Opening Day - The Los Angeles Aqueduct
"There it is -- Take it."
--William Mulholland
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| (Novermber 5, 1913)* - Opening day celebration for the Los Angeles Aqueduct. Crowds of people and water cascading down the channel into the Valley are visible. Construction on the aqueduct began in 1908 after land and water rights were secured from the Owens Valley in Northern California. Laborers from all over the world came to work on the project.* |
November 5, 1913
Over 30,000 Los Angeles residents came to the San Fernando Valley to see the opening ceremony of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, where the first water from the Owens Valley completed its journey to Los Angeles. William Mulholland presided over the ceremony and called out for the water gate to be opened with five of the most famous words in Los Angeles history: ''There it is, take it".
The next day, on the November 6, 1913 issue of the Los Angeles Times, the all-in-capitals headline read: GLORIOUS MOUNTAIN RIVER NOW FLOWS TO LOS ANGELES' GATES. The LA Times went on to describe the event as follows:
"Forty thousand hearts beat a little faster for this was the culmination of a project daringly conceived, boldly executed and successfully completed. Almost in the flash of an eye there had been delivered to the people of this city an asset worth more than $100,000,000, four times its cost. It brought assurance of metropolitan grandeur and future prosperity such as but few cities of the world can hope to attain."
Click HERE to see the original Los Angeles Times article.*^ |
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| (November 5, 1913)* - An overview of the celebration which took place at the opening of the water runway for the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913. Large crowds not only lined up on each side of the runway, but also filled the field across the road (at the bottom of the picture). The smoke in the background is coming from cannon fired upon the opening of the water gates. |
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| (November 5, 1913)* - Crowds watch as the water gates are opened and the Los Angeles Aqueduct water starts to flow down into the San Fernando Valley. William Mulholland, builder of the aqueduct and H. A. Van Norman, Chief Engineer and General Manager, Water Bureau. |
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| (November 5, 1913)* - Another view of the opening day celebration for the Los Angeles Aqueduct. Over 30 thousand people attended this historic event. |
The Los Angeles Times' 2nd headline the next day read: “Silver Torrent Crowns the City’s Mighty Achievement.” Under that headline, the Times reported:
“From the mountain fastnesses of the snow-capped Sierras, through the world’s longest man-made conduit of steel, cement and solid granite, sparkling water poured in a mighty torrent from the aqueduct’s mouth… …It gurgled and splashed its cheerful message of good health, great wealth, long life and plenteous prosperity to Los Angeles and her people.”
Click HERE to see the original Los Angeles Times article.*^ |
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| (November 5, 1913)^^ - Water can be seen running down the aqueduct at center amongst mountains. It curves at center to the right. People can be seen scattered in the flat, valley area at center in front of the aqueduct, while cars can be seen parked alongside the road at left. Mountains run across the background. |
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| (November 5, 1913)** - It is estimated that over 30,000 people attended the opening day ceremonies of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. They came to watch the Owens Valley water cascade into the reservoir. The caption of this picture was that the automobile was "here to stay" in the San Fernando Valley. You can make out some horse and buggies to the rear of the image. |
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| (November 5, 1913)* - Official Opening of the water gates of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. To the lower right can be seen two policeman who stand watch as the water gates are opened. |
Commemorative of the Official Opening of the LA Aqueduct and Exposition Park
On the next day, November 6, 1913, another celebration was held as a dedication of the opening of both the Los Angeles Aqueduct and Exposition Park. Click HERE to see the Official Commemorative Publication.
See Page 2 of the Opening Day Ceremony from the LADWP Hisrtoric Archive
Click HERE to go to PAGE 2 of the Opening Day Ceremony. |
References and Credits
*^Santa Clarita Valley History Website
^ Opening of the LA Aqueduct and Exposition Park Commemorative (1913), Library of Congress F869.L8 D27
**Oviatt Library Digital Archives
* DWP - LA Public Library Image Archive
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