National Historic Landmark

Watts Towers of Simon Rodia

Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
Listed
April 12, 1977
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
77000297

About this property

The Watts Towers, Towers of Simon Rodia, or Nuestro Pueblo ("our town" in Spanish) are a collection of 17 interconnected sculptural towers, architectural structures, and individual sculptural features and mosaics within the site of the artist's original residential property in Watts, Los Angeles, California, United States. The entire site of towers, structures, sculptures, pavement, and walls were designed and built solely by Sabato ("Simon" or "Sam") Rodia (1879 or 1886 to 1965), an Italian immigrant construction worker and tile mason, over a period of 33 years from 1921 to 1954. The tallest of the towers is 99.5 feet (30.3 m). The work is an example of outsider art (or Art Brut) and Italian-American naïve art. The Watts Towers were designated a National Historic Landmark and a California Historical Landmark in 1990. They are also a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, and one of nine folk art sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Los Angeles. The Watts Towers of Simon Rodia State Historic Park encompasses the Watts Towers site.

Location

1765 E. 107th St.
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
33.93875, -118.24106

Categories

ARCHITECTUREEUROPEANART
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Nearby Historic Sites

Watts Station
Industrial
0.3 mi
Watts Happening Cultural Center
Industrial
0.3 mi
Lynwood Pacific Electric Railway Depot
Industrial
2 mi
52nd Place Historic District
Civil War
4.1 mi
Muir, John, Branch
Industrial
4.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Watts Riots 1965
1965Modern
0.6 mi
Mexican-American War — Battle of La Mesa
1847Mexican-American War
3.3 mi
Rancho Dominguez — Battle of the Old Woman's Gun
1846Mexican-American War
3.4 mi
Battle of Rio San Gabriel River Crossing
1847Mexican-American War
4.6 mi
Mexican-American War — Battle of Rio San Gabriel
1847Mexican-American War
4.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Watts Towers of Simon Rodia listed on the National Register?

Watts Towers of Simon Rodia was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 12, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Watts Towers of Simon Rodia?

Watts Towers of Simon Rodia is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Watts Towers of Simon Rodia a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Watts Towers of Simon Rodia has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Watts Towers of Simon Rodia?

The period of significance for Watts Towers of Simon Rodia is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Watts Towers of Simon Rodia?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Watts Towers of Simon Rodia will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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