Wadsworth Chapel

A few days ago, I set out to complete something known in my house as “the long walk”: a twelve-hour walk though the city of Los Angeles without the intrusive Internet, social media, texts, and emails clouding one’s thoughts. The idea, inspired by my wife, Coni, is meant to be something of a day of uninterrupted contemplation. And it was..I left the house at 7:00AM and walked and walked and walked...from Hollywood to the Pacific Ocean and all around on the way home. Contemplate I did - so suffice it to say there are tons of new things in the works for this website - all coming to you in the near future.

Along the way, I was reminded that the best way to see a city is by walking it. I came across a lot of historical sites and buildings that I knew existed, but that I had never really stoped to investigate . One of these sites of interest was the Wadsworth Chapel in West Los Angeles. The Chapel, named for medical officer James Wadsworth, is a lovely example of Victorian architecture on the grounds of the Veterans’ Administration Hospital - what once served (for both Protestants and Catholics - the building is a two-in-one deal) as the religious center of the Pacific Branch of the National Home for Disabled Soldiers. The Federal government began construction on these facilities in the 1880s (the Chapel went up in 1900) to house United States veterans of the Civil War and the Indian Wars. From what I understand, this is the last remaining building of the Disabled Soldiers’ Home…as well as the oldest surviving building on Wilshire Blvd.

A quick inspection and circumnavigation quite clearly reveals that the building is in dire need of restoration. Indeed, it’s pretty much falling apart - and it seems that the VA wants to keep people from from accelerating this process and have thus surrounded the building with an unsightly chain-link fence. The building is, for the most part, intact - but cost estimations for restoration edge toward $12 million. According to the Los Angeles Times, “Restoration would be an intricate, and costly, undertaking. For starters, the masonry foundation would have to be replaced with concrete. Most windows would have to be removed and repaired. Ideally, old-growth redwood would be used to match any missing or damaged siding. Seismic upgrading and the required removal of lead-based paint and asbestos would add significant expense, as would the finish carpentry work.”

Many however, noting that the VA currently struggles to fund the physical and psychological needs of American veterans, reject the expenditure of limited resources on a building for religious services. One organization, The 1887 Fund, fervently disagrees. Rather, they note the original intentions behind National Home: to likewise attend to the veterans’ spiritual needs- to provide healing for the body and soul. Emphasizing the connection between the physical and spiritual, the organization has determined to raise awareness (and money) to realize this goal and restore several buildings in the area to their former glory. “[The Wadsworth Chapel] can and must once again be a foundation for the home going forward, bringing our Veterans together for themselves, for each other, for the community, for the country and for the future.” I think they make a most excellent point…one that leads me to agree that a spiritual foundation (and yes, healing) would serve the healing of the body well. One could compellingly argue that these two things work together.

Abraham Lincoln signed the legislation into law on March 3, 1865, establishing the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Solders - the very next day, in his Second inaugural Address, the president vowed to “care for him who shall have born the battle.” And indeed, the federal program mandated the rehabilitative care of the nations’ soldiers. The Historical Marker Database rightly reminds us that, “the National Home provided housing, food and medical care, as well as entertainment, spiritual support, productive work and an environment conducive to reflection and relaxation. This was not charity, but a "home" and a reward to the brave and deserving soldiers.” Nathan Graeser, of the USC School of Social Work said it best: “Healing the wounds of war has always been a timeless, sacred and spiritual work. The renovation of the Wadsworth Chapel can be the shining light for the soul of this work- ensuring the West LA VA campus to be the healing place our veterans deserve. The chapel is the soul of military bases all over the world. The renovation of the Wadsworth Chapel brings the soul back to a West LA VA campus in dire need of reform. You can not underestimate the power of bringing the soul back to the work of healing.”

All things considered, I think a restorative effort is well worth it.

With compliments,

Keith