The Wishing Tree of Outpost Estates: A Neighborhood Tradition Since 2008
The Wishing Tree located at the corner of La Presa Drive and Castilian Drive in Outpost Estates, started by neighbor Claudia Grau-Sender in 2008.
Some of the most meaningful things in a neighborhood start without a plan. That's exactly how the Wishing Tree of Outpost Estates came to be — a simple gesture by one neighbor that has grown into a beloved community tradition spanning nearly two decades.
The Wishing Tree sits at the corner of La Presa Drive and Castilian Drive in Outpost Estates where neighbors and visitors stop daily to read wishes, write their own, and take part in a tradition that has quietly become one of the most recognizable and heartwarming landmarks in the neighborhood. Here's the story — in the words of the neighbor who started it all.
🌳 How It Started
In 2007, Outpost Estates resident Claudia Grau-Sender received a small wrought-iron wishing tree as a holiday gift from her niece. A year later, when a close friend became seriously ill, Claudia had an idea: create a larger version of the tree so her friend's loved ones could leave wishes during his illness. She found a fallen branch on her way to Runyon Canyon and thought it would be perfect.
When her friend's family — overwhelmed by what they were going through — wasn't able to take it on, Claudia brought the branch home and placed it outside her house with a bag of blank wishes and some pens.
📝 Day one: Four wishes appeared.
📝 Day two: About twenty.
📝 Today: Hundreds — maybe more. Claudia stopped counting long ago.
🌿 A Tradition That Took on a Life of Its Own
There was no grand vision behind the Wishing Tree. But every day, more people showed up — to read, to write, and to hope.
🌍 Visitors have traveled from as far as Germany to make a wish at the tree.
📖 Some people read the wishes quietly. Others write their own.
📜 Some have even left full manuscripts, hoping their dreams will come true.
Picture of some of the “wishes” that hang from “The Wishing Tree.”
Claudia periodically gathers the wishes into piles and replenishes supplies so the tradition can continue for anyone who passes by.
🔥 Resilience Through the Years
The Wishing Tree has not been without its challenges. Over the years:
🔥 It has been burned down twice
🚫 It was vandalized one night after a house party down the street
🌵 During California's drought years, Claudia took the tree down for a period — but neighbors kept asking where it had gone, so she eventually put it back
The tree is now in its third incarnation — a testament to both its creator's dedication and the community's attachment to what it represents.
💫 What the Wishing Tree Means for Outpost Estates
The Wishing Tree is more than a neighborhood curiosity. It reflects something essential about Outpost Estates: this is a place where neighbors create things that bring people together — not because someone asked them to, but because it felt like the right thing to do.
In Claudia's own words:
"It has been incredible to see how the simple act of allowing people to make a wish has taken on a life of its own."
The tree is a reminder that community character isn't just about architecture, streetscapes, or historic preservation — it's about the people who live here and the small, meaningful gestures that make a neighborhood feel like home.
📍 Visit the Wishing Tree
The Wishing Tree is located at the corner of La Presa Drive and Castilian Drive in Outpost Estates and is open to all — neighbors, visitors, and anyone passing through.
🖊️ Pens and blank wishes are available at the tree
🌳 Stop by to read, write, or simply enjoy a moment of reflection
On behalf of the Outpost Neighborhood Association (ONA), thank you to Claudia Grau-Sender for creating and maintaining this special neighborhood tradition for nearly 20 years. If you know of a unique Outpost Estates story, tradition, or piece of neighborhood history worth sharing, please reach out to ONA at info@outpostestates.com.
