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Historic landmarks damaged in California's wildfires [1]

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Date: 2025-01-15 17:17:05.532000+00:00

This week’s deadly wildfires in Southern California have destroyed or damaged thousands of structures, including many landmarks that hold spots in cinematic and cultural history.

The Los Angeles-area blazes, which authorities say have killed at least 16 people, have leveled homes, businesses and schools at an alarming speed. Among the areas hardest hit is Pacific Palisades, an affluent neighborhood west of downtown Los Angeles that the Beach Boys referred to in “Surfin’ USA,” their 1963 ode to sunny coastal California life.

Here are some of the well-known landmarks that have been damaged:

Palisades Charter High School: This public school has been a popular location for Hollywood productions, including the 1976 supernatural horror classic “Carrie” and the 2003 remake of “Freaky Friday,” starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis. It’s one of several Los Angeles County schools that sustained “significant” fire damage, the Los Angeles Unified School District said.

Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said about 30% of the high school’s campus was damaged. The Los Angeles Times printed a dramatic photo of him walking up a concrete stairway that used to lead to a classroom building and now towers over nothing but a pile of rubble.

The main structure of the high school was still intact Wednesday, according to the Times, with most of the damage in the back of the campus, including to athletic facilities.

The high school counts singer-songwriter will.i.am, filmmaker J.J. Abrams and actor and singer Katey Sagal among its alumni. Its about 3,000 students were on winter break when the fire started.

Will Rogers’ ranch house: Actor Will Rogers owned this 31-room house until his death in 1935. His widow, Betty, donated the ranch in 1944 to the California Department of Parks and Recreation, which turned the grounds into a state park. The department said in a news release that the Palisades Fire destroyed the house and other structures on the property. The ranch home had been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Palisades Fire destroyed Will Rogers’ former ranch house. California State Parks

“California State Parks mourns the loss of these treasured natural and cultural resources, and our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the devastating fires in the Los Angeles area,” State Parks Director Armando Quintero said.

Topanga Ranch Motel: Also owned by the state parks department, the Topanga Ranch Motel was constructed in 1929 by newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst. The bungalow-style motel offered an inexpensive retreat across from Topanga Beach in Malibu for families and writers when it opened. It appeared in TV and film over the years, including in the 1990s in the Bridget Fonda movie “Leather Jackets.”

The Topanga Ranch Motel in 2017. Jim Steinfeldt / Getty Images file

The state parks department acquired the motel in 2001 and had plans to restore about 20 cabins for public use. The department confirmed in a news release that the Palisades Fire had destroyed the motel.

The aftermath of the fire at the historic Topanga Ranch Motel. California State Parks

Reel Inn Malibu: Staff members at this iconic seafood restaurant in Malibu said in an online fundraiser that “after 36 years in business we have lost our beloved restaurant.” The Malibu Times published a video of smoke and fire embers surrounding the restaurant.

A staple along Pacific Coast Highway, the Reel Inn was a favorite among locals and celebrities alike, including model Cindy Crawford and comedian Jerry Seinfeld.

The Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center before the fire. Google Maps

The Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center: The Eaton Fire engulfed this synagogue, which dates to the early 20th century. Melissa Levy, the executive director, told NBC Los Angeles that staff members evacuated Tuesday night and that the Torah scrolls were safely removed from the property.

The Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center burns Tuesday during the Eaton Fire in Pasadena, Calif. Josh Edelson / AFP - Getty Images

Theater Palisades, Pierson Playhouse: This Pacific Palisades community theater, founded by three TV writers in the 1960s, has suspended operations because of “the serious damage sustained in the Palisades Fire,” it said on its website.

The Bunny Museum: Billed as “the world’s only museum about everything bunny,” this eccentric museum in Altadena displayed over 45,000 rabbit-related items. It had been Guinness World Record-certified several times for having the biggest collection of bunny products.

Firefighters in front of the burning Bunny Museum in Altadena on Wednesday. Chris Pizzello / AP

Staff members shared on Facebook that the museum had “burnt to the ground” and later posted: “Not a hoppy day, today.”

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[1] Url: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/are-landmarks-damaged-california-fires-rcna186996

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