In 1954, for reasons unknown, Rodia left Watts and the Towers he had dedicated his life to build. Despite having no formal training in architecture or engineering, Rodia built a remarkably resilient set of structures that have endured two significant natural disasters and numerous attempts on the part of the Department of Building and Safety to have them torn down. These steel rods were then pushed into a concrete base that Rodia had carved into the ground, providing stability and support for his Towers, the tallest of which stands at almost thirty meters. By nestling small pipes into larger ones and fitting them into place by wedging nails into the gaps, Rodia was able to create long continuous rods that he then covered with wire mesh and cement. Rodia used materials and tools easily available to him, employing ingenuity rather than technical insight to combine a variety of steel elements such as pipes, U-shaped channels, and tee sections.
He named his sculptural oasis Nuestro Pueblo, and over a thirty-four-year period produced three tall spires, a gazebo, fishpond, fountain, and a ship. In 1921, Rodia began constructing seven steel sculptures in the backyard of his private residence. Land prices were cheap and Rodia purchased a triangle lot half a mile south of the local Watts Station. Three years later, the County of Los Angeles incorporated Watts and not long after, enterprising developers began to sell subdivided land. The Pacific Electric Railway constructed the Watts Station on 103rd Street in 1904. Rodia moved to Watts in 1920 at a time when the neighborhood was undergoing rapid change. Built by Italian immigrant Sabato “Simon” Rodia, the Watts Towers in South Los Angeles are considered by the city to be one of the region’s most important works of art.
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