Hidden Secret on Clifton Ave. Corner

On any regular day, the semi-circle traffic island on Clifton Avenue, across from the College of DAAP would not seem like anything special. But there happens to be a very unique history behind this 1,414 square-foot property.

n 1964, a group of forty UC architecture students formed a corporation that purchased the land, laying claim to the “largest privately owned traffic island in the world!” The group explained that “This is our answer to stuffing phone booths or pushing bathtubs.” The corporation challenged any university student to one-up them, and to our knowledge, no one has yet!

Many thanks to Don Jacobs, UC Alum and President of JZMK Partners in Orange County, CA, who forwarded the newspaper article (.pdf) that details this purchase.

Know of any other unique, historically significant spots on UC’s campus? Comment below!