Briar Summit Open Space Preserve

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The eastern edge of the preserve was part of Camp Arthur Letts, a former Boy Scouts camp that was active from 1924 until 1944. Letts purchased Broadway Department Store on February 24, 1896 when the proprietors declared bankruptcy and renamed it The Broadway. He was also the financial founder and owner of Bullock's until his death in 1923.

In 1919, Letts purchased 400 acres of the former Wolfskill Ranch, originally the Mexican land grant Rancho San Jose de Buenos Ayres. His development vision of the property included a mixed development of retail, apartments, residences, estates, and significant university. These were named Westwood and Holmby Hills. 10 acres of this property he donated to the Boy Scouts of America for use as a camp, the tents of which were roughly located at what is 7551 Kimdale Lane today. J.B. Lankershim donated approximately 20 acres north of Woodrow Wilson Drive and Nichols Canyon Drive on April 1, 1921.

Renowned architect Gordon Kaufmann designed the camp, which included a large auditorium enclosing an outdoor swimming pool on three sides and individual barracks for each of area’s 39 troops.

The camp property, excluding the 1/4 acre where Lankershim's memorial (LAHCM #181) is located, was sold off and developed. Nothing of the camp remains.

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