Archangels and Watts Towers w/TP query

[MASCARO at humnet.ucla.edu]

Paul M writes:

 For many years one of the most beloved of local landmarks 
>has been the famous _Watts Tower_ composed entirely of old bottles and tin 
>cans.

>Need totemic vertically?  Look no further.
>
>I'm recklessly assuming the thing is still standing. Please advise. I 
>know it survived the earlier riots. Due respect was shown.



Last year the towers were there and looking fine.  One problem is that access is 
much more severely restricted now from former times; now there;'s a guardhouse 
w-with a guard!  A surly one, the day I went.  My favorite thing about Watts 
Towers is Simon Rodia's staement about why he built them:  

--I wanted to do something nice for America.

Is that a beautiful thing, or what?  To stand inside those unbelievable towers, 
looking at years and years of junk lovingly culled (before junk art was hep) from 
the streets of this blasted city, cool emerald glass from old 7-UPs (whose slogan in 
the 50's was: You like it, it likes you); shiny tin from real tin cans polished and 
embedded in cement; concentric circles of castaway saucers, no more coffee cups to 
support!! It's a wonderland, no foolin.  A place fit for archangels, and preterite too.

Query:  Does TP mention the towers in his famous essay on Watts?

john m