Hidden in the darkest depths of Pierce College lies The Old Trapper's Statues, a bizarre Cowboy/Indian exhibit that walks the thin line between genius and madness.
Oh dear god...
These massive wooden behemoths are the life's work of John Ehn (aka the "Old Trapper"), a seemingly odd individual who either had a great sense of humor about the Old West's sordid past, or was on a solo mission to scare kids away from adding Pierce to their College applications list.
Having weathered SoCal heat and Collegic hijinks over the years, the statues have gotten pretty old and decrepit at this point. Faces are melted, paint is chipped away, and an eyeball or two is missing, but they still hold up as terrifying relics from California's past.
HOW THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN?
Created by John Eh (aka "The Old Trapper") these behemoths were crafted over 30 years and (insanely) modeled after himself and his family.
Originally, Ol' Johnny had these beasts on display at his hotel near the Burbank airport, surely serving as an abrupt "This is LA!" welcoming message to confused tourists. After his death in 1981, the statues were a threat to be bulldozed. Things were looking grim for John's masterpieces.
Enter, an anonymous fan (or possibly the ghost of John E himself?) who made a phone call to nearby Pierce College and had them donated to the College. And the the rest is history, of some sorts.
Now, the statues remain in Cleveland Park, obscured by trees and occasionally getting a fresh coat of paint from a fan. Oh yea, this fear factory is also a registered California landmark.
