MacAdams Recounts ‘Struggle’ for Cornfield Land

Lewis MacAdams stopped by Not A Cornfield Sunday evening, October 16, in order to chat with old friends, answer audience questions, and deliver remarks titled, "Struggle for the Cornfield: The real story of how a community coalition won 32 acres of public space in downtown LA."

MacAdams -- an able reconteur, renowned poet and prose writer, artist, filmmaker, conceptual thinker and Chair of the Board of Directors and co-founder of Friends of the Los Angeles River -- appeared at the finale of the "Story Series" portion of "Sundays @ Not A Cornfield" activities.

[The other Sundays @ Not A Cornfield activities, including Drum Circle and Corn Harvesting, will continue through December 4.]

With a brilliant violet sky to the west and an intermittent drizzle foreboding a midnight lightning storm, MacAdams weaved a captivating tale that referenced billionaires, politicians, lawyers and activists; a federal cabinet member, an American dynastic scion, and the Crown of Spain; self-effacing amateur archeologists; land grants, civil rights, state budgets, long-term art projects, “fortress”-style warehouses; the Los Angeles River, and ultimately, Not A Cornfield and the Los Angeles State Historic Park.

"It was a wonderful day," MacAdams said, "when the property came into public hands."