Spotlight on a funder: Green Foundation

In December of 2008, Heritage Square Museum was fortunate to receive a very generous grant from the Green Foundation (formerly the Leonard Green Foundation) to greatly expand and enhance A Golden Vision: the Growth of Southern California, our flagship education program for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade classrooms in our area.
The grant from the Green Foundation allowed Heritage Square to increase the hours of our education manager (Jessica Rivas), provide free transportation for the neediest schools, and assist in the implementation of a new 5th grade education program. Adding these critical elements has had a tremendous quantitative impact on the program. To date in 2009, the museum has hosted or signed up an incredible 15 schools, representing 45 classrooms and 1,200 students!
A Golden Vision is a free, fun, curriculum-based education program for third, fourth and fifth grade classrooms. As a multi-disciplinary program, A Golden Vision goes well beyond the traditional field trip, taking history out of the museum and into the classroom, providing a excitement about the museum and architecture before the students have even stepped foot on Heritage Square’s grounds. Interestingly, brief evaluations have shown that the program actually helps students to increase their knowledge of reading, writing and social studies. If you are a teacher who would like to participate, please call Jessica Rivas at (323) 225-2700 ext. 224.

Fashion Show Sold Out!

We apologize for the inconvenience, but the Vintage Fashion Show and Tea has been sold out. No tickets will be sold at the door. For those of you who are unable to attend, we hope to see you in 2010.

Belated Day of Service Thanks

Along the vein of "better late than never", we want to thank each and every volunteer for contributing to a very successful Day of Service on March 14. We want to thank the over 100 volunteers who participated in the Mayor’s Day of Service on March 14th.

Volunteers from The Southern California Gas Company / Sempra Energy, Verizon, the Painter’s Union , Academia Advance Charter School , Excel Charter Academy , the Pasadena Rotary Club and individuals from across Los Angeles made for a great day of beautification at the museum. The staff was really impressed by the eagerness and positive attitude of everyone involved, which clearly made a big difference. We can’t thank you enough for all your efforts in and around our garden, on our hillside and on our historic Mt. Pleasant Home.

Here is an interesting account of the day, visit www.thegoodmuse.com/my_weblog/2009/03/my-volunteer-journal-episode-15-restoring-the-past-at-the-heritage-square-museum.html

Some of the images from the day follow...

(group photo courtesy of Mark Gerth. Other photos courtesy of Moises Ramirez)

LA Heritage Day a success!

In our completely unbiased opinion, we think LA Heritage Day was a huge success! After all, 800 people attended the event (not including the 200 or so exhibitors and volunteers) and most of the feedback has been extremely positive. Don’t take our word for it, see some of the reviews and pictures for yourself…
- dearoldhollywood.blogspot.com/2009/03/la-heritage-day-at-heritage-square.html
- gallery.me.com/johngannon/100506
(courtesy of John Gannon at www.johnfgannon.com/)
- franklinavenue.blogspot.com/2009/03/celebrating-los-angeles-heritage.html
- museumsanfernandovalley.blogspot.com/2009/03/la-heritage-day-was-huge-success.html
- divorcedinthecityofangels.blogspot.com/2009/03/heritage-day-la.html

Thank you to the 60+ preservation groups who participated on the day of the event, the sponsors (Project Restore, Preservation Arts and the Spectra Company), partners (Councilman Ed Reyes and Supervisor Gloria Molina) the panelists and the volunteers for making this a great day.

Photos below coutesy of Leticia Muñoz.

One photo courtesy of Brian Sheridan

The Show must go on!

A quick update on LA Heritage Day - although the forcast is calling for rain late Saturdy night into Sunday morning, the event will go on. So, we encourage everyone to come out and visit us RAIN OR SHINE! :)

Ed Reyes shows support for LA Heritage

LOS ANGELES –Ed Reyes of Council District One has joined Project Restore, Preservation Arts and the Spectra Company as a sponsors of L.A. Heritage Day on Sunday, March 22, 2009 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A project of the LA Heritage Alliance, this open-air festival brings together over 65 local heritage groups to reconnect the public with greater Los Angeles’ vast range of cultural institutions and resources. Admission is free with the flyer to the left.

L.A. Heritage Day offers something for everyone— historic homes; a scavenger hunt and other activities for kids and families; panel discussions about culture, preservation, and tips for promoting local heritage; and the chance to learn about a variety of local preservation organizations, museums, and historical societies. Confirmed groups include:

For an area widely misperceived as having no "real" history, the Los Angeles region has more than 200 historical organizations, societies, and museums dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich and varied pasts of various regions, industries, and individuals. The L.A. Heritage Alliance is a network of these groups formed in 2008 to unify and leverage their efforts.

For more information on the LA Heritage Alliance, please visit laheritage.blogspot.com.

Organizing Committee Partner Organizations

Heritage Square Museum

LA Conservancy

Highland Park Heritage Trust

Hollywood Heritage

West Adams Heritage Association

Participating groups

Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, Adam's Forge, Alhambra Preservation Group, African American Firefighter Museum, American Cinematheque, Arroyo Arts Collective, Art Deco Society of Los Angeles, Associated Historical Societies of Los Angeles County, Autry National Center's Southwest Museum, Azusa Street Mission and Historical Society, Boyle Heights Historical Society, California Art Club, City of Los Angeles, Office of Historic Resources, California Preservation Foundation, Canoga Park / Owensmouth Historical Society, Claremont Heritage, the Cultural Heritage Foundation of Southern California, Culver City Historical Society, Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum, Eagle Rock Valley Historical Society, Friends of the Gamble House, Friends of La Laguna, Friends of the Southwest Museum, Grier Musser Museum, Historical Society of Southern California, Hancock Park / Windsor Square Historical Society, Heritage Park, Heritage Square Museum, Highland Park Heritage Trust, Historic Adamson House/Malibu Lagoon Museum, Hollywood Heritage, Jewish Genealogical Society of Los Angeles, L.A. Historic Theatre Foundation, Lanterman House Museum, Las Angelitas del Pueblo, Latino Heritage, Leonis Adobe, Little Landers Historical Society, Long Beach Heritage, Los Angeles City Historical Society, Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, the Los Angeles Conservancy, Los Encinos Docent Association, Monterey Park City Historical Society, Montebello Historical Society, the Muckenthaler Cultural Center, Museum of the San Fernando Valley, Olmsted District Preservation Association, Point Fermin Lighthouse, Pomona Heritage, Rancho Los Alimitos, Rancho Los Cerritos Historic Site, the San Fernando Valley Historical Society, San Marino Heritage, San Marino Historical Society, Santa Monica Conservancy, Society of Architectural Historians - Southern California Chapter, Southern California Genealogical Society, Southern Pacific Historical and Technical Society, Venice Historical Society, the Whittier Conservancy, West Adams Heritage Association, Western Educators, Shooters, and Troopers, William S. Hart Park and Museum, and the Yesteryears Dancers.