Gentle reader,

Since February, we have been advocating for Old Trapper’s Lodge, a California State Landmark folk art environment that since 1988 has been housed on the campus of Pierce College in the San Fernando Valley. The college has never done much to care for or highlight this unique cultural resource, and in the past couple of years has been actively, though very quietly, working to get it removed.

Our advocacy has brought us into contact with members of artist John Ehn’s family, who still own the sculptures and share our concerns and hope that Old Trapper’s Lodge can be preserved, displayed and exhibited for future generations to discover.

Below is the family’s message, and a request that you help by speaking up for Old Trapper’s Lodge on Friday.

A message from the family of Old Trapper’s Lodge artist John Ehn to fans and friends of the sculptures:

Thank you for caring about our grandfather’s California State Landmark folk art environment, which was saved from demolition when it was moved from its original Sun Valley motel home to the campus of Pierce College in 1988. The college no longer wants to host the art, and has quietly acted to have it moved away, with no public notice or discussion about what’s best for the art and for the community that loves it. We are asking the college to hit the pause button and start a public conversation to make sure Old Trapper’s Lodge is protected and accessible now and for future generations.

Please join us in calling or Zooming in to the California State Historic Resources Commission on Friday, April 29. The meeting starts at 9am, and public comment will likely be around 1pm—Esotouric’s Twitter account will post updates on the meeting status—to tell the Commissioners that we need their help and support to guide Pierce College and our family as we navigate this situation.

To make public comment, please register for the webinar here and check the box “Item X: Public Comments (on subjects other than the above agenda items).” Speakers will have up to two minutes to tell the Commission that you care about Old Trapper’s Lodge and hope they can help. You can see the agenda for the hearing here. If you just want to watch the hearing, it will stream on Cal-Span. Please tune in and share your love for Old Trapper’s Lodge with us on Friday, April 29. We appreciate your support. - The Ehn Family

We’re grateful to have the opportunity to help the Ehn Family through this complicated and emotional situation. Old Trapper’s Lodge survived the redevelopment of its original home thanks to the enormous efforts of one of our historic preservation heroes, Seymour Rosen (his street photography was great, too), and it’s a privilege to be able to continue his work with a new generation of Ehn Family members.

Yes, elements of Old Trapper’s Lodge are disturbing. Art often is unsettling, and the art of earlier generations can appear very alien to us today. But the work is worth looking at and talking about, and it belongs not just to the Ehn Family who own the physical sculptures, but to all of us because it was dedicated as a California State Landmark of folk art, worthy of preservation and celebration.

We hope to hear you on the line on Friday, and to see you before too long at Old Trapper’s Lodge!

yours for Los Angeles,

Kim & Richard

Esotouric

Psst… If you’d like to support our efforts to be the voice of places worth preserving, we have a tip jar and a subscriber edition of this newsletter. Or just share this link with other people who care.

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