Commentary
Almost exactly 52 years ago—Feb. 9, 1971—a large magnitude 6.6 earthquake shook L.A.’s San Fernando Valley emanating from the vicinity of the Magic Mountain amusement park.
I was living in the city’s Echo Park district then in an old (1920s) Craftsmen-style house. It was approximately 6 a.m. when the quake hit—I was fast asleep—and lasted for about a minute. It felt much longer. But it was plenty long for what happened.
A two-story brick chimney that I didn’t know existed, because it had been covered over with plaster who knows when, completely came apart next to my bed, missing me by less than a foot….