The Watts Towers
30 YEARS OF HARD WORK AND INSPIRATION
In the middle of South Los Angeles, California, stands a testament to human will, dedication, and perseverance. Simon Rodia, an Italian immigrant, dedicated 30 years of his life to dreaming up and building “Nuestro Pueblo,” more commonly known as the “Watts Towers.”
Simon’s original name is perhaps more accurate, considering that the full work consists of 18 buildings, 3 of which reach 55 feet, 97 feet, and 99 feet, respectively. Each building is decorated with pieces of broken glass, ceramics, bottles, and hand-drawn symbols, etched into the mortar that covers the structures.
Built using hand tools, secondhand materials, and determination, the sculptures have become a cultural and community icon. They are one of only a handful of pieces of folk art to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and they attract thousands of visitors each year.
The Watts Towers in Los Angeles, California.
After completion, Rodia handed the deed for his property to a neighbor and walked away, never to return.
In the ensuing years, the work has survived an attempted razing by the city of Los Angeles, earthquakes, and a stress test designed to prove its structural soundness. A group of citizens took over the property for a time and then deeded it to the city, which then deeded it to the state, where it officially became a National Historic Landmark.
When asked in later years what motivated him to create the towers, Rodia answered: “I had in mind to do something big and I did it.” —GRG