REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES OF NATIONAL TRUST
> UCLA LIBRARY ESTABLISHED THE UCLA RODIA ARCHIVE (APRIL I9B7)
W H AT A R E T H E Y ?
NINE HAJOR SCULPTURES CONSTRUCTED OF STEEL-REINFORCED NORTAR HITH SPIRES FRON 13 FEET TO 99 1/2 FEET TALL EACH SCULPTURE DECORATED HITH NOH-RARE, COLORFUL EARLY THENTIETH CENTURY ART POHERY AND TILES, AND SEA
SHELLS, GLASS, AND ROCK SPECIHENS - INCLUDING:
> THE 3 TALL TOHERS - 55 FEET TALL, 97 1/2 FEET TALL, AND 99 1/2 FEET TALL.
> THE GAZEBO - HITH CIRCULAR BENCH AND 38 FOOT SPIRE, 3 BIRD BATHS, CENTER COLUNN, AND GARDEN
> THE SHIP OF HARCO POLO - HITH 28 FOOT SPIRE
> THE HOUSE - HITH DECORATED FRONT FACADE AND CANOPY ENTRANCE AND 27 FOOT TALL CHINNEY
> THO SHALL TOHERS, ONE 25 FEET TALL
> 240 FEET LONG SURROUNDING HALLS HITH DECORATIONS AND DESIGNS COVERING 4,000 SQUARE FEET OF SURFACES
INCLUDING A GARDEN, BAR B QUE AND SPIRES
> DECORATED FLOOR 1500 SQUARE FEET
W H AT D I D R O D I A A C C O M P L I S H ?
DURING THE 30 YEARS HE HORKED ON THE SCULPTURES, SINGLEHANDED, THE ARTIST BUILT THE STRUCTURAL STEEL
AND NORTAR FRAHEHORK - HIS "CANVAS" - RISING 100 FEET HIGH, HITHOUT THE AID OF SCAFFOLDING, ELECTRIC
DRILLS, HELDING TORCH, OR RIVET GUNS! BEFORE THE KORTAR HARDENED, HE COVERED THE 15,000 SQUARE FEET OF THIS
CANVAS OF DAHP NORTAR HITH THE THOUSANDS OF COLORFUL OBJECTS AND SEA SHELLS HHICH HE HAD COLLECTED.
WHO WAS RODIA?
BORN NEAR NAPLES, ITALY ABOUT 1879, RODIA CANE TO THE U.S.A. AS A TEENAGER. HE BOUGHT THE TRIANGULAR
LOT IN HATTS NEXT TO THE LOS ANGELES-TO-SANTA ANA RED CAR TRANSIT LINE IN THE 1920'S HITH PLANS TO BUILD
THE TOHERS. BORN SABATO RODIA, SAN HAS KNOHN BY THE NANES DON SINON IN LONG BEACH BEFORE ROVING TO HATTS,
AND AS SINON RODILLA DURING HIS THIRTY PLUS YEAR RESIDENCY AT THE TOHERS. DURING THE LATER YEARS HE SPENT
BUILDING AND DECORATING THE SCULPTURES IN EVENINGS AND OVER HEEKENDS, HE EARNED HONEY TO BUY THE STEEL AND
CENENT AS A LABORER FOR SEVERAL CONSTRUCTION CONPANIES. HE GAVE THE DEED TO THE PROPERTY AND TOHERS TO A
NEIGHBOR AND LEFT HATTS FOR HARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA IN 1959, HHERE HE DIED ON JULY 16, 1965.
HOW CAN WE SEE THE TOWERS OF SIMON RODIA?
THE TOHERS ARE LOCATED AT 1765 EAST I07TH STREET IN LOS ANGELES, 2 HILES EAST OF THE HARBOR FREEHAY,
SOUTH OF CENTURY BOULEVARD. YOU CAN ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF THE TOHERS FRON THE STREET EVEN THOUGH PUBLIC
VISITATIONS ARE NOT PERNITTED DURING THE CURRENT CONSERVATION HORK. EACH YEAR, IN JULY AND OCTOBER PUBLIC
TOURS ARE CONDUCTED DURING NUSIC FESTIVALS AND A LINITED NUNBER OF SCHOOL CHILDREN RECEIVE TOURS DURING THE
HEEK. CALL THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS DEPARTHENT, (213) 485-2433 FOR FURTHER INFORHATION.
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
• THE ART OF ASSENBLAGE. HUSEUH OF HODERN ART, NEH YORK
• THE ASCENT OF HAN. BRONOHSKI - BOOK AND FILH
• HUNDREDS OF SHORT ARTICLES THROUGHOUT THE HORLD SINCE 1936
• "THE TOHERS", FILH BY HILLIAH HALE, 1954
• "DANIEL i THE TOHERS", PUBLIC TV 1987 FICTION
• OTHER TV, HOVIES, STAGE PLAYS SINCE I960.
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