The ‘Tar Pit’ That Isn’t a Tar Pit: This LA Landmark Was an Asphalt Mine Before Hollywood Stepped In

The iconic La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles are not quite what they seem... People around the globe recognize the art exhibition of a mammoth family struck by tragedy at a tar pit, but did you know that specific pit is not actually a naturally formed tar pit? According to Emily Lindsey , LACMA’s Associate Curator and Excavation Site Director , the pit is actually just a lake pit. “The Hancock family, for which Hancock Park is named, in addition to ranch and cattle, they were actually mining asphalt,” Lindsey tells *Secret Los Angeles*. The area was a late 19th-century commercial asphalt mine . The crater was dug by the Hancock family and eventually became the lake pit, and the real tar pits are just a few yards away. This cultural landmark in the heart of L.A. is actually an artist’s recreation of what the tar pits might’ve looked like at the time. “Tar pits are actually not that deep,” Lindsey adds, dispelling any tar myths you might have. “They’re not like quicksand; you don’t drown in them. They’re really more like flypaper.” The La Brea Tar Pits will be featured on the small screen! ---------------------------------------------------------- The iconic L.A. site will soon be featured on the documentary series *Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age*. Mike Gunton , the Executive Producer and wildlife filmmaker for the series, believes there’s a lot of beauty and value in bringing Ice Age stories to life on screen . “They’re all mammals. They’re like us. They’re social. They have complex lives,” Gunton says of the creatures. Rather than a history lesson, the show focuses on the individual lives of the mammoths. His team uses the data and science as a starting point to craft narratives around their prehistoric existences. “Often, Mother Nature comes up with much better stories than we can invent out of our heads,” says Gunton. The La Brea Tar Pits are the only active Ice Age fossil site in the world , so there’s a reason they’re still relevant from the museum grounds to the cutting room floor. ***Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age* is now available to stream on Apple TV. Watch an exclusive clip from the series below.** Source: https://secretlosangeles.com/la-brea-tar-pit-asphalt-mine-prehistoric-planet/