Octopus play sculpture by Benjamin Dominguez at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area. Los Angeles Almanac photo.
Whittier Narrows Recreation Area in South El Monte (commonly called Legg Lake, the name of its southern-most lake) is not only a wonderful gem of a park, but also features six whimsical “sea creature” sculptures. These are not only a delight to see, but also invite children to clamor all over them.
The sculptures were created and installed in 1962 by Mexican-born sculpture Benjamin Dominguez (1894-1974). He studied art at Academia de Artes Plasticas at the University of Mexico, graduating in 1925. His specialty was trabajo rustic (concrete wood), a centuries-old European craft that shapes cement into natural figures. One of his most notable early commissions was in 1942, designing the big cat enclosures for the Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City. In the years that followed, Dominguez and his wife Anna hauled their brood of children from one commission in Mexico to another. By the mid-1950s, he had settled in Cuidad Juarez, hoping to win a commission north of the border.
Benjamin Dominguez and his wife Anna. Photo from Friends of La Laguna.
In 1956, Dominguez received a commission at the Washington Park Zoo in El Paso, Texas. It was his first work in the United States. There he created the bear enclosure, including a concrete climbing tree for the animals. This further fueled his inspiration, first coming to him while in Juarez, to design concrete sculptures upon which children could safely play. El Paso then offered him an opportunity to put these ideas into practice in a new playground project. Armed with these accomplishments, Dominguez promoted his work to other American cities, using an English-Spanish dictionary to compose his letters.
In 1959, Dominguez was commissioned to provide several concrete play sculptures for a new recreational play park in Las Vegas, Nevada, named "Fantasy Park." He created a mother dragon with mushroom seats, a two-headed dragon, and a large fish with a slide down its back. The park opened in 1960. About the same time, Los Angeles County Supervisor Frank Bonelli was looking for new innovative play installations for the county’s Whittier Narrows Recreation Area. Bonelli hoped to attract more residents from the diverse communities that surrounded the park. Media coverage of the new park in Las Vegas and its creative play sculptures caught his attention. He then offered Dominguez a commission to create six of the same kind of sculptures for the Los Angeles County park.
Dominguez jumped at this opportunity in California. He was asked to recreate the same sculptures installed in Las Vegas, plus several more. However, Bonelli wanted the sculptures to be dispersed around the park. Dominguez argued that his sculptures complimented one another and were best enjoyed when grouped together. Bonelli’s wishes nevertheless prevailed. Dominguez’s six sculptures were added to Whittier Narrows Recreation Area in 1962.
Descriptive panel for Fish play sculpture by Benjamin Dominguez at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area. Dominguez and his son appear in the circa 1961 photo. Los Angeles Almanac photo.
Dominguez went on to win commissions to install play sculptures and other works in such places as Atlantis Park in Garden Grove, La Laguna in Vincent Lugo Park in San Gabriel, Coldwater Park in Beverly Hills and Desert Inn Golf Course in Las Vegas. The six whimsical sea creatures at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, however, remain as the last surviving examples of Dominguez' earlier designs. In 2009, these sculptures were listed in the California Register of Historical Resources. More conventional playground equipment installed in the park over the years came and were replaced, but the sea-creature sculptures continue to delight both children and adults after more than six decades. They stand as beloved icons in a beloved park.
In 2016, after years of wear and peeling paint, Los Angeles County’s Department of Parks and Recreation completed a full restoration of the sculptures.
Although you can easily walk to any of the Dominguez play sculptures from any Whittier Narrows Recreation Area parking lot, we recommend that you start from the Durfee Avenue parking lot at the south end of the park. You'll see the Mother Dragon almost immediately, on the lakefront, just down the hill from the parking lot. From there, all other sculptures are within easy walking distance. See the park map as the last of the images below. Enjoy!
Mother Dragon play sculpture by Benjamin Dominguez at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area.
Two-headed Dragon play sculpture by Benjamin Dominguez at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area. Los Angeles Almanac photo.
Fish play sculpture by Benjamin Dominguez at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area. Los Angeles Almanac photo.
Starfish play sculpture by Benjamin Dominguez at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area. Los Angeles Almanac photo.
Tripod play sculpture by Benjamin Dominguez at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area. Los Angeles Almanac photo.
Whittier Narrows Recreation Area mural by an unnamed artist imagining the Dominguez' two-headed dragon and octopus swimming in the lake. The mural is located on the non-restroom building between the Two-Headed Dragon and the Octopus. Los Angeles Almanac photo.
Close-up of the two-headed dragon and octopus in the above mural. Los Angeles Almanac photo.
Whittier Narrows Recreation Area map showing the location of the Dominguez play sculptures. Los Angeles Almanac photo.
Also see: Friends of La Laguna, a website dedicated to preserving the work of Benjamin Dominguez.
