Growing up my dad was pretty selective about the movies we watched. It’s not that he hated movies, they just weren’t really his thing. He much preferred a day on the water drinking cold beer, or cooking up a delicious meal for the neighbors. And now that I’m older I kind of get it. Movies take up so much of our precious time and attention. But back then, many a rainy day we would sit down to watch a movie, and there was one movie in particular that we came to again and again: The Goonies.
The Goonies is a classic coming of age story about a group of kids who try to save their homes from developers in Astoria, Oregon in the 1980s. The movie has a little bit of everything, including pirate treasure, teenage romance, and a friendly Italian Hulk. And who could forget the wonderful Cyndi Lauper cameo? But, after recently watching it again during another rainy day, one thing that surprised me was the passion the Goonies have for their hometown. As Goonies they live and die by their town, their community, and its incredible history.
There are few such examples in American pop culture of protecting Place that are as iconic as The Goonies. This is a shame; these are stories we should be telling generation after generation. Stories of protecting the people we love and the places we call home. Preserving our ways of life despite sudden economic or technological changes. These stories are exceptionally American, and go right to the heart of who we are.
And to this day, our unique places are under attack from threats ranging from war, to globalization, to gentrification. But one of the lesser acknowledged threats we face locally is the very real threat of climate change. You know, that big global phenomenon that’s usually measured by temperature or carbon emissions? There seems to be less news coverage about how climate change is currently impacting us than about far off changes that don’t seem to impact us or where we live. We must amplifying the stories of the people who are preserving their places now, in spite of a changing environment. These stories of preserving place, and how our cities and towns came to be, are important. After all, how can we know where we’re going if we don’t know how we got here? How else do we protect our places, and any pirate treasure they may contain?
The Los Angeles Wildfires
The 2025 wildfire season has been historically damaging to the people and culture of Los Angeles. One estimate puts the total cost in damages close to a quarter of a trillion dollars. And while the thousands of residents try to rebuild their homes and figure out a way forward, I was personally saddened to hear that Runyon Canyon Park was among the places impacted by the fires.
I visited Runyon Canyon Park only once, during the first and only trip I’ve ever taken to L.A. And it was one of the most incredible hikes I’ve ever been on. Not just because of the scenery or the views, but also because of the proximity. Here was this perfect little canyon, in the middle of one of our most densely populated cities, and it looked almost untouched. It was like watching the city through a mirror, one that reflected its aspirations, its growth, and now, unfortunately, its fires, exacerbated by climate change.
The Sunset Fire started on January 8, 2025 and grew to about 50 acres in size, equating to about one-third of the park’s total size. And while some of the more scenic spots were spared, like Inspiration Point, other spots like Wattles Garden Park were seriously damaged as a result of the fire. And, much like my friends who once called L.A. home, I was heartbroken. I felt powerless about what I could do (other than donate).
But somehow that wasn’t enough. I decided to research the park’s history, curious about how it came to be and why. And I was surprised to find the Friends of Runyon Canyon website, and their extremely comprehensive guide on the park’s history.
And quite the history it was. From coal barons to estranged lovers. From movie actors to art galleries. This park truly encapsulates so much of what makes Hollywood so special. And one of the most important contributions to the park was from a man by the name of Daniel deJonghe. Daniel was a Dutch actor who moved to L.A. in the early 1900s, and played a profound role in creating the park now known as Runyon Canyon Park.
But there was one question that I wasn’t quite able to answer. “Who was Daniel deJonghe? Why was he so obsessed with this park? And what can we learn about a man who was so dedicated to a place, while our places are threatened by climate change?”
Ok, maybe there were a few questions. Luckily, I think I’ve found the answers.
Daniel deJonghes’ Strange Journey
While researching Daniel’s life, I was surprised at how difficult it was, not because of how much I had to go off of, but how little. I got the sense that no one really knows who he is, at least anymore. There’s little to no mention of him online other than one very informative, old pamphlet. I quickly got the sense that this was a humble man, who sought the spotlight of the stage not to feed his own ego, but as an outlet for his passion and creativity.
An immigrant from Holland, Daniel traveled to the US and settled in LA with his wife Mabel in the 1940s and 50s. They built a home in the Wonderland area, just a few miles from the current park. And they didn’t just build any home. They hired famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s to design a beautiful rustic home that still stands today. The deJognhe’s must have enjoyed this home, since they would stay there the rest of their life, over 50 years!
Just a short walk away, the area of Runyon Canyon was his sanctuary, a place he found both nature and peace. Places like these, especially for immigrants and newcomers, often hold lots of meaning. In 1977 he said he could sit at Inspiration Point for hours and “get fresh ideas for new creations or a new look of life.” It makes you wonder what was going through his head during these life-changing visits. Was he worried about his family back home in the post-war era? Would he rehearse his lines, combing over all the possible emotions of his characters?
Daniel’s IMDb page showed no major roles during his roughly ten year career. Perhaps his best known role was of a Nazi officer in the movie Strange Journeys in 1946, shortly after the end of the second World War. This was his first major role, and likely a memorable one, given the fact that the Nazis had destroyed much of his home country. His resemblance to an actual German likely landed him the role.
His attachment to Runyon Canyon Park eventually motivated him to start the Wonderland Preservation Newsletter, where he advocated for protecting and admiring the natural beauty of the Hollywood Hills. This newsletter was instrumental in drumming up support among his community when developers moved in to build homes. The park had been sold off many times, and had been considered for many forms of development including homes, resorts, and art galleries. Luckily Daniel saw what few could see at the time: that Runyon Canyon should be a place for all to enjoy, and therefore formed a group to successfully lobby the city to designate it as a park in 1984. The act of writing about a place for twenty years, inspiring people to join your cause, showed his humility and perseverance in a place that few could truly see the vision.
Even with such limited information one can clearly see strong place attachment here: the sense of meaning that we as humans attribute to a place. While Daniel had his own reasons to save Runyon Canyon, I can’t help but be in awe at his story. The story of a young immigrant who moves to the U.S. from war-torn Europe, setting down roots in an historically beautiful home, and trying to build a legacy in a new emerging industry. Little did he know, his legacy would extend far beyond his creative pursuits, and would literally change the map of the City of Stars. At its core this is a story of protecting home and place, even if it’s not the one you were born in.
And, much like the Goonies, that story is worth sharing for generations to come.
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