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The District WeeklyWed. October 31
 

THE POWER OF SUGGESTION
Myth: Back before almost everyone was priced out of that area of town, a group of little people settled at the end of Virginia Road—behind Rancho Los Cerritos.

Reality: Still not true. The legend of Midget Town consumes us, and we reach out—to make it part of our part of town.

In this case, the legend probably derives part of its luster from the reportedly elusive three gates at the end of Virginia Road—and, according to the legend, a house behind the first gate with a giant front door and a low-hanging doorknob.

Why three gates? It’s a gated community! Based on the evidence—or the preponderance of myth—if little people didn’t live anywhere in the city, we’d have to say based on the information at hand that they definitely didn’t live on the site of the former Bixby mansion—not not out at the end of Virginia Road.

La Linda Drive (the Midget Town we wrote of above) is the place with the little street and the little lots—and, dating back to the 1970s at least, the tours of school kids eager to twist the slightest scrap of useful information and make it come out midgets. That’s our midget town, if we have to pick one—which we’d rather not. Fifth largest city in the state—there’s room for a whole passel of midget towns. // TD

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  • danielgray
    I remember as a kid being taken out side the Downey Midget town.. I saw it for myself . Little houses, the whole thing. I dont know if its there anymore..but I doubt they will murder you , but they were pretty upset that people would sit outside and stare at them like they were in a zoo.
  • Michell Kinney
    I live in the Igor house. The stories crack me up!!! Email me with any questions.
  • greggga
    It's a beautiful house how many rooms are there?
  • Michell Kinney
    I live in the Igor house. The stories crack me up!!!
  • clayton
    alright egor was a butler who worked in the house and there were these kids that live and played in the alley behind where he worked and he hated the kids because they were loud and made messes so one night he snaped and hung all the kids
    there's a ledge where u can see a semented door way and thats were it supposidly happend

    drive down the alley at night with your lights out crazy scary
  • Ray Spitzer
    I am Herbs brother and saw Michelle crash that day. I believe her trucks were tight and didn't turn because she hit a bump at the top and then the cart didn't go stright down hill and she couldn't make it adjust. A really bad eat. But she was one tough cookie! Herb on the other had got to aot 53 mph and his trucks were to loose and he got speed wabbles and got pitched...Someone in this world might have tape of this day...Wonder why they don't hold the ZShell Hill speed run anymo.
  • "Bloody Sunday": 1977 Signal Hill Speed Run. I was one of the few women who entered that race. There were two of us to be exact. The year before, there were no women represented. I thought that was terrible so I entered. I had a great leather outfit made by Bates Leather and was sponsored by my Dad's ship repair company. The other woman, Leslie Jo Ritzma, made it down and got the record for first woman to make the speed run. I unfortunately, as others that day, crashed...(my boyfriend at the time, Herb Spitzer, also crashed...let's just say, it was an exciting day for spectators!) I was not hurt but gave my mother a fright by doing a roll to the side just after the crest of the hill right in front of her! That was a very memorable day for me. I used to skate (roller skates) all the local skateparks and a few empty pools and am still in touch with several of "the guys" I hung with back then. (I'm a triathlete now.) Thanks for bringing some light to a great race, with or without the crashes!...You also got me back in contact with Jim O'Mahoney, a really great guy, that an interview with him alone would make for an interesting article!
  • Theo Douglas
    Ms. Schipske,
    That's amazing!
    Thanks for letting us know.
    I wonder where these "midgets" lived while they worked at Douglas; it'd make our story better if they lived here. They may have been commuters, though.
    My grandmother worked at Douglas during the war, and I know she drove in from the San Gabriel Valley every day--down Rosemead Boulevard.
  • Gerrie Schipske
    I have been working on a book about the women who worked in the aircraft industry during WWII and found out that Douglas hired "midgets" (the phrase used on the cutlines of the photos I saw) because they could fit into tight spaces like the inside of the fuel tanks.
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