Only 35 Minutes From Downtown LA, This Eerie ‘Sunken City’ Is A Mysterious, Graffiti-Covered Ruin Of A 1920s Neighborhood

The “Sunken City” of Los Angeles is an eye-catching and underrated landmark on the coast of South L.A., where you can still see the graffiti-covered ruins of an affluent neighborhood. After a landslide destroyed the cliff-top neighborhood in 1929 , only fragments of utility pipes, street curbs, and foundations remained. Graffiti artists transformed the ruins into a vibrant patchwork over the decades, and the result is an eerie collection of colorful [abandoned](https://secretlosangeles.com/abandoned-places-los-angeles/) structures sitting right on the water’s edge. You can see the Sunken City from several vantage points, but it is illegal to enter . Keep reading to learn more about this mysterious local landmark... History of the Sunken City -------------------------- The story goes that in the early 1920s, developer George H. Peck built a dozen or so upscale homes on the scenic Point Fermin cliffs. But in 1929, a slow-moving landslide began, reaching a pace of 11 inches per day, until about 5 acres of land collapsed right into the sea. Most homes were evacuated and relocated further inland, so only a few were lost to the ocean. These days, all that remains is a collection of ruined foundations and slabs of pavement, transformed into an outdoor gallery of sorts by generations of graffiti artists. Visiting the Sunken City ------------------------ The Sunken City is situated near Point Fermin Park and the Point Fermin Lighthouse, but it remains an active landslide hazard area and is officially fenced off. While some visitors slip through the fence, trespassing is illegal, dangerous, and could result in a $450 fine. You can see portions of the Sunken City from legal viewpoints such as Point Fermin Park, Pacific Overlook Park, and nearby cliffs and shoreline. 📍 Location : 500 W. Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro, CA, 90731 Source: https://secretlosangeles.com/sunken-city-abandoned-neighborhood-los-angeles/