Echo Park in Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Aimee Semple McPherson
The Lotus of Echo Park Lake
— An Icon Blooms —
Aimee Semple McPherson (1890-1944) founded the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel and was a well-known figure in Los Angeles. After her founding of the Angelus Temple in 1923, the population of the Echo Park neighborhood greatly increased as thousands of faithful followers came together to be closer to "Sister Aimee" as she preached.
In the 1920s, when Echo Park Lake was still in its infancy, McPherson imported lotuses from China and, it is believed, placed them in Echo Park Lake. From their early beginnings in the Lake, McPherson's lotuses quickly grew to take on cultural and spiritual significance for the neighborhood as well as the greater City of Los Angeles.
The annual Lotus Festival, begun in 1972 as "The Day of the Lotus," celebrates the City's Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Held in July to coincide with the blooming of the lotus flowers, the festival typically includes multi-cultural presentations, food, music, and dragon boat races.
· The flowers of the Asian Lotus (Netumbo nucifera) are sacred to many people around the world, serving as a symbol of rebirth, purity and life.
· Lotus plants help to improve water quality by taking in nitrogen and phosphorus.
· During the Lotus Festival, each dragon boat team has eight members, including a coxwain (the person steering in the back of the boat) and a drummer.
Erected by City of Los Angeles. (Marker Number 836.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • Horticulture & Forestry • Parks & Recreational Areas • Women. In addition, it is included in the Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument series list.
Location. 34° 4.517′ N, 118° 15.676′ W. Marker is in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Echo Park. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Glendale Boulevard and Park Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Located in the park, at the northwest corner of the lake. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Los Angeles CA 90026, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. José Martí Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Queen of the Angels (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Angelus Temple (about 400 feet away); 817 N Glendale Bl (about 600 feet away); Taix French Restaurant (approx. 0.2 miles away); Jensen’s Recreation Center (approx. 0.2 miles away); Tom of Finland House (approx. 0.4 miles away); Bates House (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.
Regarding Aimee Semple McPherson. The lake was originally a reservoir in the city’s water system, built in 1868, filled by a ditch from the Los Angeles River. Other reservoirs converted to parks include Eastlake Park and Westlake Park, which were renamed Lincoln Park and MacArthur Park.
City parks superintendent Joseph Tomlinson coined the name of this park, which later became the name of the neighborhood. He chose the name because of echoes he heard during the construction of Echo Park Lake in 1892.
Echo Park Lake is Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 836, designated in 2006.
Also see . . . Aimee Semple McPherson, Wikipedia. (Submitted on August 26, 2018.)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 25, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 26, 2018, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 561 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 26, 2018, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 3. submitted on May 19, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 4, 5, 6. submitted on August 26, 2018, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.