Since The Citadel’s opening, it has received many expansions and renovations, but what always remained vital was maintaining the wall and central building that faced the freeway. Statues of Lamassu were uncovered by both the French and the American archaeologists, and the statues are on display both at the Louvre and at the Oriental Institute Museum at the University of Chicago. Meanwhile the main doors are guarded by creatures known as Lamassu, an Assyrian protective deity. The main building features carvings of winged men known as genies, and, as mentioned earlier, a man akin to images of the real King Sargon, as well as etchings of cuneiform, the language of the Assyrians. In 1983, the City of Commerce purchased the property for $14 million, before receiving new owners to transform it into an outlet mall, which welcomed shoppers in 1990. The palace became an abandoned eyesore along Interstate 5 as commuters drove past, but soon it would find a new life. Uniroyal did well until 1978, when a turbulent decade for cars, between the EPA and the gas crisis, neared an end. Sadly Schleicher’s reign over his rubber kingdom was short, as the stock market crash of 1929 resulted in Schleicher selling his company to the United States Rubber Company, later known as Uniroyal.Īfter World War II, America experienced its famous post-war economic boom, and the little industrial city of Commerce was doing extremely well in the automotive business, falling second to Detroit. More recently, the Dur-Sharrukin has fallen victim to violence and looting by ISIS in 2015, and the artifacts lost by the French have remained at the bottom of the Tigris River.
After the Americans’ dig in the 20s, Iraqi archaeologists returned to the site in 1957.
Sadly, many of their finds were lost shortly after their discovery! The artifacts were crated up and placed on boats and rafts to have them sent to Paris, only to lose them to pirates and the Tigris River! The surviving artifacts eventually made their way to the Louvre. The palace was originally uncovered by the French in 1842, and in 1853 a larger excavation took place by the French, uncovering many artifacts. And some of the images on the company’s main building reflect those of King Sargon. “There’s the idea about strength in tires, and that tires are the foundation for your car,” said Adrian Scott Fine of the Los Angeles Conservancy. Fine also pointed to the fact that King Sargon’s palace, Dur-Sharrukin, had been in the headlines earlier in 1928, as it was being excavated by American archaeologists.
Samson was a character from the Bible and known for his strength. One is in the name of the company itself, Samson. Schleicher had Morgan, Wells, and Clements design his Assyarian inspired palace, a firm who also designed the equally ancient looking Mayan Theater and grand El Capitain Theater in Hollywod.īut why an Assyrian inspired design? There are two thoughts on that. The building was actually built in 1928 by Adolph Schleicher, the founder of Samson Tire & Rubber Company, and it was the factory. Yes, an outlet mall, known simply as The Citadel.īut it wasn’t always that way.
If you’ve ever driven along Interstate 5 through Commerce, just outside Los Angeles, you’ve likely spied a grand ancient looking palace and perhaps wondered “What on earth is that!?” Well, it’s an outlet mall actually.