Revelations

Not since Mike Eberts wrote Griffith Park: A Centennial History had anyone made a deep dive into the life, times and crime of Griffith Jenkins Griffith. But that was in 1996, and since then digital archives and the Internet have transformed research and revealed details about people that shed light on the who and why of their persona. It was that technological advance that revealed previously unreported facets of Grif’s life and crime, chief among them:

Entire rancho for sale. It had been thought that Grif, as per his autobiography, had intended to donate land after an 1882 Europe tour inspired his appreciation for parks. But newspaper ads placed in February 1889 show Grif was willing to sell his entire rancho. That didn’t happen, probably because the 1880s land boom was over. Had it happened, no Griffith Park.

Mining scam? Grif’s role as superintendent of the Wales mine included writing telegrams to prospective investors that suggest he was willing to exaggerate, if not lie about, the mine’s potential.

Earlier violence. Grif’s San Francisco years were a mystery to Angelenos and few ever picked up on the fact he was once arrested for threatening a mine speculator over a failed investment. His early Los Angeles years were also easily ignored and there, too, he was involved in an altercation, the bare-knuckled fight with a stonemason.

Paying for publicity? Accused of forging checks, Grif’s secretary was never convicted but made a strong case that flattering profiles of Grif in local papers had been paid for by Grif and written by the secretary, not reporters.

Industrialist under pressure. Grif was the face of an ambitious tile factory that quickly faced financial pressures just as he was nearing the day he shot his wife.

Social climber. Grif was well known as a man about town, but just how ascendant he was soon after the park donation was never documented. Cases in point: as part of the city’s Fiesta de las Flores, he was bestowed a “knighthood” along with two other prominent Angelenos; he was also instrumental in organizing celebrations for the “Free Harbor” port victory, and the photo of him and Tina riding their flower-covered horse carriage at the harbor parade speaks to a Griffith in his glory.

Secondhand park. Today’s Barnsdall Park was once property owned by Grif and might have become the site of a resort hotel had he not had to sell it in 1903 to cover trial expenses and payment to Tina.

Odd bedfellows. Anarchists (Emma Goldman and William Owen) as well as a prohibitionist (Eugene Chafin) as allies? That really did happen when Grif focused on prison reform.

In addition, this work is the first that highlights the role played by the Los Angeles Examiner — the new, brash paper in town — in knocking Grif down a few pegs at every opportunity. Had the Examiner not existed, perhaps the established Times and Herald would not have felt the pressure to turn on one of their own.