Community Corner

Massive Map Collection Saved From Mount Washington Home

The map collection is much larger than the one amassed by the Los Angeles Public Library.

The Los Angeles Public Library's map collection is about undergo a massive upgrade, courtesy of a collection rescued from a house slated for demolition in Mount Washington.

At least a million maps were found at the home located near the apex of Canyon Vista Drive, the Los Angeles Times reports.

From The Times:

Find out what's happening in Highland Park-Mount Washingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I think there are at least a million maps here," he said. "This dwarfs our collection — and we've been collecting for 100 years."

[...]

Find out what's happening in Highland Park-Mount Washingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"He has every type of map imaginable. There's a 1956 pictorial map of Lubbock, Texas. He's got a 1942 Jack Renie Street Guide of Los Angeles," Creason said. "He has four of the first Thomas Bros. guides from 1946. Those are very hard to find. The one copy we have is falling apart because it's been so heavily used. We had to photocopy it."

Creason was also enthralled by the discovery of several "Mapfox" Los Angeles street guides published in 1944. Creason said in his 32-year library career he had never seen one.

According to the Times, the collection was amassed by Mount Washington homeowner John Feathers, who died in February at the age of 56.

Speaking to Patch on Tuesday afternoon, Creason said that history wing of the Los Angeles Public Library was stacked with crates upon crates of maps recovered from Feathers home.

"In looking through the materials, he has receipts from all of the best map stores in Los Angeles," Creason said.

However, Creason said he learned from a friend of Feather's that his obsession went far beyond shopping at brick and mortar stores.

"He would wake up at 3 a.m. every morning and go shopping," Creason said. "This guy ate, slept and dreamed maps."


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Highland Park-Mount Washington