Watts Towers

Watts Towers, Los Angeles

The Watts Towers, alternatively known as the Towers of Simon Rodia and Nuestro Pueblo, is a series of towers in the Watts section of Los Angeles and built entirely by Italian immigrant Sabato "Simon" Rodia.

Story of the Watts Towers, Los Angeles

It took Mr. Rodia 33 years to complete the towers, finally finishing to project in 1954. He left Watts shortly after completing the towers and never returned, saying that he was disappointed that people were vandalizing his work.

Watts Towers, Los Angeles

The towers themselves are made of mostly found materials like glass, stone, tiles, cans and concrete. Imagine, if you will, Mr. Rodia's life during this time. He's working a backbreaking construction job during the day, only to come home at night and build his towers. FOR THIRTY-THREE YEARS! What was construction like in Los Angeles during the 1920s, 30s, 40s and 50s. Surely, safety wasn't the highest priority, not the mention the physical endurance required.

Watts Towers, Los Angeles

After Mr. Rodia left Watts, city leaders tried to demolish to structures, but were met with resistance from locals and conservation groups. 

Watts Towers, Los Angeles

In 1959, the city tried to show the towers were structurally unsound by using a crane to exert force on the structures, but the stress test proved the towers were sound in their engineering with the crane broke and the towers still stood.

Watts Towers, Los Angeles

In 1990 the site was listed as a National Historic Landmark and has been protected ever since.

Watts Towers, Los Angeles

Though the towers have suffered very minor damage over the years (pieces of mosaic, for example, had to be replaced), the towers have remained remarkably intact. In fact, they suffered only minor damage during the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. There was even a minor quake while we were in L.A., and again, no damage was done to the structures.

Watts Towers, Los Angeles

The Watts Tower Arts Center is on the same grounds as the towers and open to the public. I was able to take a single picture of the cover shot of the Beatles Sgt. Pepper album before being reprimanded for taking photos.

Watts Tower Arts Center, Los Angeles. That's Simon next to Dylan.

I thought the picture of Sgt. Pepper was an odd choice for the Arts Center until I did some research and found that Simon Rodia is actually one of people on the cover of the album. Look for yourself. Simon is right next to Bob Dylan in the top row.

Watts Towers, Los Angeles

Simon never lived to see his image on the Pepper album, which was released in 1967. He had died of a heart attack in 1965.

Watts Towers, Los Angeles

If you go: The towers are easily accessible by car and there is parking on the street. The address is 1727 E 107th Street, Los Angeles. The site is also near the 103rd Street/Watts Towers Metro Stop on the LA Blue Line. 

Watts Towers, Los Angeles

You need to take a guided tour to access inside the site, which costs $7. Alternatively, you can see most of the site from outside the fence.

Watts Towers, Los Angeles

Be respectful, this Watts Towers are in a quiet residential neighborhood and people live within feet of the site. This is their home and they deserve to be able to live their lives without loud tourists and people blocking their driveways.

Story of the Watts Towers, Los Angeles

This work has been called an example of "outsider art" or "primitive art" because Mr. Rodia had no formal art training. But, I think that some may interpret words like these to be pejorative, so I prefer to think of this as an amazing passion project by a man who was, in his time, unappreciated. 

Street sign near Watts Towers, Los Angeles

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