Oddity Odysseys
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THE LUMMIS CASTLE

Location: Los Angeles, CA
​Accessibility: Easy

​Created: 1897 
Born in 1859, Charles Fletcher Lummis would go on to lead a life full of adventure, creativity, and endeavors, and become known as a true American character. Revered as a journalist, an activist for Indian rights, historian, photographer, poet, librarian and more, Lummis wrote numerous literary works to preserve his place in history. 

In 1884, Lummis was working at a newspaper in a little town north of Cincinnati when he decided to expand his horizons. Author of “Tramp Across the Continent”, 25-year-old Lummis set off on foot, sporting a pair of knickerbockers and street shoes to journey from Cincinnati to California to earn the attention of the staff at the Los Angeles Times. Speculated to have made the trek *almost* entirely by walking, Lummis set foot in Los Angeles after 3,507 miles and was offered a job in the astute position as Editor of the Los Angeles Times. Beginning work at the Times on Monday, February 2, 1885, Lummis covered an array of interesting stores from the community. Unfortunately, Lummis suffered a mild stroke years later and was paralyzed on the left side of his body. 

In 1885, Lummis relocated to New Mexico to recover from his stroke, hunker down on his writing and publish “Some Strange Corner Of Our Country”. After garnering a bit of his strength back following his stroke, Lummis brought a 3-acre plot in 1895. Over the next 13 years, Lummis would use materials from the Arroyo Seco to build a 4,000 square foot home. Also known as El Alisal - the place of the sycamore trees - the Lummis house became Charles’ own castle. In the 1920s, after gaining a new lease on life and a fervent bout of writing, Charles Lummis passed away in his El Alisal on November 25, 1928. Now open to the public as a museum, the Lummis House totes hand-carved doors, a basement, relics from Charles’ life, numerous rooms, and a rich history. Once thought of a “party” house for writers, artists, and prominent figures, the Lummis House is open from 10 AM to 3 PM on Saturdays and Sundays to those who wish to explore Charles Fletcher Lummis’ El Alisal. 
  • New Episodes
  • Adventure Archive
    • 2023 Episodes >
      • Zzyzx
    • 2022 Episodes >
      • The Salton Sea Naval Base
      • Desert Christ Park
      • Rubel Castle
      • The Radford Art Walk
      • George Air Force Base
      • The Cal-Earth Institute
      • The Venice Canals
      • Mount Rubidoux
      • Queen Califia's Magical Circle
      • Scary Dairy
      • Fort MacArthur
      • Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch
    • 2020 Episodes >
      • The Lummis Castle
      • The Sky Slide
      • The Galleta Meadows Sculptures
      • Burro Schmidt Tunnel
      • The Global Angel Wings Project
      • The Topanga Time Tunnel
      • Solstice Canyon
      • The Kea Mill
      • Tankland
      • Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle Village
      • Cabot's Pueblo
    • 2019 Episodes >
      • The Shoemaker Tunnels
      • The Canned Heat Suicide House
      • Angels Flight
      • Echo Mountain
      • Amir's Garden
      • The Amboy Crater
      • Hazel's Volcanic Gardens
      • East Jesus
      • Rock-a-Hoola Waterpark
      • The Mojave Lava Tube
      • The Mosaic Tile House
      • The Krampus Run
    • 2018 Episodes >
      • Devil's Gate Dam
      • Salvation Mountain
      • The Cat House
      • The Sutro Bath Ruins
      • Bring Your Own Big Wheel
      • The Wave Organ
      • The Bay Bridge Troll
      • The Peephole Cinema
      • Nike Missile Site LA-88L
      • The High Tower Elevator
    • 2017 Episodes >
      • The Bridge to Nowhere
      • The Musical Road
      • The Old Los Angeles Zoo
      • The St. Francis Dam
      • Phantasma Gloria
      • The Sunken City
      • Nike Missile Site LA-96C
      • The Prohibition Tunnels
      • Vasquez Rocks
      • Big Horn Mine
      • The 2017 Total Solar Eclipse
    • 2016 Episodes >
      • The Laguna Beach Pirate Tower
      • The Great Wall of Los Angeles
      • Murphy's Ranch
      • The Chemosphere
      • The Los Feliz Murder Mansion
      • The Music Box Steps
      • Bronson Cave
      • The Shakespeare Bridge
      • The S.S. Dominator Shipwreck
      • The Last Bookstore
      • Picnic Table #29
  • Map
  • Contact Us