A Los Angeles ghost town

Surfridge was once a wealthy community, a coveted locale visited by Hollywood stars that just so happened to be within the domain of LAX. As the airport grew, the town shrank, and now it’s best known as the home of a rare species of butterfly.

From Mike Anton’s report on the ghost town’s current status:

Weeds sprout through cracks along streets lined with majestic palms. Retaining walls and foundations of custom homes peek through the brush. Rusty utility lines that have wiggled their way above ground bake in the sun like scattered bones.

Two throttled-up passenger jets simultaneously take off from LAX and soar overhead, the thundering cacophony a reminder of why the community of Surfridge was forced to disappear.

Read more on the town’s decline, and newfound efforts to reinvent the area, here.

Photos: Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times

Spotted! Crystal, the star of ”Night at the Museum” and “The Hangover Part II,” aboard American Airlines Flight 114 from LAX to Newark, N.J., Saturday.

Couldn’t not post this photo — just made us laugh for a good 10 minutes. Lots of animals on flights these days.

Photo: Crystal. Credit: Nancie Clare / Los Angeles Times

Nov. 19, 1946: Early morning view of scores of jackrabbits watching activities at Los Angeles Municipal Airport, slated to open to major airlines about three weeks later. Heartily recommend clicking through to get the scope of the image.

Photo credit: Art Rogers / Los Angeles Times

Reader photos: Local mountains rising above a heavy cloud layer on the way to LAX, taken Dec. 23, 2010 with Instagram by L.A. native Jason Weinberger.

If you have any photos of the Southland, submit them as a Photo Post along with a description and credit.