Sep. 30, 2011

Harvey K.S. O’Melveny addressed a group of history buffs at the Angelus Rosedale Cemetery last Saturday. The only problem was that he’s been dead for 118 years. Members of the West Adams Heritage Association brought the Los Angeles pioneer and judge back to life during its 21st annual Living History Tour at the Washington Boulevard cemetery. Celebrating the city’s 230th birthday, the association’s history tour featured actor portrayals of early city residents who helped shape the city, including a suffragist, California’s first black librarian and O’Melveny, founder of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. O’Melveny, played by Chris Taylor at Saturday’s event, spoke to tour participants about his accomplishments, including serving as president of the Los Angeles City Council, as a Superior Court judge and being responsible for bringing the transcontinental railroad to Los Angeles. Refusing to break character, Taylor feigned bewilderment at observers’ cameras, saying, “What is this mechanical Cyclops eye?” The heritage association is a nonprofit preservation advocacy organization. — Connie Lopez