Doheny Memorial Library, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189 Public Domain. Release under the CC BY Attribution license--http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/--Credit both “University of Southern California. Libraries” and “California Historical Society” as the source. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library; From the California Historical Society Collection at the University of Southern California Send requests to address or e-mail given USC Libraries Special Collections specol@usc.edu
Description
Photograph of a moreton bay fig tree in a parking lot, planted by Andrew J. Cooper, December 1946. A tree with a short wide trunk stands in the center while its branches extend out to create a lush dome over cars parked in a lot below. A building can be seen to the left while a line of poles can be seen in the right background. Photoprint reads "The tree was planted in 1876 by Andrew J. Cooper. The circumferance of its trunk was bout 30 feet, and later spread to 125 feet while standing 60 feet hight. The botanical name is 'Ficus macrophylla' (Moreton Bay Fig) commonly known as a rubber tree. A number of historical societes were deeply interested in it preservation and from time to time, the Park Department had made effortds to acquire it. At one time, a movement was proposed for a Bond issue to residents of the surrounding area to provide funds for a Park purposes for the preservation and beautification of the tree. The owners of the parcel of land, at that time, refused to sell that portion of the property where the tree was situated, thereby abandoning any efforts of the Park Department to purchase said property. The cost of moving the tree was found to be prohibitive and would necessitate the cutting back of its branches and roots to such an extent that it would be ruined. Under the proposed plans for the improvement of the property, the tree was to remain undisturbed, and was proclaimed to be at all times protected and maintained and the space about it set aside as a park A zone variance was granted to the Shell Oil Company, present owners of the land, upon terms and conditions that the aforementioned tree be preserved.
Type
image
Format
1 photograph : photoprint, b&w 9 x 12 cm. photographic prints photographs
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