Guardians of Our Heritage: The Living Archive
Our mission is sacred. We do not merely record the past; we honor the lives that shaped Boyle Heights’ soul. We believe that by remembering our pioneers with dignity and safeguarding the physical places that carry their stories, we protect our community’s identity for generations to come.
Innovative Oral Storytelling
At the core of our work as your historical society is the Living Archive. We are investing in high-fidelity video initiatives to ensure that history is not a static page in a book but a living, breathing voice. By documenting the narratives of those who define our heritage, we ensure that our pioneers continue to teach, lead, and inspire.
Our current efforts focus on capturing the foundational stories of our land and its people, especially our founding families, whose stories were shared with us on Sunday, November 9, 2025:
- Catherine López-Kurland: Whose family legacy preserves the memory of the land as it was before Andrew Boyle's arrival? Sharing the Deed of Sale from Petra Varelas and Leandro Lopez to Andrew A. Boyle in 1859.
- Andrew Boyle Workman: The great, great-grandson of Andrew Boyle, an original innovator and investor in the founding of Boyle Heights.
- Paul Spitzzeri: The Museum Director at the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum.
By connecting these threads—from the earliest inhabitants to the builders of our modern neighborhood—we create a comprehensive vision of our history.
The Technology of Remembrance
This is more than preservation; it is a defense against erasure. Your support provides essential funding for the high-definition technology and secure digital archives that keep these voices alive forever. We are not just saving stories; we are celebrating the legacies that continue to define Boyle Heights' resilience.
Live video's still to come
Catherine López-Kurland
Andrew Boyle Workman II
Paul Spitzzeri