Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California

Silver Lake is a hilly district east of Hollywood in the city of Los Angeles, California. Silver Lake is inhabited by a wide variety of ethnicity including many Latinos and socioeconomic groups, but it is best known as an eclectic gathering of hipsters, the creative class and a noticeable presence of LGBT people.

Silver Lake contains some of the most famous modernist architecture in North America. Architect Richard Neutra, designer of many homes in the area, built his own home on Silver Lake Boulevard. The house still exists, and is visited by architecture fans and students. Neutra's offices were nearby on Glendale Boulevard. The building signage bears the name of his firm.

View of the Silver Lake neighborhood.

Geography

Silver Lake is divided between the Zip Codes of 90039 and 90026, with part of Sunset Junction in 90029 and with parts of Hyperion and Fountain Avenues in 90027.

Silver Lake has a fair share of businesses, but is better known for its residential areas. It has a wide variation in ethnicities and subcultures, including a large gay population. After the two zip codes in the West Hollywood area, 90046 and 90069, Silver Lake's 90026 zip code has the highest number of same-sex couples in the Los Angeles metro area.^[1]

Silver Lake is bordered by Echo Park to the east and southeast, Atwater Village to the north, Historic Filipinotown to the south, Virgil Village to the south-west, East Hollywood to the west and Los Feliz to the northwest.

As of the census of 2000, there are 44,351 people in the neighborhood. The racial makeup of the neighborhood is 57.35% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race, 40.53% White (21.24% non-Hispanic white), 2.74% African American, 1.10% Native American, 16.58% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 33.25% from other races, and 5.65% from two or more races.^[2]

History

Hyperion-Rowena shopping area in northern Silver Lake

Reservoir

Originally called "Ivanhoe," the neighborhood was named after the man-made reservoir which lies at its center. The reservoir was named "Ivanhoe" after the 1819 Sir Walter Scott novel, Ivanhoe. One story about the name attributes it to land speculator and Gabrieliño Indians advocate Hugo Reid.^[3] Many streets in Silver Lake are named for characters in Ivanhoe, including Rowena and Herkimer, or have British names such as St. George.

The reservoir is divided into upper and lower sections. The upper section retains the name Ivanhoe, while the lower section alone is properly known as Silver Lake. "Silver Lake" was named in 1906 not for its color, but after Herman Silver (1830-1913), a member of Los Angeles’ first Board of Water Commissioners. The reservoir is operated by the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP). Currently it provides water to communities in South Los Angeles but is in the process of being decommissioned along with Elysian reservoir after unusually high levels of bromate were discovered in both during October 2007.^[4] Silver Lake's water resources will be replaced by an underground reservoir in Griffith Park, while the existing lake will be converted to recreational use. The transition is underway with a walking/running track being completed around the perimeter and a dog park, the Ben Gigli Silverlake Dog Park, and a nursery school on the East side of the lake.

Neighborhood

View of the world famous Sunset Junction

Micheltoreana Street School

Thomas Starr King Middle School

During the 1930s, Walt Disney built his first large studio in Silver Lake at the corner of Griffith Park Blvd and Hyperion, now the site of Gelson's Market. A few blocks away on Glendale Blvd was the studio of Tom Mix. The location is now occupied by the Mixville shopping center. It is rumored that Mix buried his steed "Tony, the Wonder Horse" on the property. The famous flight of stairs in Laurel and Hardy's film The Music Box are located between lower Descanso Drive and Vendome Street, as it winds up and around the hill.

In recent years the gentrification of the neighborhood has begun to intensify^[5] including the opening of many stylish indie boutiques, coffee shops, fitness studios, and restaurants.

The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council^[6] was formed in the early 2000s and certified in February, 2003. Its 21-member Governing Board has been elected each September thereafter. Recent projects have included 'Street Medallions', created by artist Cheri Gaulke, and 'ArtCans' created by several different artists and groups.

The SL Residents Association,^[3] SL Improvement Association,^[7], Committee to Save SL's Reservoirs,^[8] the SL Chamber of Commerce and Neighbors for Peace & Justice are all active in the area.

Music

Since the 1990s, Silver Lake has become the center of the alternative and indie rock scene in Los Angeles. The Sunset Junction Street Fair, a major event in August, is held there. It also is — or has been — the home of musicians such as Andrew McMahon, Autolux, Beck, Beth Hart, Bon Harris, Bret McKenzie, Chuck Ragan, Darker My Love, Earlimart, Eels, Elliott Smith, The Elected, Eulogies, Giant Drag, Irving, Jane's Addiction, Joey Waronker, Karen O, Lou Barlow, Mia Doi Todd, Mr. Criminal, Pavement, Piebald, Porno for Pyros, Moving Units, The Shore Henry Rollins, Rilo Kiley, 8 Bit Weapon, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Roddy Bottum, Scarling., Sea Wolf, The One AM Radio and Tom Waits. The band Silversun Pickups took its name from the strip mall at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Silver Lake Boulevard. Since the indie rock music scene is particularly prominent in this neighborhood, comparisons are often drawn between Silver Lake and New York City's Williamsburg district. As a result, it is sometimes referred to as the "Williamsburg of the West". Dangerhouse Records was named after a house located on Carondelet Street. Dangerbird Records was founded in Silver Lake, and is currently located in the Sunset Junction neighborhood.

Also, it is the setting of the song 'From Silver Lake' by Jackson Browne.

Education

The area is served by the Los Angeles Unified School District. Schools serving Silver Lake include:^[5]

• Bellevue Primary School
• Ivanhoe Elementary School
• Micheltorena Street Elementary School
• Thomas Starr King Middle School
• John Marshall High School
• St. Teresa of Avila Elementary School

Notable residents past and present

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2009)

See also

• List of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments in Silver Lake, Angelino Heights, and Echo Park

References

External links

• LA City Council District 13
• History of Silver Lake

	Los Feliz, Los Angeles	Atwater Village, Los Angeles	Glassell Park, Los Angeles	v • d • e
	Virgil Village, Los Angeles	Silver Lake, Los Angeles	Mount Washington, Los Angeles
	Filipinotown, Los Angeles	Echo Park, Los Angeles	Edendale, Los Angeles

v • d • e City of Los Angeles Topics History · Transportation · Culture · Landmarks · Historic Places · Skyscrapers · Demographics · Crime · Sports · Media · Music · Notable people Government Mayors · City Council · Other elected officials · Fire Department · Police · Public schools Regions Downtown · Eastside · Harbor Area · Greater Hollywood · Westlake & Silver Lake/Los Feliz · San Fernando and Crescenta Valleys · South Los Angeles · Westside · Wilshire

v • d • e Areas north and west of downtown Los Angeles, California Districts and neighborhoods Angelino Heights · Echo Park · Elysian Park · Elysian Heights · Elysian Valley· Franklin Hills · Historic Filipinotown · Los Feliz · Mission Junction · Pico-Union · Silver Lake · Solano Canyon · Sunset Junction · Westlake Points of interest Dodger Stadium · Griffith Park · MacArthur Park See also Glendale Downtown · Eastside/Northeast · Harbor Area · Greater Hollywood · Westlake & Silver Lake/Los Feliz · San Fernando and Crescenta Valleys · South Los Angeles · Westside · Wilshire

Coordinates: 34°05′38″N 118°16′18″W / 34.093894°N 118.271598°W / 34.093894; -118.271598