Book Title: Enlightened Egomaniac: The Life, Times & Crime of Griffith Jenkins Griffith
Subtitle: Los Angeles' first philanthropist -- and would-be wife killer
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Book Description: A poor lad from Wales makes his way to California where he lives the American Dream: wealth, marriage, family. He also becomes one of the country's first major philanthropists, donating the largest urban park in America. It carries his name -- Griffith Park -- yet few today know that Griffith Jenkins Griffith later shot his wife in the head and that, were it not for her, Los Angeles' premiere playground might never have been created.
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Book Description
Griffith Jenkins Griffith, a poor lad from Wales, in the late 1800s makes his way to California where he lives the American Dream: wealth, marriage, family. He also becomes one of the country’s first major philanthropists, donating the largest urban park in America. It carries his name — Griffith Park — yet few today know that Griffith later shot his wife, Mary Agnes Christina, in the head and that were it not for her own wealth Los Angeles’ premiere playground might never have been created.
This personal tragedy from the early 1900s comes with a very contemporary issue: Why was Christina never celebrated as a Griffith Park donor? Her name is on the deed of donated property but the park’s name does not reflect her contribution and the City of Los Angeles has no signage in Griffith Park acknowledging her role.
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Enlightened Egomaniac: The Life, Times & Crime of Griffith Jenkins Griffith Copyright © 2025 by Miguel Llanos. All Rights Reserved.
Subject
True crime