"VISITING...WITH HUELL HOWSER" IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RALPH M. PARSONS FOUNDATION.

[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY KCET PUBLIC TELEVISION] WELL, HELLO, EVERYBODY.

I'M HUELL HOWSER, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING BETTER THAN AN HONEST-TO-GOODNESS GOLDIE OLDIE, AN OLDIE BUT GOODIE, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO WATCH TOGETHER RIGHT NOW.

HERE'S THE STORY.

I WAS RUMMAGING AROUND OUR OFFICE, AND I CAME ACROSS THIS OLD PROGRAM WHICH ORIGINALLY AIRED ON KCET BACK IN THE EARLY 1990s.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 1991, 1992.

MANY OF YOU WEREN'T EVEN BORN THEN.

THE PROGRAM WAS ABOUT OUR ICONIC LOS ANGELES CITY HALL.

WELL, ACTUALLY NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THE CITY HALL ITSELF AS ABOUT SOMETHING ON TOP OF THE CITY HALL, AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO WATCH THIS OLD PROGRAM TOGETHER RIGHT NOW.

NOW, I GOT TO TELL YOU, IT'S KIND OF BITTERSWEET WATCHING IT BECAUSE MANY OF THE PEOPLE WE INTERVIEWED HAVE PASSED AWAY.

THEY'RE GONE NOW, BUT IT'S A WONDERFUL PIECE OF HISTORY.

OF COURSE, THE CITY HALL IS STILL THERE, AND WHAT'S ON TOP OF CITY HALL TODAY MAKES THIS A TRUE CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES SUCCESS STORY.

SO HERE WE GO WAY BACK IN TIME TO THE EARLY, EARLY 1990s.

IT'S AN OLDIE BUT GOODIE.

MAJOR FUNDING FOR THIS VIDEOLOG SPECIAL WAS PROVIDED BY THE RALPH M. PARSONS FOUNDATION.

HI.

I'M HUELL HOWSER, SITTING OUT HERE ALL ALONE ON THE STEPS OF OUR BEAUTIFUL AND HISTORIC LOS ANGELES CITY HALL, A BUILDING WHICH HAS BEEN A PROMINENT PART OF OUR CITY'S LANDSCAPE FOR ALMOST 65 YEARS NOW, AND EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE A LOT OF BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN L.A. THAT ARE A LOT TALLER THAN CITY HALL THESE DAYS, THIS PLACE IS STILL VERY SPECIAL.

A LOT OF HISTORY HAS TAKEN PLACE INSIDE THOSE WALLS, AND NOT JUST POLITICS, EITHER.

IN FACT, ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO, WE DID A VIDEOLOG ABOUT THE LINDBERGH BEACON WHICH USED TO SIT ON THE VERY TOP OF THIS BUILDING BACK IN THE 1920s AND THIRTIES.

WELL, IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR VIDEOLOGS WE'VE EVER DONE.

WE GOT A LOT OF POSITIVE RESPONSE.

SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS AN ENTIRE PROGRAM ABOUT THE LINDBERGH BEACON.

WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT ORIGINAL VIDEOLOG, AND THEN WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH A VERY HAPPY LINDBERGH BEACON UPDATE.

IT'S ONE OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S MOST FAMILIAR LANDMARKS--GOOD, OLD CITY HALL-- BUT IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, THERE'S SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR SHOT OF CITY HALL.

YOU SEE THAT TINY SPECK WAY UP ON THE VERY TOP OF THE TOWER WAVING FRANTICALLY?

WELL, THAT'S ME, YOUR TRUSTY VIDEOLOG REPORTER, DOING RESEARCH FOR THIS PARTICULAR SEGMENT.

YOU SEE, I CLIMBED ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP IN SEARCH OF THE LINDBERGH BEACON.

[HOT JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING] LET'S GO BACK TO THE TWENTIES AS CITY HALL WAS BEING BUILT, AN IMPOSING STRUCTURE OF STEEL AND STONE.

NOW, AS A COINCIDENCE OF HISTORY, JUST ABOUT THIS SAME TIME, CHARLES LINDBERGH MADE HIS HISTORIC TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT IN THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS AND BECAME SUCH A NATIONAL SENSATION THAT HE SET OUT ON A CROSS-COUNTRY GOODWILL TOUR, VISITING MAJOR CITIES ALL ACROSS AMERICA, A GOODWILL TOUR THAT INCLUDED A STOP IN LOS ANGELES.

WELL, NEEDLESS TO SAY, LINDY FEVER SWEPT THE CITY.

HIS UPCOMING VISIT WAS ALL ANYBODY COULD TALK ABOUT.

AS REPORTED IN THE "LOS ANGELES TIMES," THE HEART OF A GREAT CITY WAS OPEN TO LINDY.

NOW, ON THE DAY OF HIS ACTUAL ARRIVAL, A MILLION PEOPLE TURNED OUT TO GREET HIM.

THERE WAS A TICKERTAPE PARADE THROUGH DOWNTOWN AND A RALLY AT THE MEMORIAL COLISEUM.

THE NEWSPAPERS DEVOTED WHOLE PAGES TO TRIBUTES TO HIM AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF HIS VISIT.

IT WAS ABOUT THIS SAME TIME THAT GEORGE R. WATSON, THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE PRESS PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION, CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF PUTTING A BEACON UP ON THE TOP OF THE SOON-TO-BE-COMPLETED CITY HALL BUILDING AND NAMING IT AFTER EVERYONE'S HERO--CHARLES LINDBERGH.

WELL, EVERYBODY THOUGHT THAT WAS A GRAND IDEA, AND WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM AVERAGE CITIZENS, THE BEACON WAS INDEED PURCHASED AND PUT UP ON THE VERY TOP OF CITY HALL, AND IN 1928 WHEN THE BUILDING WAS DEDICATED, IT WAS FRONT-PAGE NEWS.

THOUSANDS GATHERED FOR THE CEREMONY, THE HIGH POINT OF WHICH CAME WHEN PRESIDENT CALVIN COOLIDGE, 3,000 MILES AWAY IN WASHINGTON, TOUCHED A GOLDEN TELEGRAPH KEY AND LIT THE POWERFUL BEACON FOR THE FIRST TIME.

WELL, IT QUICKLY BECAME A PART OF THE L.A. SKYLINE AT NIGHT, ITS 8 MILLION-CANDLEPOWER BEACON SEEN AS FAR AWAY AS POMONA.

ALL THIS WAS BACK IN 1928.

NOW WE SWITCH TO PRESENT DAY, AND GEORGE R. WATSON, THE GUY WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THE BEACON UP THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, HAS PASSED AWAY, BUT HIS NEPHEW DELMAR WATSON, WHO'S BEEN A PRESS PHOTOGRAPHER IN THIS CITY FOR YEARS AND HAS A PHOTO ARCHIVES OF ALL THIS, TOOK ME UP TO THE OBSERVATION DECK NEAR THE TOP OF CITY HALL TO SHOW ME THE PLAQUE COMMEMORATING THE BEACON, AND WHILE UP THERE, HE FILLED ME IN ON SOME MORE LINDBERGH BEACON HISTORY.

DID THE BEACON HAVE A PRACTICAL APPLICATION?

OH, YEAH, YEAH.

FOR ONE THING, YOU GOT TO REMEMBER, IN THOSE DAYS, ALSO--WE'RE TALKING 1927, '28 NOW--AEROPLANES WERE COMING INTO THEIR OWN, BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE RADIOS AND THE RADAR AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE NOW.

SO THE LIGHT ON TOP OF THE CITY HALL, NUMBER ONE, IT POINTED A WHITE LIGHT TOWARDS MINES FIELD, WHICH IS NOW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

SO YOU COULD SEE THAT BEACON, THAT LIGHT, ALL THE WAY OUT-- IF THEY WERE COMING IN FROM THE EAST COAST, THEY'D SEE THAT OR IF THEY WERE COMING UP THE COAST OR DOWN THE COAST ONCE THEY GOT TO LOS ANGELES PROPER, WHICH HAD A LOT OF LIGHTS THEN.

ONCE YOU GOT HERE AND YOU SAW THE BEACON ON TOP OF THE CITY HALL, THEN YOU KNEW WHICH WAY TO GO IF YOU WERE DISORIENTED.

THE WHITE LIGHT WAS UP THERE FROM '27 TILL AROUND 1933, WHEN THEY DECIDED THEY HAD TO TAKE IT DOWN TO DO SOME IMPROVINGS ON IT AND EVERYTHING.

HOW DID THEY IMPROVE IT?

WELL, THE AVIATION DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY-- IT WAS TOO BRIGHT.

SO THAT WAS THE TIME THEY CHANGED IT AND PUT THE RED ON IT SO THAT IT WASN'T QUITE AS BRIGHT.

IT WAS TOO BRIGHT, APPARENTLY, FOR SOME REASON.

SO THEY TOOK IT DOWN IN '33.

NOW, IT STAYED WITH THE RED LIGHT ON UNTIL ABOUT, OH, JUST AFTER THE WAR STARTED.

THEN THEY TOOK THE WHOLE LIGHT AND EVERYTHING DOWN BECAUSE OF THE WAR.

NOW, AFTER THE WAR CAME ALONG, THE LIGHT WENT ON AGAIN, BUT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THAT TIME, THEY TOOK THE ORIGINAL LIGHT DOWN AND PUT THE ONE THAT'S UP THERE NOW.

NOW, THE ONE THAT'S UP THERE NOW IS REALLY NOT A BEACON AT ALL.

IT'S JUST A-- I THINK AT SOME TIME, THEY SAID THERE WERE 3 OR SOMETHING 500-WATT BULBS IN IT UP THERE NOW WITH REFLECTING POWERS AND EVERYTHING.

THEY DON'T NEED IT AS MUCH NOW.

DO WE KNOW WHEN THE LINDBERGH BEACON WAS ACTUALLY REMOVED FROM CITY HALL?

I HAVE A LOT OF CLIPPINGS SHOWING DIFFERENT GUYS CLEANING THE LIGHT, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY KNOWS WHEN THE ORIGINAL ONE CAME DOWN OR WHERE IT IS OR ANYTHING ELSE.

SO THAT'S THE MYSTERY NOW-- WHERE IS THE LINDBERGH BEACON?

DON'T ASK ME.

I DIDN'T TAKE IT.

IT'S TOO HEAVY.

HA HA HA!

WELL, THIS DEFINITELY CALLED FOR A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION, STARTING WITH A CLIMB TO THE VERY TOP OF CITY HALL TO CHECK OUT WHERE THE LINDBERGH BEACON USED TO BE.

NOW, THIS CLIMB SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME, AND, ACCOMPANIED BY BOB HUNTER FROM GENERAL SERVICES, I BEGAN THE JOURNEY UP.

WOW, WE'RE OUTSIDE AGAIN.

YEP.

THIS IS OUR FIRST STOP.

AND WHAT A STOP.

LOOK AT THIS.

NOW, THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL A VIEW OF THE CITY.

OH, SO WE STARTED OFF WAY DOWN THERE...

RIGHT.

AND WE'VE STILL GOT TO GO... ALL THE WAY UP THERE... WAY UP THERE.

ON TOP OF THE PYRAMID.

HA HA HA!

SO I'M GONNA LET YOU-- I HAVE ABSOLUTELY-- GOOD GRIEF.

LOOK AT ALL THIS ELECTRONIC STUFF.

THIS IS ALL THE... RADAR AND... RADAR.

MICROWAVE DISHES UP HERE, ALL THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY.

I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH FURTHER WE'VE STILL GOT TO GO.

ANOTHER DOOR.

HA HA!

LOCKED, OF COURSE.

GOOD GR-- OH, MY GOODNESS, WE'RE GOING IN HERE?

WE SURE ARE.

WATCH YOUR HEAD.

YO!

WE'RE GOING TO THE OBSERVATION DECK.

MORE STEPS.

YEP.

WELL, EVEN MORE YET TO COME.

AH... NOW, WE'RE GETTING HIGH UP NOW.

WE HAVEN'T QUITE REACHED IT.

[PANTING] WHEW!

WHOA!

HA HA!

I DON'T EVEN THINK THERE'S ROOM FOR ONE PERSON UP HERE.

GOOD GRIEF.

WELL, IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET UP THERE, AND IT WAS A TIGHT FIT, BUT IT WAS WORTH IT.

OUR SEARCH FOR THE LINDBERGH BEACON HAD TAKEN US TO THE TIP TOP OF CITY HALL.

WELL, HERE WE ARE ON THE TOP, THE VERY TOP, AND THERE IS A LIGHT UP HERE, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY NOT BIG ENOUGH TO BE THE LINDBERGH BEACON.

THE ONLY THING ELSE UP HERE IS AN ANTENNA THAT LOOKS LIKE IT CAME OFF SOMEBODY'S CAR RADIO ANTENNA AND A LOT OF BIG POLES UP HERE THAT I'M SURE ARE PUTTING OUT ALL KIND OF ELECTRONIC SIGNALS.

THE ONLY THING I KNOW FOR SURE IS THAT THERE IS A SPECTACULAR VIEW UP HERE, AND YOU REALLY DO FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ON TOP OF THE WORLD.

NOW WE KNEW WHAT WAS ON TOP OF CITY HALL, BUT WE ALSO HAD CONFIRMED BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT THE LINDBERGH BEACON WAS NO LONGER UP THERE.

WHERE WAS THAT ELUSIVE BEACON?

WELL, NEXT, BOB TOOK DELMAR AND ME ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE VERY BOTTOM OF CITY HALL--TO THE SUBBASEMENT, IN FACT--TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

WOW.

SO THIS IS IT.

YES.

WOW.

YEAH.

THAT'S IT.

YOU THINK THIS IS IT?

YEAH.

THE PICTURE IS EXACTLY THE SAME.

IT'S GOT THE RED ON IT NOW, WHAT THEY USED AFTER THE WAR, BUT THIS IS BASICALLY-- SEE, IT'S GOT THE HINGE THERE.

THE STRUCTURE IS EXACTLY THE SAME.

OH, YEAH.

IT'S THE SAME.

THE WHEELS ON IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

THEY GOT A LITTLE BETTER BA-- NO.

LOOKS ACTUALLY PRETTY MUCH-- EVEN THE BASE LOOKS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.

THIS IS DEFINITELY THE TOP OF IT HERE.

WHAT'S THE STORY BEHIND THIS THING?

HOW DID YOU FIND IT?

WELL, AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN IN STORAGE FOR SOME TIME.

BEFORE IT CAME TO CIVIC CENTER HERE, IT WAS STORED ON CENTRAL AVENUE IN ONE OF THE STORAGE WAREHOUSES, AND IT WAS BROUGHT OVER HERE ABOUT 5 OR 6 YEARS AGO, AND NONE OF US WERE AWARE WHAT WAS IN HERE.

WE KNEW THERE WAS SOME CRATES BACK HERE, AND SOME QUESTION HAD COME UP AS TO WHERE WAS IT OR WAS IT EVEN HERE, AND WE HAD COME BACK HERE, AND WE PULLED THE CRATES OUT, AND, LO AND BEHOLD, WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, OPENED UP THE CRATES, THERE IT WAS.

NOW, WHEN YOU OPENED UP THE CRATES, YOU WERE HERE WHEN THAT HAPPENED, WEREN'T YOU?

YES.

I WAS SUPERVISING THE CREW THAT OPENED THE CRATES.

IT WAS QUITE A SURPRISE.

BOB MENTIONED TO ME AT ONE POINT THAT WE MIGHT HAVE THE LINDBERGH BEACON HERE, AND WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE IN THE BACK ROOM.

SO WE GOT CROWBARS AND IMMEDIATELY CAME DOWN AND OPENED UP THE CRATES, AND THIS GLASS WAS COMPLETELY COVERED WITH DIRT.

WE WEREN'T EVEN SURE IF IT WAS GLASS.

SO WE GOT A DAMP RAG AND JUST WIPED ACROSS IT, AND IT WAS JUST LIKE A RUBY, YOU KNOW, JUST THIS BEAM OF RED LIGHT JUST SHOT OUT OF THERE.

IT WAS A REFLECTION FROM THE LIGHT IN THE ROOM.

IT WAS AMAZING.

IT WAS QUITE AN EXPERIENCE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A FUNNY THING BECAUSE WE WERE ON A REAL CAMPAIGN TO TRY AND LOCATE SPACE.

I MEAN, WE NEED SPACE HERE VERY BADLY, AND WHAT WE WOULD'VE ENDED UP DOING WITH THIS IS PROBABLY SENDING IT OVER TO SALVAGE, AND WHO KNOWS WHERE IT WOULD'VE ENDED UP AFTER THAT?

WELL, THAT HURTS EVEN TO HEAR YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IT COULD'VE VERY EASILY-- OH, YEAH, VERY EASILY.

SO BECAUSE WE HAD COME BACK TO THIS SPECIFIC AREA AND STARTED CLEANING IT OUT TRYING TO GET RID OF STUFF THAT HAD BEEN STORED BACK HERE FOR YEARS, AND WE WOULD'VE OPENED UP THIS THING AND SAW THIS, BUT I DON'T KNOW AT THAT POINT IF WE'D HAVE REALIZED THAT THIS WAS THE BEACON.

MAYBE EVEN IF WE HAD'VE, WE WOULD'VE SENT IT OVER TO SALVAGE.

SO WE FOUND THE LINDBERGH BEACON--JUST IN TIME, TOO--AND HOW IRONIC IT IS THAT THE BEACON, WHICH ONCE PROUDLY SHONE FORTH FROM THE VERY TOP OF CITY HALL, HAS FOR DECADES NOW BEEN CRATED UP IN STORAGE IN THE VERY BOTTOM OF CITY HALL, ALMOST FORGOTTEN, AND NOW THE QUESTION IS WHAT TO DO WITH THIS ONCE-PROUD CITY LANDMARK.

SHOULD IT BE RESTORED AND PUT ON DISPLAY, POSSIBLY IN ONE OF OUR LOCAL MUSEUMS OR OUT AT L.A.X.?

SHOULD IT ONCE AGAIN LIGHT UP CITY HALL OR POSSIBLY ANOTHER BUILDING DOWNTOWN?

WELL, I'M SURE THAT MANY OF YOU ALREADY HAVE IDEAS ON THIS SUBJECT, AND RATHER THAN MY GIVING OUT THE MAYOR'S HOME PHONE NUMBER AND YOU CALLING HIM DIRECTLY, WHY DON'T YOU CONTACT US HERE AT THE VIDEOLOG OFFICE AT KCET, AND WE'LL COLLECT ALL YOUR IDEAS AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.

IT'LL BE AN INTERESTING PROJECT FOR ALL OF US TO WORK ON, BRINGING THE PROUD, OLD LINDBERGH BEACON BACK TO LIFE.

WAITING FOR YOUR CARDS AND LETTERS, I'M HUELL HOWSER FOR VIDEOLOG.

HA HA!

WELL, WHEN YOU ASK FOR LETTERS, YOU GET LETTERS.

IN FACT, WE GOT HUNDREDS OF LETTERS FROM VIEWERS ALL OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, LETTERS FILLED WITH INTERESTING IDEAS LIKE THIS ONE FROM A GENTLEMAN WHO SUGGESTED THAT THE BEACON BE INSTALLED ON THE GROUNDS OF THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY IN SAN MARINO BECAUSE THE LIBRARY HAS SUCH A GREAT SENSE OF HISTORY.

HERE'S A LADY IN PASADENA WHO WROTE THAT THE BEACON SHOULD BE INSTALLED INSIDE THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY, BUT DEFINITELY NOT BACK IN THE BASEMENT.

JOAN SCOTT WROTE AND SAID THAT SHE THOUGHT THE BEACON WOULD BE A WELCOME ADDITION TO THE CHARLES A. LINDBERGH JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL IN LONG BEACH, AND EUGENIE ADAMO FROM NORTH HOLLYWOOD WROTE AND SAID, "I THINK THE BEACON SHOULD BE PUT BACK IN ITS ORIGINAL PLACE.

WITH SO MANY LANDMARKS BEING DESTROYED FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE SOME HISTORY PRESERVED HERE IN LOS ANGELES."

WELL, ALL OF THESE LETTERS WERE FILLED WITH INTERESTING AND INNOVATIVE SUGGESTIONS ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE DONE WITH THE BEACON, AND THESE SUGGESTIONS DEFINITELY SPURRED US ON.

NOW, OBVIOUSLY, THE FIRST CHOICE OF WHERE TO PUT THE BEACON WAS BACK UP ON TOP OF CITY HALL, BUT OVER THE YEARS SINCE THE BEACON WAS TAKEN DOWN BACK IN THE 1940s, THE TOP OF CITY HALL HAS LITERALLY CHANGED, WITH LOTS OF ELECTRONIC GEAR AND ANTENNAS PUT UP THERE.

SO TO PUT THE BEACON BACK IN ITS ORIGINAL PLACE WOULD COST A LOT OF MONEY, MONEY THE CITY JUST DOESN'T HAVE RIGHT NOW.

SO AFTER LOTS OF DEBATE AND DISCUSSION, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE BEACON SHOULD BE PLACED OUT AT L.A.X.

IN THE LOBBY OF THE INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL.

IT WAS A PERFECT TIE-IN WITH THE AIRPORT AND AVIATION AND LINDBERGH, AND ALSO, OUT AT THE AIRPORT, THE BEACON WOULD ONCE AGAIN SYMBOLICALLY BE WELCOMING VISITORS AND NEW RESIDENTS TO OUR CITY.

A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, CLIFF MOORE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AIRPORTS; BILL SCHOENFELD, THE DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; GEORGIA ROSENBERRY, PRESIDENT OF PROJECT RESTORE; AND I VISITED THE TERMINAL TO CHECK OUT WHERE THE BEACON WOULD BE PLACED.

NOW, GEORGIA, AS PRESIDENT OF PROJECT RESTORE, IS IN CHARGE OF LITERALLY RESTORING CITY HALL TO ITS ORIGINAL GRANDEUR, AND SHE'S PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN FINDING AND REFURBISHING THE BEACON.

GEORGIA, THIS IS THE PLAN OF WHAT THIS IS GONNA LOOK LIKE.

ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS THE FOUNDATION THAT WE HAVE CONSTRUCTED, AND ACTUALLY, THE BEACON WOULD BE RESTED ON A PLATFORM, AND THE PLATFORM WILL BE DESIGNED TO REPLICATE THE CITY HALL TOWER, AND THEN ON ITS TOP WILL REST THE BEACON JUST AS IT RESTED ON TOP OF CITY HALL FROM 1928 TO THE MID-FORTIES.

SO THIS IS GONNA END UP LOOKING LIKE THE TOP OF CITY HALL WITH THE BEACON ON IT.

ABSOLUTELY.

THE CITY HALL TOWER, BASICALLY, WOULD BE A REPLICATED CITY HALL TOWER WITH THE BEACON THAT'S ON TOP.

NOW, IS THIS GONNA LOOK GOOD?

IS THIS GONNA LOOK THE WAY WE WANT IT TO?

VERY DYNAMIC AND WOULD ATTRACT A LOT OF ATTENTION, AND I THINK WE'LL HAVE GREAT, GREAT TRAVELER INTEREST IN THIS PIECE OF HISTORY.

MEANWHILE DOWNTOWN, THE GOOD FOLKS AT THE CITY'S DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES WERE HARD AT WORK ACTUALLY RESTORING THE BEACON AND GETTING IT READY FOR ITS BIG COMEBACK.

IS THIS THE ORIGINAL MECHANISM?

IT'S ALL ORIGINAL.

IT'S ALL ORIGINAL.

NOW, HOW DID IT HOLD UP OVER THE YEARS?

I MEAN, IT'S JUST LIKE BRAND-NEW RIGHT NOW, AS YOU CAN SEE.

YOU CAN EVEN FEEL IT.

AS YOU TURN IT, YOU CAN'T EVEN HEAR A SOUND.

LET ME TRY.

YOU CAN'T EVEN HEAR A SOUND.

SO THIS IS-- THE LIGHT IS UP HERE.

THE BEACON IS UP HERE...

RIGHT.

AND THESE ARE THE BEARINGS AND ALL DOWN IN HERE.

RIGHT.

RIGHT.

WOW.

NOW, DIDN'T YOU HAVE TO GREASE THIS UP A LOT TO MAKE IT THIS SMOOTH?

NO.

WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO IT.

THIS IS ORIGINAL.

WHAT IS THIS?

THIS IS THE MAJOR REFLECTOR?

THIS IS THE DEFLECTOR OF THE LAMP RIGHT HERE THAT GOES INSIDE THIS HOUSING.

SO THIS IS WHAT CAUSED EVERYTHING TO REFLECT.

RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.

THIS IS WHERE YOUR LAMP GOES, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT HERE, AND ACROSS.

THIS IS THE ORIGINAL.

THIS IS THE ORIGINAL?

THE ORIGINAL.

SO REALLY, EVERYTHING YOU'RE WORKING WITH HERE IS THE ORIGINAL.

IT'S ORIGINAL, AND EVERYTHING LOOKS LIKE IT'S IN REAL, REAL GOOD SHAPE.

NOW, IS THIS AN ORIGINAL BULB?

YEP.

THAT'S ONE OF THE ORIGINAL BULBS THAT CAME WITH THE FIXTURE FOR RESTORATION.

SO THAT BULB HAS BEEN IN STORAGE FOR OVER 40 YEARS... FAR AS WE KNOW, IT HAS.

AND IT STILL WORKS.

YEP.

WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT THAT IT WORKS BECAUSE YOU'RE READY TO-- YEP.

NOW, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS, WE'RE JUST BARELY TURNING IT ON BECAUSE WE FIGURED OUT THAT IT WOULD BLOW OUR CAMERA OUT LOOKING AT A LIGHT THIS BRIGHT IF WE CRANKED IT UP, RIGHT?

RIGHT.

WE'RE GONNA OPERATE IT AT ABOUT 20% OF THE ACTUAL DESIGNED VOLTAGE.

OK. LET'S CRANK THE-- ACTUALLY, WE'RE SEEING THE LINDBERGH BEACON COME ON AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS RIGHT NOW, I THINK.

THERE IT COMES.

THE LINDBERGH BEACON IS ON.

WELL, THE BIG DAY HAS FINALLY ARRIVED.

IT'S WEDNESDAY MORNING, APRIL 22, AND WE'RE HERE AT THE BRADLEY INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL BUILDING AT L.A.X.

FOR THE OFFICIAL RELIGHTING AND REDEDICATION OF THE LINDBERGH BEACON.

INVITED GUESTS, INCLUDING EVERYONE WHO HAD WRITTEN US A LETTER ABOUT WHERE THEY THOUGHT THE BEACON SHOULD BE PLACED, STARTED ARRIVING EARLY, CHECKING IN TO GET THEIR NAME TAGS, AND TAKING A CLOSEUP LOOK AT THE BEACON.

BY 10:30, A GOOD-SIZED CROWD HAD ASSEMBLED, INCLUDING, I'M SURE, SOME CURIOUS AIRLINE PASSENGERS WHO JUST HAPPENED TO STOP BY TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON.

THE DEDICATION CEREMONY ITSELF WAS SHORT AND SWEET AND TO THE POINT, A FEW WORDS FROM GEORGIA ROSENBERRY, PRESIDENT OF PROJECT RESTORE; A FEW WORDS FROM CLIFF MOORE, HEAD OF THE AIRPORT; AND THEN I INTRODUCED THE MAYOR, WHO'S BEEN INTERESTED IN THIS PROJECT SINCE HE SAW THE VIDEOLOG ON THE BEACON ONE NIGHT AT HOME HIMSELF.

THE HIGH POINT CAME WHEN THE MAYOR THREW THE SWITCH AND THE NEWLY RESTORED BEACON CAME BACK TO LIFE.

HERE WE GO.

THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

[APPLAUSE] I'D BEEN WORRYING ALL MORNING THAT THAT SWITCH WOULDN'T WORK OR SOMETHING WOULD GO WRONG, BUT IT ALL WENT SMOOTHLY, AND EVERYONE WAS EXCITED THAT THE BEACON WAS BACK.

IT'S ALMOST A MIRACLE THAT THIS BEACON WAS FOUND AND WAS RESTORED INSTEAD OF BEING TAKEN OFF TO SCRAP.

NOW, YOU KNOW WE ASKED OUR VIEWERS TO SEND IN SUGGESTIONS AS TO WHERE IT SHOULD BE PLACED, AND A LOT OF THEM SUGGESTED HERE, BUT A COUPLE OF THEM SUGGESTED YOUR FRONT YARD.

HA HA HA!

JUST THOUGHT I'D LET YOU KNOW THAT.

I LIKE THIS SITE.

SINCE IT'S CALLED THE TOM BRADLEY TERMINAL, IT COULDN'T BE BETTER.

HA HA!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.

THANK YOU, SIR.

WE FIND IT VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY.

WELL, YOU KNOW, IT WAS FOUND DOWN IN THE BASEMENT IN A DUSTY, OLD CRATE.

RIGHT.

MOST HISTORICAL OBJECTS END UP THAT WAY, BUT-- DOES THIS MAKE YOU THINK YOU MAYBE OUGHT TO LOOK AROUND DOWN THERE A LITTLE BIT MORE?

THERE'S A LOT MORE DOWN THERE WE'RE GONNA BE HOPEFULLY UNEARTHING SOON.

WELL, YOUR AIRPORT HAS A NEW ADDITION TO IT AS OF TODAY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

WELL, I THINK IT'S A BIG PLUS, HUELL, AND THANKS TO YOU AND VIDEOLOG AND FOLKS FROM PROJECT RESTORE AND THE MAYOR AND EVERYONE THAT CONTRIBUTED TO IT, IT'S GONNA BE A WELCOME ADDITION AT L.A.X.

AND ONE WHICH WILL GREATLY IMPRESS THE VISITORS TO THIS PART OF THE WORLD.

NOW, WHEN YOU SAY, "A BIG PLUS," WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

WELL, I THINK IT'S VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF THE HISTORICAL PAST, AVIATION PAST, OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

COMMERCIAL AVIATION BASICALLY WAS BORN HERE, TO A LARGE DEGREE... UH-HUH.

AND I THINK THIS KIND OF PROVIDES A LINK TO THAT PAST.

SO IT'S OK WITH YOU IF IT STAYS HERE FOR A WHILE.

OH, SURE, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

YOU'RE NOT CHARGING RENT FOR THIS THING TO BE HERE, ARE YOU?

WELL, WE WERE THINKING MAYBE VIDEOLOG COULD CONTRIBUTE MONTHLY.

HA HA HA!

HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL NOW, JUST AS A PERSON AND ALSO AS MEMBER OF THE CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMISSION, TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS TURN BACK ON?

MAKE YOUR HEART BEAT A LITTLE FASTER?

I TELL YOU, IT MAKE MY HEART FEEL FASTER AND GREAT.

IT'S REALLY A GREAT THING THAT WE ARE BRINGING BACK THE OLD GLORY OF CITY OF LOS ANGELES.

I'M QUITE HONORED TO BE HERE.

I THINK THIS IS A GREAT HONOR TO BE HERE AND TO SEE THIS HAPPENING.

NOW, WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S AN HONOR?

BECAUSE IT'S PART OF OUR HISTORY.

WE TEAR DOWN SO MANY THINGS HERE FOR PARKING LOTS AND NEW BUILDINGS, NEW STRUCTURES, AND IT'S NICE TO SEE SOMETHING OF HISTORY AND OF, YOU KNOW, MANY YEARS SO THAT OUR YOUNG CHILDREN OF TOMORROW CAN SEE IT AND SAY, "WOW, LOOK AT THAT.

IT'S SO MANY HUNDRED YEARS OLD."

YOU TOLD ME THAT YOUR FATHER SHOOK LINDBERGH'S HAND ONE TIME.

ABSOLUTELY.

NOW, DID YOU SHAKE YOUR FATHER'S HAND?

YES.

I SHOOK THE HAND THAT SHOOK THE HAND THAT SHOOK LINDBERGH'S.

MAY I SHAKE YOUR HAND?

BECAUSE NOW I'M SHAKING THE HAND THAT SHOOK THE HAND THAT SHOOK THE HAND OF CHARLES LINDBERGH.

YEP.

I'M VERY HAPPY TO HAVE IT.

WOW, I'LL NEVER WASH MY HAND AGAIN.

HA HA HA!

THANK YOU.

I ALMOST HATE TO CUT INTO THIS CAKE THAT YOU MADE TODAY.

THIS IS QUITE A PIECE OF HISTORY ITSELF.

YES.

IT IS.

IT'S WHITE BUTTERCREAM FILLED WITH BAVARIAN CREAM.

AND WHAT IS THE BEACON ITSELF MADE OUT OF?

IT'S ACTUALLY MADE OUT OF YELLOW CAKE, AND ACTUALLY, THE WHOLE THING IS YELLOW CAKE, AND, OF COURSE, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE THE YELLOW ICING, YOU KNOW, TO SORT OF KIND OF, LIKE, REFLECT THE LIGHTING AND THE-- YEAH, BUT THE LIGHT IS RED.

WELL, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY KNOW THAT WHEN WE MADE THE CAKE.

HA HA HA!

WELL, THE BIG DAY FINALLY GOT HERE.

FINALLY GOT HERE.

WE DID IT.

NOW, YOU BROUGHT SOMETHING WITH YOU TODAY THAT'S REALLY HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT.

YEAH.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S MANY OF THESE AROUND.

THIS WAS THE OFFICIAL PROGRAM OF THE DEDICATION OF THE CITY HALL... AND THE LIGHTING OF THE BEACON.

AND THE LIGHTING OF THE-- IT TELLS THE WHOLE STORY.

IT TELLS ABOUT HOW-- YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLY DUPLICATE THE CITY HALL, PROBABLY THE LIGHT UP THERE.

AGAIN, IT WOULD COST A FORTUNE, THE WAY THEY BUILT THE CITY HALL THEN.

IT WAS REALLY WELL DONE.

SO THIS IS REALLY A HISTORICAL DOCUMENT RIGHT HERE.

"DEDICATION DAY--THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 1928."

WELL, YOUR UNCLE, WHO STARTED ALL OF THIS BY NAMING THE BEACON IN LINDBERGH'S HONOR, WOULD BE PROUD TODAY, WOULDN'T HE?

OH, THIS WAS ONE OF HIS BETTER ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

HE'D LOVE THIS DAY.

HE WOULD'VE BEEN GREAT IF HE COULD'VE BEEN HERE.

HE'D HAVE REALLY ENJOYED IT.

WHAT A GREAT DAY, AND CHALK ONE UP FOR THE GOOD GUYS BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKED LONG AND HARD TO MAKE ALL THIS HAPPEN, BUT THE LINDBERGH BEACON HAS BEEN SAVED AND IS SHINING BRIGHTLY OUT AT L.A.X., A SYMBOL NOT ONLY OF OUR CITY'S RICH PAST, BUT ALSO ITS HOPEFUL FUTURE.

WHAT A WONDERFUL STORY.

WHAT A WONDERFUL PIECE OF L.A. HISTORY, BUT IT GETS EVEN BETTER BECAUSE IN 2001, THE RESTORED BEACON WAS TAKEN OUT OF BRADLEY TERMINAL AT L.A.X., TAKEN DOWNTOWN, AND CAREFULLY AND PRECISELY LIFTED BY HELICOPTER TO THE VERY TOP OF CITY HALL, WHERE IT WAS BOLTED BACK ON, AND LOOK AT THIS AMAZING AND SCARY VIDEO SHOT FROM A HELICOPTER OF THE GUY ON THE VERY TOP, AND, OBVIOUSLY, HE WAS WELL STRAPPED IN, PERFECTLY SECURING AND POSITIONING THE BEACON, AND THEN IT WAS TURNED BACK ON, AND IT'S BEEN ON EVER SINCE, AND ONCE AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE HARD, DEDICATED, AND VISIONARY WORK OF A LOT OF PEOPLE, IT SHINES FORTH JUST LIKE IT DID BACK IN 1928 WHEN IT WAS FIRST TURNED ON, A BEACON--THE LINDBERGH BEACON, WHICH IS AN ICON ON TOP OF A BUILDING THAT'S ALSO AN ICON, BOTH THESE ICONS FINE EXAMPLES OF CALIFORNIA'S GOLD.

"VISITING...WITH HUELL HOWSER" IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RALPH M. PARSONS FOUNDATION.

[CAPTIONED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE