Griffith Park Aerodrome

Biplanes at Griffith Field.

In 1882, Colonel Griffith J. Griffith purchased Rancho Los Feliz and created an ostrich farm there. Griffith intended the farm primarily to lure residents of Los Angeles to his nearby property developments. After the real estate boom peaked, claiming he was being haunted by the ghost of previous owner Antonio Feliz, Griffith donated 3,015 acres to the city of Los Angeles. In 1903 Griffith was tried and convicted for shooting and severely wounding his wife. When he left prison, Griffith proposed the construction of an observatory, planetarium, amphitheater, a girls camp and boys camp in the park. The city refused his money.

In 1912, Griffith designated 100 acres of the park, at its northeast corner along the Los Angeles River, be used to "do something to further aviation." The Griffith Park Aerodrome was the result. Aviation pioneer Glenn L. Martin, founder of the Martin Aviation Company, was one of the first customers of the aerodrome, and still keeps a hangar there. The National Guard Air Service operates from this field. The aerodrome features a 2,000-foot (600 m)-long runway, two zeppelin towers, a fully-operational aviation tower and rotating navigation beacon. There are plans for another runway to be completed by the end of 1924. There is also three hangar facilities large enough to accommodate medium-sized zeppelins. (The fourth zeppelin hangar is occupied by a private contractor.) Several public hangars accommodate over thirty aircraft. Several private hangars are located here also, most of them owned or rented by Hollywood celebrities.

In November 1924, Tesla Industries announced they would expand the airfield in exchange for use of the facilities in the development and testing of small aircraft and other projects. Construction of the additional airfield and facilities is expected to be completed in Summer 1925.