Norman O. Houston Park

Located next to the entrance of the La Brea Loop Trail is a wonderful neighborhood park.

The park is named after Norman Oliver Houston, who, in 1975 was honored as a “pioneer of Black industry” by both then Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and Governor Edmund “Pat” Brown.

This park has the typical amenities such as picnic tables, benches, and a basketball court, but also includes a few extra features:

A ½ mile jogging trail

One of the coolest playgrounds I’ve ever seen

State-of-the-art solar security lighting

And a total body outdoor gym

I saw machines like these at Hollenbeck Park, and was very happy to find these much closer to where I live.

Using your own body weight, this machines work their magic very easily:

The other alluring part about this park is the person that it’s named after.

Besides being the co-founder of the largest black-owned insurance company in the West, which started in a one-room office and $17,800, Norman Oliver Houston was also co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Broadway Federal Savings and Loan Association, which in 1980 was the largest black-owned Savings and Loan in California. Houston was also the first Black American elected to the California State Athletic Association and he also served as president of the Los Angeles Branch of the NAACP and was a member of Los Angeles’ first Human Rights Commission.

The number of parks in dense Los Angeles that we frequently highlight help to bring attention to those that can both stay in the city while enjoying some down time.

Few things could be better then getting your exercise and enjoying the outdoors at the same time.