Before you, stands the historic Lankershim Bridge. It overlooks the Los Angeles River. This bridge has witnessed dramatic moments in the city’s history. It even includes a catastrophic flood.
The Lankershim Bridge is located on Lankershim Boulevard. This boulevard is a major north-south road in the eastern San Fernando Valley. It stretches for 7.5 miles. The boulevard is named after Isaac Lankershim. He was a founding family member of the area. It is one of North Hollywood’s oldest streets.
In 1912, the area around the Lankershim Bridge was mostly ranches. Two years later, Universal Studios purchased these ranches. These included the Taylor, Boag, Davis, and Hershey ranches. The ranches were once part of the Clyman Ranch. The Lankershim wheat empire owned it. It operated under the name Los Angeles Farm and Milling Company.
The Lankershim Bridge became an iconic landmark. A postcard from around 1916 shows the bridge over the Los Angeles River. It led to the entrance of Universal City. The postcard called it “The Home of the Movies”. In 1915, Universal moved its operations. It moved from the Hollywood/Nestor studio and ranch to its new Lankershim Boulevard location.
But the river was unstable. It ran freely across a flood plain. Its path was unpredictable. The mouth of the river moved often. In March 1938, disaster struck. Two storm systems lashed Southern California. Record-breaking rain triggered one of the worst floods in the region’s history.
On March 2, 1938, Los Angeles experienced its wettest day on record. Downtown received 5.88 inches of rain. The San Fernando Valley suffered severe flooding. Water rushed down from the mountains. It overwhelmed the Los Angeles River.
Part of the Lankershim Bridge crumbled in the collapse. It added to the staggering death toll. A restaurant and homes were damaged near the bridge. The rapidly flowing river overran its banks. It isolated parts of the valley. Telephone services were knocked out. Roads and bridges washed away.
The flood of March 1938 exceeded all previous floods. The most damage occurred along the Los Angeles River. The destruction led to significant changes. New flood control provisions were put in place. The river was channelized. Sepulveda Dam and Hansen Dam were added to the LA River.
The river channel system took about 20 years to complete. It created a concrete barrier between humans and nature. The section of the river that battered the Lankershim Bridge now has vertical concrete walls. The river’s confluence with the Tujunga Wash was moved upstream.
The Lankershim Bridge was replaced in 1940. This was a project by the WPA. The Army Corps of Engineers began a 20-year project. They created a permanent concrete channel for the river. The Lankershim Bridge stands as a testament to resilience. It connects communities. It reminds us of nature’s power. The Lankershim Bridge has witnessed both the rise of Hollywood and the devastating force of the Los Angeles River.