A short hike that starts at an unmarked entrance to Altadena’s foothills ends at the gravesite of the son of one of the Civil War’s most celebrated heroes.
The grave of Owen Brown, who like his father John Brown struggled all his life to end slavery, was named an L.A. County landmark this month. The path that led to that moment was as long and winding as the California history that brought the son of a famous abolitionist to the hills of Los Angeles.
Owen Brown’s journey to Altadena
Owen Brown’s father, John, was a white radical abolitionist who dedicated his life to the destruction of slavery. He led a raid at Harpers Ferry with the goal of igniting a revolt against slavery — and he was executed for treason.
Most people know that part of the story well. What happened after, not so much. Owen, around 35 at the time, escaped Harpers Ferry and lived to see the end of the Civil War. After years on the run, he settled in Southern California.