Etan Does LA 265: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Exposition Park) | Sports history

National Register visit 265: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 📍3911 South Figueroa Street, Exposition Park

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum has witnessed countless milestones in international sports, politics and culture. At one point or another it’s been home turf for the Trojans & Bruins, the Rams, Raiders, Chargers and Dodgers. It hosted the very first Super Bowl, and the most-attended World Series game of all time (game 5 of Dodgers v. White Sox in 1959). JFK and MLK have spoken here. Bruce Springsteen, Kendrick Lamar and The Rolling Stones (with Prince opening!) have played there. And of course, it's the only stadium to have hosted the opening and closing ceremonies at two Olympics, with a third on its way in 2028.

But I’d argue that the stories behind the building itself – its evolving architecture, the goals of its construction, its governance, its preservation – are every bit as important to its history as what’s happened inside it.

As the great historian Kevin Starr once put it, “When we think of the Coliseum, we have to think of Los Angeles’s desire to invent itself.”

The Coliseum has a much longer, more layered history than I could cram into this video. Get the full story at EtanDoesLA.com, where you can luxuriate in way more details and photos: https://etandoesla.com/265-los-angele...

PPS: I’ve got an email list! Subscribe to find out when I write something new about something old: https://etandoesla.com/email-signup/

#lacoliseum #olympics #uscfootball #la28 #lahistory #losangeleshistory #sportshistory #expositionpark #historicpreservation #ColiseumForever #historicarchitecture

PHOTO CREDITS:
📷 1: Super Bowl I, 1967 (Wiki user Jimberg13)
📷 2: 1959 World Series, game 5 (USC Libraries Special Collections)
📷 3: MLK, June 1, 1964 (Valley Times Collection / LA Public Library)
📷 4: JFK accepts Democratic nomination, 1960 (Herald Examiner Collection / LA Public Library)
📷 5: 1932 Olympics Opening Day (Library of Congress)
📷 6: 1984 Olympics Opening Ceremonies (National Archives)
📷 7: Coliseum in 1923 (National Archives)
📷 8: William May Garland, 1926 (Security Pacific National Bank Collection / LA Public Library)
📷 9: John & Donald Parkinson (courtesy Stephen Gee)
📷 10: Coliseum under construction, 1922 (UCLA Library Special Collections)
📷 11: Constructing the seating (PD, via USC Libraries & California Historical Society)
📷 12: Coliseum, 1959 (Herald Examiner Collection / LA Public Library)