Not the Echo Park I Got to Know

Where have Echo Park's lotuses gone?

The lake in Los Angeles used to house the largest, lushest lotus beds in the nation. All that remain are a few sickly leaves. The city is working to revive them, but experts say it may be too late.

A couple of lotus plants float on the surface of the lake. The plants are believed to be direct descendants of the plants imported from China in the 1920s by Aimee McPherson, founder of the Angelus Temple across the street from the park.