Historic Preservation — James Sanderson

Bridging Los Angeles

100 years ago 14 mounment bridges were built to span the Los Angeles River. They were funded and built because seasonal flooding destroyed existing early bridge structures and impossible traffic congestion created by explosive growth drove the citizenery and the railroads who tracks they crossed all mad. All 14 bridges still stand and are recognized as one of the most important collections in the United States. The most iconic of this important collection, the 6th Street Bridge has fallen to ruin with a rotting chemical reaction called “ASR” (alkali-silicate-reaction) and must be removed as it is expected not to withstand a major sesimic event.

Bridging Los Angeles the documentary film and companion book have been completed demonstrating the importance of the Los Angeles River Monument Bridges and their use within the broader contextual history of the City of Los Angeles. During production a rare cache of motion film and black and white images were discovered in Los Angeles City Archives. This rich content created a compelling story of how destructive flooding and snarled traffic congestion brought about the funding design and construction of these elegant Beaux Art structures.

The 6th Street Bridge is currently being demolished. It will be replaced with a new signature bridge that will draw thousands of visitors to it’s grand gateway vista annually. The new Sixth Street Bridge will bring communities on both sides of the Los Angeles River together uniquely to celebrate Los Angeles by gathering in new parks beneath the arched decks and exploring the bridges interactive structure.

Film and Book Distribution

Oriented towards community education the documentary series and book set will most likely be used at schools, public libraries, educational presentations for Los Angeles Conservancy, Los Angeles City Historical Society, Historical Society of Southern California, City of Los Angeles Office of Historical Resources, the California Office of Historic Preservation, and made available to the Caltrans Transportation Library and History Center at Caltrans Headquarters in Sacramento. The documentary will be produced for broadcast and be made available for airing on Front Line, local broadcast stations, cable systems, and community access channels.

South Lake Dam Membrane and Tunnel Repair

Project, South Lake Dam Bio Membrane and Tunnel Repair

Location, Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains

Client, Edison

Archeologist, Crystal West

Architectural Historian, Andrea Galvin

Constructed in 1910, Dam is a redwood and concrete structure. Tunnel constructed of 12x12 timbers.

Kern River Sandbox

Project, Mechanical Upgrade and System Repairs of Kern River Sandbox

Location, Kern River California

Client, Edison

Archeologist, Crystal West

Architectural Historian, Matt Long

Constructed in 1921 14 miles north of the town of Kernville on the Kern River. Sandbox was designed to trap sand and sediment before entering a 7 mile tunnel that feeds into a powerhouse down stream.

Agnew Tramway

Historical Life of the Agnew Tramway - A Documentary Film

Agnew Tramway Replacement Project

Location, Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, near June Lake California

Client, Edison

Archeologist, Crystal West

Historian, Andrea Galvin

15 minute documentary film produced to satisfy mitigation efforts showing this 100 year old tram system still in operation.

Historical Life of the Agnew Tramway Documentary 15:00 RT

Rush Meadows Dam Project

Project, Rush Meadows Dam Improvement Project

Location, Silver Lake California

Client, Edison

Archeologist, Crystal West

Historian, Andrea Galvin

3 concrete dams (Rush, Gem and Agnew) at 10,000' elevation, constructed in early 1900's experienced structural challenges due to wild temperature swings from winter snows to summer heat over the last 100 years. Photo logistics required use of mules, boats and helicopters to access each structure.