As record rainfall inundated Southern California last week, the scene at the mouth of the Los Angeles River in Long Beach was dramatic. In this March 2, 1938, photo, a salvage crew tries to dig out a gravel truck damaged by flooding along the Los Angeles River. So free-spirited was the Los Angeles River in its natural state, its path to the sea twisted and turned. Trying to tame the riverTo understand why the L.A. River was designed without a lick of nature requires some context. People stand along the banks of a gushing Los Angeles River depicted on a 1908 postcard from Patt Morrison’s collection.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 11, 2024 14:12 UTC