Meet Jason Horton - Podcaster, Author, and Lover of Abandoned Landmarks
Jason Horton is an LA Jack of all trades. When asked what he does, he jokes, “Writer, comedian all those things that people do or say they do in Los Angeles.” He’s done a bit of it all but his current accolades include co-hosting the popular Ghost Town podcast, which he records in Echo Park, and authoring the book Abandoned and Historic Los Angeles: Neon and Beyond, both of which dive into landmarks and buildings from LA’s iconic past.
Although he’s called Los Angeles home for 14 years now, Jason still very much has that East Coast hardcore-guy vibe – the type that grew up on punk and whose closet likely spans between grey and black on the color spectrum. He talks a mile a minute, only taking a break to interject a quick joke into the conversation. Unbeknownst to us, we were neighbors up until three weeks ago, living just a block away from each other in Atwater Village.
Jason moved to California from New Jersey without ever visiting but always saw Hollywood as an exciting place to live. His love for film and television in the 80’s presented a portrayal of the city that he fell in love with and wanted to be a part of. “That was pretty much enough, I didn’t even really care about what I was going to do or end up doing. I just wanted to take that chance and be somebody who kind of left their hometown,” he explained.
Jason’s time in LA may be short in comparison to some but he’s submerged himself in all that the city has to offer. “I have a genuine obsession with Los Angeles. The people who say LA doesn’t have any culture, it’s so untrue,” he said emphatically. His new book Abandoned and Historic Los Angeles: Neon and Beyond pays tribute to historic locations, abandoned buildings, and vintage signs that offer a history lesson into LA’s past. “I want people to see the Los Angeles that I love and its imperfections,” he shared passionately.
Recalling his favorite abandoned place was an easy one for Jason. “Hawthorne Plaza Mall!” He quickly shared. “it’s always my first answer.” The American mall has been an obsession of his since he was young. Built in 1977, the mall went into decline in the 1990s due in part to the economic decline of the area. “It’s empty… and it’s vacant… and it’s cold but you know so much was packed in there – people’s jobs, their sociability, their ups and downs, it all kind of happened at the mall.”
When it comes to the spookier side of things, the Los Feliz Murder House is at the top of Jason’s list. “When I was there, it was a freaky haunted experience that I did not expect.” For those who aren’t privy to the mansion’s gruesome past, the location was home to a tragic murder-suicide in the late 1950’s and afterwards laid virtually untouched for years. Jason recalls his camera not working and issues rolling his car window down. “I swear I saw legs inside the doorway too,” he exclaimed. Once he left and got to the bottom of the hill the house is perched on, his window resumed working.
As far as the pandemic is concerned, Jason finds himself busier than ever, all things considered. “I try to keep my morbid curiosity towards history and haunts and not a morbid curiosity on what’s going on politically,” he shared. Along with his many passions, Jason continues his everlasting search for forgotten gems in LA. “You drive by something and ya know, now it’s a Chipotle,” he explained. Documenting those establishments before they get to that point is crucial for Jason. “For some reason this thing that I’m looking at has survived and I think that needs to be explored or documented or recognized or celebrated.”
Follow Jason on Instagram at @thejasonhorton. You can also order his book Abandoned and Historic Los Angeles: Neon and Beyond on Amazon and listen to his podcast, Ghost Town on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
This post has been a collaboration between Strange Los Angeles and The Making Waves Project for 13 Days Of Strange – a social distanced, Halloween photo series spotlighting spooky and strange Angelinos. Visit our homepage for more.
