A Self-made Man:

George C. Page came to southern California because of an orange. The orange tasted so sweet to the boy in rural Nebraska that when he left home at age sixteen he headed west to the Land of Sunshine. The orange became the inspiration for Page's first company, Mission Pak, which specialized in packaging and mailing California fruits to people in colder climates. The seasonal nature of the business enabled Page to found a successful sports car manufacturing plant and to develop industrial parks, residential areas, and other real estate projects.

Page established his pattern of philanthropy over 40 years ago by building a youth center in Hawthorne, California and provided major donations to both public and private institutions. His early fascination with the unique La Brea asphalt deposits prompted him to build the innovative and spectacular museum that bears his name.