Lost L.A.
LOST LA brings Southern California history to life by marrying archival materials from the L.A. as Subject research alliance with innovative forms of documentary storytelling. Hosted by public historian Nathan Masters of USC Libraries, each episode of LOST LA brings the primary sources of Los Angeles history to the screen in surprising new ways. Much of L.A.'s past is lost to history - but through the region's archives we can rediscover a forgotten L.A. that preceded the arrival of Anglo settlers and learn how it transformed so quickly into a sprawling, culturally diverse metropolis.
- 2016-2026
- 9 seasons
- KCET
- Documentary
LOST LA brings Southern California history to life by marrying archival materials from the L.A. as Subject research alliance with innovative forms of documentary storytelling. Hosted by public historian Nathan Masters of USC Libraries, each episode of LOST LA brings the primary sources of Los Angeles history to the screen in surprising new ways. Much of L.A.'s past is lost to history - but through the region's archives we can rediscover a forgotten L.A. that preceded the arrival of Anglo settlers and learn how it transformed so quickly into a sprawling, culturally diverse metropolis.
Season 9 Episode Guide
4 Episodes 2026
Episode 1
Surfridge, Tehachapi & Thomas Guide: How Southern California Moves
Los Angeles was built on movement, and every curve has a story. Nathan explores a neighborhood lost to a major infrastructure project. Walk through Surfridge, a coastal community erased by LAX expansion, where empty streets still trace the outline of a vanished neighborhood. Visit the Tehachapi Loop, one of the most important railroad engineering feats in California, where freight trains still navigate steep mountain terrain using a design developed in the 19th century. Nathan also visits the Thomas Guide collection at the Los Angeles Public Library, the detailed street atlas created by the Thomas Brothers that helped generations of Southern Californians navigate a rapidly expanding city. Its grid system didn't just offer directions; it shaped how people understood Los Angeles itself. Together, these stories reveal how planes, trains, and autos didn't just connect the region, they transformed its landscape, reshaped communities, and defined the modern city.
Episode 2
A Tale of Two Fruits
Episode 3
Neon, Stained Glass, Mosaics: Hidden Backdrops of SoCal
Tue, Jun 23, 2026
Episode 4
A Bowl, A Barn & A Tower: How the Entertainment Industry was Born
Tue, Jun 30, 2026