The Watts Towers

Simon Rodia built the Watts Towers between 1921 and 1954. The 17 interconnected structures reach a height of 99 feet.

Rodia used steel rebar wrapped with wire mesh held in place by his own brew of concrete. The structures were embedded with pieces of recycled material - bottles, ceramic tiles, figurines, seashells and more.

After Rodia left the property in 1954, a series of preservation efforts saved the towers from demolition. Today the Simon Rodia State Historic Park is a National Historic Landmark, California Historical Landmark, a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument and on the National Register of Historic Places.

The site is open for tours on Wednesday through Sunday. Tickets for a guided tour are $7 for adults.

Tickets are purchased at the adjacent community center, The Watts Towers Art Center. Tours start every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday thru Saturday. Sunday tours are conducted from noon till 3 p.m. Also check out their excellent ten minute documentary on Simon Rodia.

For more information, check out this website: Watts Towers

This week I posted 25 photos on flickr: 2016 Watts Towers.

This is my latest visit to 'folk art' sites around Southern California. Here are some others I've posted on flickr:

Tio's Tacos in Riverside.

Old Trapper's Lodge at Pierce College

Walls of Dunsmore Park in Glendale

Chandelier Tree in Silver Lake

In 2011 Desert Christ Park in Yucca Valley

In 2012 Salvation Mountain near Niland

And back in 2008 Bottle Village in Simi Valley