Among the Ashes: 10 Los Angeles Landmarks Lost In The Wildfires

In 24 days, the Eaton Fire damaged or destroyed over 10,000 structures. Meanwhile, the Palisades Fire burned just over 7,8000. The wildfires reduced family homes, vibrant neighborhoods, cultural landmarks and community institutions to ash and rubble. Among the extensive number of places we lost, here are 10 legendary Los Angeles landmarks that won’t soon be forgotten.

MOONSHADOWS

For nearly 40 years, Moonshadows served as a go-to Malibu dining experience with stunning ocean views. But most importantly, alongside the shimmering waves and sorbet sunset skies, this local restaurant invigorated its seafood-forward menu with friendly service and a welcoming atmosphere. It was among the dozens of structures lost to the Palisades Fire Jan. 8.

THE BUNNY MUSEUM

Honoring the magic of bunnies in our everyday lives, The Bunny Museum was an encyclopedic exhibition and celebration of all things bunny in Altadena. Founded in 1998 by Steve Lubanski and Candace Frazee, the museum featured tens of thousands of bunny items, including 10 Rose Parade float bunnies, antiques, contemporary art and more. Approximately 20 items were saved before the Eaton Fire decimated the museum, which Lubanski and Frazee are working to rebuild.

THE KEELER HOUSE BY RAY KAPPE

Homes and buildings across Los Angeles affirm architect Ray Kappe as a trailblazing great of California modernism. Finished in 1991, The Keeler House best exemplified this and was widely considered as the pinnacle of the California modern house, blending Kappe’s own approach to American Craftsman woodwork with Frank Lloyd Wright’s organic architecture. It was for sale when it was burned by the Palisades Fire.

THE ROBERT BRIDGES HOUSE

Overlooking Sunset Boulevard, the Robert Bridges House in the Palisades turned heads for the way it hovered off a cliff. It also was an architectural marvel for its wood-paneled Brutalist style. “It may look precarious, but it’s not,” Bridges told The New York Times in 2014. “From an engineering standpoint, this thing is absolutely rational.” It was among the homes ravaged by the Palisades Fire.

WILL ROGERS RANCH HOUSE

Vaudeville performer, actor and “cowboy philosopher” Will Rogers was perhaps the Palisades’ greatest champion. He bought more than 300 acres of land in the 1920s in what is now known as the Pacific Palisades, developing the ranch into the ultimate getaway for his family with a stable, corrals, golf course, polo field and riding trails. The gem of it all, his 31-room ranch house, was destroyed by the Palisades Fire within 24 hours of ignition. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it housed a sizable amount of Western memorabilia and priceless paintings.

ROSENTHAL WINE BAR & PATIO

Neighbor to Reel Inn Malibu, Rosenthal Wine Bar & Patio distinguished its tasting room experience with a breezy surfer’s spirit. Before the Palisades Fire, it was the site of numerous birthday celebrations, bachelorette parties, engagements, long weekend afternoons and other core memories set to good wine, live music and SoCal sunshine.

TOPANGA RANCH MOTEL

First established in 1920 as recreational tent cabins, the Topanga Ranch Motel came to be when the Los Angeles Athletic Club purchased the property and, with the development of the Roosevelt Highway, relocated and upgraded the cabins to a triangular auto court for tourists and traveling workers passing through. The 28-room motel had been dormant for several decades, but was on its way to restoration when the Palisades Fire burned down the cabins Jan. 8

THEOSOPHICAL LIBRARY CENTER

Founded in New York City in 1875, The Theosophical Society moved its international headquarters to Altadena in 1951, offering a hub for independent research on philosophy, science and world religions. While much of the organization’s literature is available online and they are working to replace the print inventory, the Eaton Fire destroyed the Society’s library, archives and press facility that were home to a 40,000-volume research collection and archives that date back to the organization’s founding.

REEL INN MALIBU

Malibu

For 36 years, Reel Inn Malibu made chowing down on the catch of the day—grilled, blackened or sautéed—at red-and-white checkered tables feel like a holy experience. Nestled between PCH and the Topanga Canyon hills, the seafood restaurant was the sort of eatery quintessential of beachside towns, but the locals who regularly dined there knew it was something special—a lighthouse that radiated an authentic Malibu spirit.

PALISADES CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL

Better known as Pali High, Palisades Charter High School boasted a picture-perfect academic experience. It dazzles with a star-studded history that includes serving as the set of an Olivia Rodrigo music video and an alumni roster of L.A. royalty like Jeanie Buss, J. J. Abrams and Forest Whitaker. But on a day-to-day basis, it was the epicenter of approximately 3,000 teens from over 100 Los Angeles zip codes. Nearly half the campus was damaged or destroyed by the Palisades Fire, but the school anticipates reopening this fall.

See also: Shifting Skies: A Veteran Photojournalist Recounts an Unprecedented Day on the Job