The Lizard People of Los Angeles: A Forgotten Underground Civilization?

The Lizard People of Los Angeles: A Forgotten Underground Civilization?

In the early months of 1934, a most unusual story appeared on the front page of the Los Angeles Times. The article, published on January 29 of that year, featured a man named G. Warren Shufelt, an engineer and inventor, who claimed to have discovered an ancient underground city beneath downtown Los Angeles. But this wasn’t just any city—it was said to belong to a mysterious and long-lost reptilian race known as the "Lizard People."

Equipped with a curious device of his own invention, Shufelt claimed he had mapped a network of tunnels and chambers deep under the city, stretching beneath Fort Moore Hill and possibly extending as far as the La Brea Tar Pits. The most astounding part of his claim? That this civilization had once flourished thousands of years ago and had left behind golden tablets containing the secrets of humanity’s origin and history.

The Legend of the Lizard People

Shufelt’s inspiration did not come from thin air. According to his interviews with the Los Angeles Times, he had come across the legend while speaking with a Hopi Indian elder who told him of an ancient myth passed down through generations. The Hopi, an indigenous people from the southwestern United States, told of a “lizard race” that had once built a series of vast underground cities in order to escape a cataclysmic meteor shower.

According to the legend, these people—described as highly intelligent and technologically advanced—were forced underground around 3000 BCE to survive the destruction of the surface world. In order to prevent future annihilation, they built thirteen subterranean cities along the Pacific Coast, each capable of housing thousands of families and designed with supplies to last generations. The Hopi called them the “reptilian ancestors” or “snake people,” and some stories suggested that they were not entirely human.

In particular, the city beneath Los Angeles was said to be a central hub—possibly the largest of the thirteen—and its main vaults contained historical records etched on golden plates. These records allegedly detailed the origin of the lizard people, the history of humanity, the foundation of the Earth, and even astronomical secrets.

Shufelt and the “Radio X-Ray”

G. Warren Shufelt was not a mere treasure hunter. He was a respected mining engineer and had developed a device he called the “radio x-ray.” This machine, according to his description, worked by detecting variations in electromagnetic frequencies underground. Using this instrument, Shufelt claimed to have mapped a complex network of tunnels underneath downtown Los Angeles.

He created a detailed map showing these tunnels, chambers, and vaults beneath the Fort Moore Hill area near North Hill Street and Glendale Boulevard. He presented this map to the city authorities and obtained permission to begin drilling at various locations around the area.

In the Los Angeles Times article, Shufelt stated:

“The Lizard People’s city is mapped on the same general plan as the Mayan temples of Yucatán. It is laid out in the shape of the Lizard’s emblematic form, the lizard, and the head of the lizard is located beneath what is now downtown Los Angeles.”

He believed that this underground labyrinth had served not only as shelter but as a library and treasury for the lizard civilization. The golden tablets, he said, were stored in vaults that had not been touched for thousands of years.

The Dig Begins

With city approval in hand, Shufelt and his team began digging shafts and drilling test holes in several locations, most notably at a site on North Hill Street. The excavation reached over 250 feet deep. During the early weeks, interest in the project grew. People from all over the city came to watch, speculate, and sometimes mock the team’s efforts.

Despite weeks of digging, however, no tunnels or golden tablets were found. As excitement dwindled, so did funding. Eventually, the project was abandoned, and the city covered the holes. Shufelt disappeared from public attention shortly thereafter, and the incident faded into obscure folklore.

But for many, especially those who believed in ancient civilizations, extraterrestrials, or the underground cities of the inner Earth, the story never truly died.

A Persistent Urban Legend

The tale of the Lizard People under Los Angeles continues to circulate nearly a century later. It has inspired books, conspiracy theories, and even television shows. In the realm of urban legend and alternative archaeology, Shufelt’s story is a classic—fueled by mystery, maps, and unexplainable technology.

Some claim that Shufelt may have been silenced or discredited on purpose. Others suggest that he was sincere but misled by faulty data or wishful thinking. Skeptics argue that he simply misunderstood natural underground anomalies or that the entire project was a publicity stunt.

Still, believers point to similar myths from other cultures. Ancient legends from Asia, South America, and the Middle East describe serpent-like gods or underground realms populated by reptilian beings. Even Plato’s tale of Atlantis features advanced technology and subterranean sanctuaries.

The Reptilian Connection

In modern times, the Lizard People have become associated with reptilian conspiracy theories. Some theorists claim that a shape-shifting race of reptilians secretly rules the world, hiding in underground bases or blending in with human society.

Though these ideas are largely considered fringe, the connection to Shufelt’s story is hard to ignore. In fact, many contemporary writers have retroactively cited Shufelt’s map and the Hopi legend as early evidence of reptilian beings on Earth.

But it’s important to distinguish the original story from its modern reinterpretations. Shufelt never claimed the Lizard People were aliens or shape-shifters. His account was rooted in mythology and ancient engineering—not extraterrestrial control. Still, the blending of the two narratives has created a rich tapestry of speculative lore.

What Did Shufelt Actually Find?

The biggest question remains: Did Shufelt truly detect something beneath Los Angeles?

While no evidence was ever publicly revealed, some theorists believe that the map itself holds the key. The network of tunnels he described doesn’t align with any known subway or infrastructure system of the time. Could it have been natural caves, faults, or underground water channels misinterpreted as manmade structures?

Others believe that the legend was misunderstood or symbolic. The Hopi tales might have described spiritual truths rather than literal cities. Or, perhaps, the underground cities existed in another dimension—accessible only through ritual or altered states of consciousness.

There is also the possibility that the story was simply a product of imagination—a fusion of myth and pseudoscience born during the Great Depression, when people were desperate for hope, mystery, and wonder.but (I don’t think so 🙊 it is actually real, I have to be careful to not say much in this post)

Legacy of a Mystery

Today, no physical traces of the dig remain. Fort Moore Hill has been reshaped by modern construction, and downtown Los Angeles is now a bustling metropolis of skyscrapers, highways, and subway lines. Yet the mystery lingers in the collective subconscious.

The Shufelt map has been reproduced and studied by amateur historians, paranormal enthusiasts, and treasure hunters alike. Occasional attempts to rediscover the supposed tunnels still surface in online forums and YouTube channels. Some claim to have experienced strange electromagnetic anomalies in the area, or even heard rumors from construction workers about strange caverns discovered during downtown renovations—rumors that, like the legend itself, are impossible to verify.

Whether myth or misinterpretation, Shufelt’s story has become a permanent part of L.A.’s shadow history—a tale of ancient civilizations, golden secrets, and underground dreams.

The story of the Lizard People beneath Los Angeles is one of those rare legends that straddles the line between myth and mystery. It invites us to question what lies beneath our feet—not just physically, but symbolically. Are there forgotten histories buried below our cities? Could ancient civilizations have left behind traces we’ve yet to uncover? Or is the human desire for mystery and meaning what truly drives stories like these?

G. Warren Shufelt may never have found the golden tablets he sought, but he left behind something perhaps more valuable—a legend that continues to inspire curiosity, wonder, and a sense of possibility.

References:

Bosquet, J. (1934, January 29). Lizard People’s Catacomb City Hunted. Los Angeles Times.

Childress, D. H. (1996). Lost Cities and Ancient Mysteries of the Southwest. Adventures Unlimited Press.

Hopi Tribe. (n.d.). Oral Legends and Mythologies. Retrieved from https://www.hopi-nsn.gov

Redfern, N. (2015). Secret History: Conspiracies from Ancient Aliens to the New World Order. Visible Ink Press.

Shufelt, G. W. (1934). Personal Notes and Maps (archived documents).