page_title: Joseph Widney
section_title: Later years
hierarchical_section_title: Joseph Widney / Later years
caption_attribution_description: English: Widney Hall from 1915
context_page_description: Joseph Pomeroy Widney, M.D. D.D. LL.D, was an American doctor, educator, historian, and religious leader.
  After the American Civil War led him to medicine, he followed his brothers to California where he received his medical degree. He saw southern California as a "Garden of Eden". In Los Angeles he was a founder of the Los Angeles Medical Society. He was a strong proponent of the new University of Southern California, and became its second President and the founding Dean of its School of Medicine. The Los Angeles Public Library was one of his major interests.
  His real estate interests in California flourished, and he was an early environmentalist as well as promoter of the new metropolis. He believed deeply in Los Angeles becoming a major city with a seaport. The city would use water from across local mountains, and would recreate Lake Cahuilla.
  He was a founder of the Church of the Nazarene in Los Angeles, as well as a Methodist pastor. He published many books, mainly on his views about California and its history, but only Race Life of the Aryan Peoples was commercially published.
  He died at 96, having seen Los Angeles become a major city and seaport.
context_section_description: Widney attributed his longevity to living simply and keeping busy. At age 94, Widney advocated "no liquor, no tobacco, no drugs. I'm not a fanatic on liquor, but to me it is a medicine. I keep it around and take it when I need it. But there is no excuse whatever for tobacco or drugs". He recommended at least eight hours sleep each night and short naps throughout the day.
  He died at 10:50 am on July 4, 1938, in his home in Highland Park, Los Angeles, aged 96.  After services held in his home, he was buried at the Evergreen Cemetery at Boyle Heights on July 6, 1938.
  In March 1939 the new Crippled Children's High School was renamed the Dr. Joseph Pomeroy Widney High School. This school is for those aged 13 to 22 with special educational needs. The Widney Alumni House at the University of Southern California, the university's original building, was declared a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument (No. 70) on December 16, 1970. The University of Southern California honors its distinguished graduates by presenting the Widney Alumni Award. His portrait was painted by American artist Orpha Mae Klinker, and a bust of Widney was sculpted by Emil Seletz.
caption: Widney Hall in 1915
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