Finding Aid for the Committee for Simon Rodia's Towers in Watts Records

UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections

Manuscripts Division

Los Angeles, CA

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Edited by:: Josh Fiala, April 2004

Descriptive Summary

Title: Committee for Simon Rodia's Towers in Watts Records,

Date (inclusive): 1954

Collection number: 1388

Creator: Committee for Simon Rodia's Towers in Watts

Extent: 25 boxes (11 linear ft.) 7 oversize boxes

Repository: University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.

Los Angeles, California 90095-1575

Abstract: The Towers in the Watts area of Los Angeles, nine major sculptures of structural steel covered with mortar, were built by Simon Rodia. He called the towers “Nuestro Pueblo,” and built them without the use of machine equipment or scaffolding. In 1954, Rodia deeded his property to a neighbor, and after the Los Angeles City Department of Building and Safety ordered the structure demolished, The Committee for Simon Rodia's Towers in Watts collected signatures and money, and devised an engineering test that proved the Towers' safety (1959). In 1975, the Committee gave the Towers to the city, and in 1978 they were deeded to the state, which undertook restoration work. In 1985, restoration responsibilities were given to the Los Angeles City Cultural Affairs Department, and the Towers are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The collection contains materials generated by the Committee for Simon Rodia's Towers in Watts relating to the effort to save the Towers, a selected bibliography of articles about the Towers, photographs and pictures, legal documents, audiotapes, films, slides, videotape, transcripts of interviews with Simon Rodia and others, and material regarding the Watts riots and the community response to the Towers.

Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.

Language: English.

Administrative Information

Restrictions on Access

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.

Restrictions on Use and Reproduction

Copyright to portions of this collection has been assigned to the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections. The library can grant permission to publish for materials to which it holds the copyright. All requests for permission to publish or quote must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian, Department of Special Collections.] Credit shall be given as follows: [c in circle] The Regents of the University of California on behalf of the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Committee for Simon Rodia's Towers in Watts Records (Collection 1388). Department of Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Provenance/Source of Acquisition

Gift of William Cartwright, 1984.
Gift of J. Bud Goldstone, 1992.
Gift of Norma Ashley-David, 1992.
Gift of Herbert Kahn, 1997.
Gift of Jeanne Smith Morgan, 1997.

Biography

The Towers built in the Watts area of Los Angeles, nine major sculptures of structural steel covered with mortar, are the work of one person, Simon Rodia; born Sabato Rodia in Rivatoli, Italy in 1879, his family immigrated to the U.S. in the 1890s and settled in Pennsylvania, and Rodia found work in rock quarries and as a tile setter after moving to the West Coast; purchased property in 1921 and by himself began building what he called Nuestro Pueblo, without the use of machine equipment or scaffolding; in 1954 Rodia deeded his property to a neighbor, and after the Los Angeles City Department of Building and Safety ordered the structure demolished, The Committee for Simon Rodia's Towers in Watts collected signatures and money, devising an engineering test that proved the Towers' safety in 1959; in 1975 the Committee gave the Towers to the city, and in 1978 they were deeded to the state, which undertook restoration work; in 1985 restoration responsibilities were given to the Los Angeles City Cultural Affairs Department; the Towers are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and are the location of cultural programs.

Scope and Content

Collection contains correspondence, plans and drawings, newspaper and magazine clippings, pictures, and internal and other papers generated by the Committee relating to the effort to save the Towers. Also contains selected bibliography of articles about the Towers, photographs and pictures, and legal documents relating to the Watts property, among them a copy of Simon Rodia's will, announcements of Building and Safety Commission hearings, copies of grant deeds that were drawn up to continue financial support to the Towers, and an insurance policy. Also contains audiotapes, films, slides, videotape, transcripts of interviews with Simon Rodia and others, and material regarding the Watts riots and the community response to the Towers.

Organization and Arrangement

Arranged in the following series:

Background (Box 1).
Correspondence (Box 1).
Minutes, proceedings, etc. (Box 2).
Printed material (Box 2).
Miscellaneous (Box 2).
Ashley-David (Boxes 3-4).
Goldstone (Boxes 5-6).

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the repository's online public access catalog.

Subjects

Rodia, Simon, 1879-1965.

Committee for Simon Rodia's Towers in Watts--Archives.

Simon Rodia's Towers (Los Angeles, Calif.).

Container List

William Cartwright

[Records]

Background

Information

Box 1, Folder 1

Papers.

Box 1, Folder 2

Pictures.

Office

Correspondence

Box 1, Folder 3

To the Committee for Simon Rodia's Towers in Watts, A - L.

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by author in this series unless noted otherwise.

Box 1, Folder 4

M - Z.

Box 1, Folder 5

To Mayor Norris Poulson.

Box 1, Folder 6

To Councilman John Gibson.

Box 1, Folder 7

To Los Angeles Board of Building & Safety Commissioners.

Box 1, Folder 8

To Jack Linkletter, host of CBS - TV “On the Go.”

Box 1, Folder 9

To miscellaneous influential people.

Minutes, Proceedings, etc.

Box 2, Folder 1

Materials generated by the Committee for Simon Rodia's Towers in Watts.

Arrangement

This material arranged chronologically.

Box 2, Folder 2

Legal documents.

Printed Material

Box 2, Folder 3

Clippings, n.d.

Box 2, Folder 4

Clippings, 1950-1959.

Box 2, Folder 5

Clippings, 1960-1974.

Box 2, Folder 6

Copies of publications.

Miscellaneous

Box 2, Folder 7

Miscellaneous.

Note

[Materials through this box brief-listed by -------, transcribed into database 5/98 by dl].

Norma Ashley David

Records

History, etc.

Audio Record

Box 3, Folder 3

Interview with Norma Ashley David.

Physical Description: 4 reels. Tape and copies.

Scope and Content Note

Some in Rodia's apartment. With child Jonathan David.

Box 5, Folder 2

Interview with Simon Rodia, ca. 1960.

Physical Description: Cassette.

Scope and Content Note

In Martinez, California. Some in Rodia's apartment.

Film Record

Box 3, Folder 2

Watts Towers, commissioned by Ashley David. ca. 1963-1964.

Physical Description: 2 reels.

Scope and Content Note

Photographer Douglas Cox.

Box 4, Folder 1

Survey of Watts Towers, silent. 1960-1961.

Physical Description: 2 reels 16 mm. [Oversize Box].

Note

Unclear whether 2 copies of same film.

Box 3, Folder 1

5 minute film, 1965.

Physical Description: 16 mm.

Scope and Content Note

From Slattery's People, television show, Bing Crosby productions.

Bud Goldstone

Records

History

Audio Recording

Box 5, Folder 1

Interviews with Bob Goldstone, et al.n.d.

Physical Description: 2 cassettes, 3 reels.

Photographic

Box 5, Folder 3

Photo, 2 buttons, token, n.d.

Printed Material

Box 5, Folder 6

Miscellaneous publications, manuscript, notes, newspaper articles. v.d.

Photographic

Box 6, Folder 4

Photo of newspaper collage re Watts Towers, ca. 1959/n.d.

Box 6, Folder 1

Slides, n.d.

Interviews

Box 5, Folder 5

Typescript of interview with Simon Rodia and unidentified manuscript, n.d.

Video Record [VHS]

Box 6, Folder 2

Spikes to the Sun, KCET. 1992 May.

Physical Description: 27 min.

Box 6, Folder 3

Watts Towers, ca. 1960.

Physical Description: 17: 15 min.

Printed Material

Box 5, Folder 4

Watts Towers pamphlet, n.d.

Herbert Kahn

Towers Committee Records

All Subjects

Chronological Files of Herbert Kahn

Box 29, Folder 1

1959.

Scope and Content Note

These files contain correspondence, plans (some separated and housed oversize), brochures, clippings (removed and filed separately), photographs (removed and filed separately), etc. Topics are listed generally by donor. This year: the 1959 stress test of the Towers, etc. Minutes of meetings, engineering reports, hearing tests, etc.

Box 29, Folder 2

Towers structure. Notes by HK, 1959.

Chronological Files

Box 29, Folder 3

1960.

Scope and Content Note

Draft of By-laws for the Committee, minutes, financial report, etc.

Box 29, Folder 4

1961.

Scope and Content Note

Financial report, Outline of Towers talk by Farrell / Goldstone, Site development Scheme A by Larsen, Kahn, and Farrell, etc.

Box 29, Folder 5

1962.

Scope and Content Note

Minutes, Goldstone paper, bibliography, Art Center material, etc.

Box 29, Folders 6-7

1963.

Scope and Content Note

Minutes, Century Freeway material, Community Center Association, bibliography, letters, architect's development response to freeway, etc.

Box 30, Folder 1

1964.

Scope and Content Note

Minutes, Planning development, bibliography, Supervisor John Anson Ford letter to the Committee.

Box 30, Folder 2

1965.

Scope and Content Note

Minutes, Development for community activities at the Towers, etc.

Box 30, Folder 3

1966.

Scope and Content Note

Minutes, Meeting for Redevelopment plan, Vest pocket parks, Teen post, Jeanne Morgan proposals, Leporte letter, Lucille Krasne letter, etc.

Box 30, Folder 4

1967.

Scope and Content Note

Proposed By-laws. Proposal to Mayor Yorty for the City to take over the towers, Westways article, etc.

Box 30, Folder 5

1968.

Scope and Content Note

Minutes of meetings for development of community activities at the Towers.

Box 30, Folder 6

1971-1973.

Scope and Content Note

No folders listed or transferred for 1969 or 1970. Minutes, Proposal for the Watts Towers Art Center, By-laws (1973), etc.

Box 30, Folder 7

1983-1984.

Scope and Content Note

No folders listed or transferred for years between 1973 and 1983. Correspondence With Rees, Daniel Ward, Brad Byer, etc.

Towers and Art Center

HK'S File

Box 30, Folder 8

Various items, notes, plans, photograph of rendering, etc.

Office Files

HK's File Marked “Miscellaneous”

Box 30, Folder 9

Los Angeles City parks items, etc.

Towers Cultural Center

Box 30, Folder 10

Small photographs of renderings and models, etc.

Towers and Relationship to Neighborhood of Watts

Box 30, Folder 11

Various lists, plans, etc.

Towers and Community

Box 26, Folders 1-4

Various plans, drawings, etc. 1959.

Note

These and other plans were folded and filed with chronological files. Now filed [Oversize Box].

Box 26, Folder 5

Miscellaneous sketches, plans. v.d.

Note

These and other plans were folded and filed with chronological files. Now filed [Oversize Box].

Towers Records

Curatorial

Photographic Material Kept / Taken by Herbert Kahn

Box 31, Folder 13

Stress test, etc. 1959[?].

Physical Description: Small prints.

Box 31, Folder 14

n.d./ca. 1959[?].

Physical Description: Black and white negatives.

Box 31, Folder 15

Phoebe Goldstone photographs of Stress test. 1959.

Physical Description: Large black and white glossy prints. Typed captions with most.

Box 31, Folder 16

Captions to Goldstone photographs, ca. 1959.

Physical Description: Photocopied onto acid free paper.

Box 31, Folder 17

Area around Towers, 1963 March.

Physical Description: (Black and white negatives)

Box 31, Folder 18

Area around Towers, 1963 March.

Physical Description: (Small black and white prints)

Scope and Content Note

Some taped together to show look of street.

Box 31, Folder 19

Watts Center, study group of Children[?], 1960s[?].

Physical Description: (Black and white print) and (small color prints)

Box 31, Folder 20

Towers and center, 1960s[?].

Physical Description: (Color slides)

Scope and Content Note

In 4 sleeves (one sleeve has only one slide). Contains views of Towers (by Hamada?), model of center designed by Hamada, etc.

Jeanne Morgan

Repair Crisis

Possible Article

Manuscript Material

Box 7, Folder 1

Rodia Towers in Watts suffer savage restoration and neglect, etc. n.d.

Success And Far Distance In California

“ New Yorker Magazine Visits Simon Rodia”

Manuscript Material By Jeanne Morgan

Box 7, Folder 2

1982[?].

Scope and Content Note

Also letters to editor, Smithsonian Magazine.

Confrontation

Manuscript Material, etc.

Box 7, Folder 3

Various notes, drafts by JM. ca. 1976.

Possible Articles

Manuscript Material

Box 7, Folder 4

Various notes, drafts by JM. ca. 1979.

[Articles]

Manuscript Material

Box 7, Folder 5

Notes, rough starts. ca. 1978-1979[?].

Scope and Content Note

Also, some correspondence.

Research Material[?]

Box 7, Folder 6

Bibliographies. v.d.

Box 7, Folder 7

Tiles. Notes and clippings, n.d.

Manuscript / Publication Material[?]

Box 7, Folder 8

Leaflet work-ups. n.d.

Scope and Content Note

Photocopies, paste ups of previous leaflets, etc.

Victory

What it Took

Manuscript Material[?]

Box 7, Folder 9

Notes. n.d.

To The Team That Prevailed

Distribution Material

Box 7, Folder 10

Press release, list of names, etc. 1980 August 20.

Morgan Tapes

Interview Material

Box 7, Folder 11

Dan Ward, interviewer. 1984 February 18.

Physical Description: Cassettes.

False Restoration Of Rodia's Towers

A Study in Art vs. Politics

Manuscript Material

Box 7, Folder 12

Panel paper. 1984 March 13.

Box 7, Folder 13

Various versions. 1979-1980.

Scope and Content Note

Also notes, research material.

“What's Up With Watts?”

Publication Material

Box 7, Folder 14

By JM. In: Bay Area Lawyers for the Arts, the Working Arts. 1980 Winter.

Research, Manuscript Material

Box 7, Folder 15

By JM. ca. 1980.

Scope and Content Note