Several more of the demolition of the courthouse in 1936-1937.


http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/4...thousedemo.jpg
usc digital archive





Below: This building was massive.....notice the workmen on the roof and the truncated tower.


http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/7...housedemor.jpg
usc digital archive

These demolition pictures always break my heart. These grand public buildings were clearly built to endure through the ages, yet almost all of them were torn down within a mere few decades after their erection. What a terrible waste...

-----

I'm sure glad I found this thread while it was still active! I'm glad to have the opportunity to give back something in return for all the great info I've found here.

-Scott :-)

I hear you Scott, the demolition photos ARE heartbreaking.
Here are earlier photos of the County Courthouse in all its glory at the turn of the century.


http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/203...ourthousea.jpg
usc digital archive





http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/953...ourthousec.jpg
usc digital archive

Below: A rare view looking northeast from the County Courthouse tower, circa 1900.


http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/9...stfromcour.jpg
usc digital archive

This photo above is especially interesting because you can clearly see the open-air elevator shaft that was added to the building before the turn of the last century. The circular shaft can be seen just to the left of the left palm tree. If you look closely, you can see the elevator car is between the first and second floors.



And in this demolition photo above, you can see the two now-exposed pulleys at the top of the elevator shaft. (Follow the roof-line in the foreground down to just right of center.) Supposedly this elevator was only used by clerks taking court documents between floors; it was NOT meant to be for the public's usage, which is why it was only really big enough for one or two people at a time.

The photo below dates to 1890, and you can see there is no elevator on the outside of the building yet. An interesting detail even most L.A. history buffs don't know about the old Court House!

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/1989-0464.jpg
unknown

-Scott

Excellent!!! I have an old postcard made from this exact image. I haven't seen the original photograph before now -- woohooooo! :banana: And you're exactly correct - this is the NE view from the Court House tower right around the turn of the last century.

Just to give people some bearings here - the wide avenue in the background pointing almost straight at us is Aliso Street, which today is the alignment of the 101 freeway east of the Civic Center. It turns slightly to our left then and becomes The Slot as it passes through the site of the Baker Block - that long building at center-left with the three large cupolas.

Also, down at the lower right can be seen a portion of Temple Square - the "Times Square" of old L.A. And at the extreme right edge you can just barely see a corner of the Temple Block - one of the most important buildings in the early political and commercial life of the city.

If we could look at this same scene today, the north wing of City Hall would be just out of view past the right edge of this photo.

Now, let's fly down to Temple Square and go forward in time about 30 years. This is what you'd see looking south down Main Street:

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/templesquare1927_sky.jpg
From "La Reina," published by the Security Trust and Savings Bank, Los Angeles, 1929.

In the center is the doomed Temple Block, truly dwarfed by the 1928 City Hall rising up behind it. Temple Square itself will cease to exist by the end of the 1930s. Today, there's no visible trace whatsoever that there used to be a large open downtown public square at Temple and Main Streets...

-Scott

I also wanted to point out a sobering fact. There are only two structures visible in this photo that are still standing today. Everything else you see here is completely gone, as if it were literally scraped off the face of the earth. Other great old cities of the world have been destroyed by wars and disasters, but old Los Angeles was destroyed intentionally by its own government and citizenry in the name of "progress." No earthquake or other act of God could have destroyed historic Los Angeles as thoroughly as did the hand of man itself...

-Scott

:previous:
Very cool pics and info, Scott! And you're absolutely right; much of old LA has been destroyed by people.

I've looked at the photos of the L.A. County Courthouse hundreds of times and never noticed the open-air elevator,
let alone the elevator car between the 1st and 2nd floors. (then you even point out the pulleys)
Amazing.....kudos to you Scott.

I also didn't know about the prominence of Temple Square.
All of this is VERY interesting.

Below: A photo of the Merced Theatre in the 1910s.
On the photo it was labeled Teatro Mercedes.


http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/5...ercedessti.jpg
usc digital archive


Below:
In this photo from the 1960s, you can also see the Merced Theatre and the Masonc Bldg
to the right of the Pico House. The beautiful Pico House also still stands today.


http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/1...seinthe196.jpg
unknown

Speaking of the beautiful Pico House, here are some photos I had in my file.
I'll put them in chronological order.....oldest first.



Below: A view of Pico House from Fort Moore Hill in Dec. 1869
You can see the Masonic Building (1858), but the location of the Merced Theatre is still an empty lot.


http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/7...efromfortw.jpg
usc ditial archive



Below: A view of Pico House and The Plaza in 1873.
I believe the odd round/octagonal structures in the lower half of the photo are water reservoirs.

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/4...seplaza187.jpg
usc digital archive




Below: Another view from Fort Moore Hill, this time from 1876.
The Merced Theatre makes an appearance to the immediate right of Pico house.


http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/5...seandplaza.jpg
usc digital archive




Below: Pico House in 1878. Are those streetcar tracks?? I'm kind of surprised at this early date.
I also wonder what the odd curved pipe-like structure is in the foreground on the left?
It looks like a shower for horses. lol


http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/1...eplaza187y.jpg
usc digital archive




Below: Pico House in 1879. Notice the two women in the window.


http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9...ohouse1879.jpg
usc digital archive

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/2...zaplan1959.jpg
unknown

This map is dated 1959.
It says the area is "sacred and inviolate". So is all this still intact in the Pico House/Old Plaza area?
I know the old fire station still exists.

:previous:

The dotted line street pattern still exists, for the most part, except for that area to the right of the Plaza Church. Those outlined blocks, the Botica Ruiz and La Luz del Dia, those don't exist. All of that area is now a surface parking lot. Everything else still exists, I believe. Casa La Golondrina houses a Mexican restaurant of the same name, a pretty good one too, though I probably haven't eaten on Olvera Street in about a year.

Oh, and the immediate area around the Plaza itself is now closed to street traffic, and so is Sanchez Street.

This pic you posted is interesting to me because apparently as late as the 1960s, you could still literally drive around the Plaza:
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/1...seinthe196.jpg
unknown

This is what that area looks like today, courtesy Google Earth:
http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/9...azaandmain.jpg

The tour buses get in the way but you can see that the area around the Plaza is closed to traffic with those concrete bollards.

The Bryson-Bonebrake block (1888-1934)
 

Yesterday I mentioned the Bryson-Bonebrake block. At the time of its construction in 1888, it was certainly the most attractive office building in Los Angeles.

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/295985...9a80dd98_o.jpg

Floyd Bariscale quotes a contemporary source describing the new Bryson-Bonebrake block at the NW corner of Spring and Second Streets.

"Designed by Joseph Cather Newsom in 1888, located on the northwest corner on 2nd and Spring in Los Angles. From a 1981 reprint of J.C. Newsom's Artistic Buildings and Homes of Los Angeles:

"Bryson-Bonebrake Block, commissioned by John Bryson, Sr., Los Angeles Mayor, and Major George H. Bonebrake, banker, this huge office building was Newsom's most ambitious and commercial structure. The Los Angeles Times, September 17, 1888 reports: "At the corner of Second and Springs streets, is one of the largest and most substantial in Southern California, and is most ornamental in appearance. It is six stories and a basement in height, and will contain four stories, one bank, 126 rooms, and a lodgeroom on the sixth floor. It has 120 feet frontage on Spring street and 103 feet frontage on Second steet. The rooms are all large and well ventilated, and the halls are wide and lighted by light wells. The principal features of the building are the massive and elegantly carved stone entrance, with its beautifully grained Colton marble shafts, carved stone caps and base of Moorish design, and the court in the center of the building throwing light into the corridors and inner rooms. The steps of the entrance are of the best granite, and the entrance is tiled and has marble wainscoting. On one side is a large bulletin-board, and on the other a richly-carved staircase with marble steps... The interior of the building is finished in cedar, and the plumbing is of the best... All the offices are heated and lighted with gas, and there are electric bells from each room to the bulletin board on the first floor. The elevator runs from the basement to the sixth floor. There is a fine [sic] hose reel on each floor for use in case of fire. Its cost will be $224,000."

More 19th century views of the Bryson block...

Note how Spring Street originally veered to the right after its intersection with First Street.

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/CHS-278.jpg
USC Digital Archives

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/Sp2n1.jpg
unknown


Looking west on Second Street from Spring.

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/1989-0103.jpg
unknown

1905 - A nice close view showing the intricate exterior decorative elements of the Bryson block. Note the entire ornate top of the building has been removed by this time.

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/CHS-5289.jpg
USC Digital Archives

1934 - Only 46 years after its construction, demolition of the Bryson block is underway. An annex building of the Los Angeles Times occupies the site today.

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/EXM-P-...IT-BUI-035.jpg
USC Digital Archives

Post on my blog here.

Thank for the information about the Old Plaza Sopas_ej
I really appreciate it. :)

Scott, the Bryson-Bonebrake Block was a phenomenal building.
The photos you posted are the best that I've seen of this beautiful structure.

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/2...zaplan1959.jpg
unknown


Below: In this 1949 photo, the view is looking east over Spring Street.
You can pick out the Merced Theatre, (it has the word SIGN painted on it)
and to its left is Pico House. In the distance is Union Station with its prominent clock tower.

Sopas_ej, are most of the other buildings now gone? I believe they are...but I'm not too sure.


http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/5...rsringst19.jpg
usc digital archive

Temple Square and the "Million-Dollar Post Office"
 

The 1910 U.S. Post Office at Temple Square was actually the building that sparked my initial interest in vanished Los Angeles years ago.

1920s - The post office/federal building, Temple Square, and Temple Street (left).

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/CHS-31328.jpg
USC Digital Archives


1930s - A portion of the new Hall of Justice (1928) can be seen at left.

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/DW-3-224-1-ISLA.jpg
USC Digital Archives


Postcard view of the marble and gilt interior of the post office. Note the spitoons set into the floor!

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/oldlap...interiorpc.jpg


Some old postcard views of Temple Square.

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/newpoa...lesquarepc.jpg

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/templesquarepc2.jpg

The County Court House can be seen up Temple Street here.
https://otters.net/img/lanoir/newpoa...bankbldgpc.jpg


1938 - After only 27 years, the grand marble post office was razed (empty lot at right), and Temple Square was reduced to just another downtown intersection by the realignment of Main and Spring Streets. (Photo posted previously in this thread by sopas_ej. Thank you!)

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/postof...ot00075427.jpg
LAPL

-Scott

Post on my blog here.

I want to thank both you and sopas_ej for all of the excellent images you've been able to find! I've spent hundreds of hours going through all of the online archives, yet so many of these photos are completely new to me. I can't keep track of the number of times I've said "Wow!" out loud seeing something new in this thread. It's so great!

^^^I'm really glad you appreciate the thread Scott.
It makes it all worthwhile.....thanks for letting us know.

I don't know if you noticed, but only a handful of people visit or contribute to this thread.
It's really disheartening at times.....because I know there are a lot of Los Angeles members on this forum.





^^^The Post Office photos are great.
The first photo really shows the vitality and 'hustle bustle' of Temple Square.
I really get a sense of place in that photo especially.


Scott, you might want to sit down for this next photograph. :(





http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/7...officeatte.jpg
usc digital archive

sopas_ej: I'm really curious - what search terms did you use to find this info and photos? For the longest time I've been trying to find pictures of old City Hall in its twilight years, and nothing like these images has ever come up for me. (Except the photo of the truncated tower - that one I'd seen before.) I've also been going batty trying to find out the exact street address of old City Hall... and here it is! I guess I've just been looking in the wrong place... or using the wrong search terms... :shrug:

Unreal that this is a photo of Los Angeles.

Yes, that's a heartbreaker alright. What a waste. It's interesting to note that, when the post office was torn down, its bits and pieces were dumped in Chavez Ravine, where of course Dodger Stadium is now. Here's a Nuestro Pueblo reprint from The Daily Mirror blog telling the story of the post office/federal building's fate:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thed...o-puebl-8.html

-Scott

Scott, I belatedly added a 'thank you' to you in post #419.

I wanted to make sure you go back and read it.

Cool! Thanks! Like I said, I'm just delighted to have found this thread in time to contribute to it. Hopefully others will find it in the future and discover as well just how fascinating Los Angeles history is. :-)

It's really incredible, isn't it? Absolutely everything in that photo is gone today; completely obliterated. Old L.A. truly is a vanished world...

Scott, on the LAPL website, I just entered 1888 city hall. There were some interior shots that popped up too, many of the library that was housed there.

Welcome to the forum, BTW! I'm glad you've joined and contributed pics, they're really fascinating!

Yeah, so much history was erased. That's why it gets to me sometimes when people say that LA has no history and has the characteristics of any other "Sun Belt" city-- of which I don't consider LA to be a part of, but that's another topic of discussion, I suppose.

And the hustle and bustle that went on downtown back then... it really was a vibrant place.

Interior shots of old City Hall! I'm in heaven!

One thing that's sadly lacking in the various archives are photos of buildings' interiors. I would love to know what the inside of the Court House looked like, or any number of other vanished L.A. landmarks. Perhaps indoor photography was not very practical in the old days, who can say? It's just a shame that we will probably never know what the interiors of these grand buildings looked like...

-Scott

I could linger and study each one of these great photos for days.

Thanks for posting them everybody.

Hmmmm... After looking at these two photos, it looks like a full story was added to the top of this building. I started counting the floors, and the bottom photo has 7 stories instead of the original 6. I'm thinking the top wasn't removed, but another floor was added and made into a different style. Very interesting. I wouldn't doubt that this was not an uncommon thing to do; I know of a building in Old Pasadena that had a floor or two added to it in the early 20th Century. The Masonic building in my town of South Pasadena also apparently used to be a shorter building when it was originally built.

On the flip side, there's also an old building in Old Pasadena that had its top floor removed.

Yes ethereal, most of those buildings are gone. I believe they were knocked down for the 101 freeway; the area also has surface parking lots. The 5-story building across Main Street from the Pico House still exists and is being refurbished. In the Google Earth photo I posted of the Pico House, it's the building in the right of the photo with the tarp on it.

Here's a modern-day view of Arcadia and Spring Streets, looking east, a similar view to the above photo, courtesy of Google Earth:
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/6...andarcadia.jpg

Depressing, huh? I still like this area because of the history-- what's left of it, anyway. To think that the huge megalopolis of Los Angeles began near here at the Plaza as a dusty little pueblo.

You're absolutely right! Hah! That totally escaped my notice. So interesting!

View from the Court House tower, c.1900
 

Downtown Los Angeles at the turn of the 20th century, in living Photocrom color...


http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/pp...800/17897v.jpg
Library of Congress

The full-resolution image is available here: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...les_17897u.jpg

Completely unrecognizable from how it looks today, isn't it? All that change, from then 'til now, took place in only 1-1/2 normal human lifespans. It almost defies imagination...

-Scott

Yeah when you sit down and comprehend the change thats already happened, it baffles the mind. And it's only going to change even more as LA rediscovers it's need for rail.

BTW, welcome to the forum, LAP! Great website!:tup:

The following three photographs were labeled "buildings to come down for new Civic Center".


Below: This one was also labeled "low income housing".

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/2...comehousin.jpg
usc digital library






Below: This one was also labeled, "center building built in 1884".


http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/8...ldgbuilt18.jpg
usc digital archive





Below: This looks like a nondescript alley...but it's intriguing all the same.

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/7...obuilttorn.jpg
usc digital archive

Below:
The northeast corner of 1st and Spring Street where City Hall is today.


http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/5...stcornerof.jpg
usc digital archive

I found this is one of my older files.

The only description was "The future site of the new City Hall".

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/3...lacityhall.jpg
unknown


Sopas_ej or Scott....do you recognize this building?
I believe it says 'County Bank' on the cornice.

I love these photos! I hope no one minds, but I decided to look up old photos of Long Beach at lapl.org and share. It may not be LA proper, but it's at least LA County! :) They're not as impressive as a lot of the LA shots, but worthy of note:


http://jpg1.lapl.org/00077/00077284.jpg
Lincoln Park, 1920s.

http://jpg1.lapl.org/00077/00077179.jpg
Seaside Way, 1928. I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think any of that exists anymore.

http://jpg1.lapl.org/00081/00081553.jpg
City Hall, 1930.

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics46/00072759.jpg
Aerial from the 1930s.

http://jpg1.lapl.org/00081/00081561.jpg
Another from 1932.

http://jpg1.lapl.org/00077/00077202.jpg
Pine Ave, 1930s.

http://jpg1.lapl.org/00077/00077197.jpg
Pine Ave, 1930s.

http://jpg1.lapl.org/00081/00081575.jpg
Ocean Blvd, 1930s.

http://jpg1.lapl.org/00081/00081555.jpg
The beach with the infamous Villa Riviera before the breakwater ended the waves, 1938.

http://jpg1.lapl.org/00077/00077421.jpg

http://jpg1.lapl.org/00076/00076484.jpg
This one is from the 1940s. I think those things behind it are oil rigs.

http://jpg1.lapl.org/00081/00081540.jpg
A panoramic, this time from the 1950s taken from around where the Queen Mary is docked.


It's hard to tell how much was lost in the earthquake and subsequent urban renewal, but I feel like aside from the larger buildings, a lot is gone.

This is the Temple Block! It was the principal professional building in Los Angeles when it was built in 1871.

-Scott

The Los Angeles National Bank building. I think that went up in 1887...

CityKid, great shots of Long Beach! I like the now-vanished Municipal Auditorium surrounded by the now-vanished Rainbow Pier, and also the now-vanished Pike Amusement Park. Too bad all of those things are now-vanished.

If you're familiar with that area you'll know that where the Pier and Auditorium were was all filled in with landfill to create the area of Shoreline Drive, with the downtown Long Beach Marina. This area is where the Annual Long Beach Grand Prix is held.

Looking south on Spring Street from near its intersection with First Street, right around the turn of the 20th century...

Note the early electric sign on the rooftop in front of us. (It's too early for it to be neon - that started after 1910.) As best I can tell, this sign says:

CRANDALL
AYLSWORTH
COMPANY

UP TO DATE
BARGAINS

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/CHS-2856.jpg
USC Digital Archive


Here we are looking north(east) on Spring from First, around the same time period. There's the electric sign again, through which we can see Hamburger's Department Store in the Phillips Block (1887).

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/CHS-154.jpg
USC Digital Archive

See the policeman inside the elevated traffic kiosk on the northwest corner of the intersection? Every major intersection in L.A. had a police kiosk like this. Many of these were still standing well into the 1920s...

-Scott

^^^Two outstanding photographs Scott. Both those pics convey the hustle & bustle of an energetic & vibrant downtown

And CityKid, thanks for posting the Long Beach Photos. I thought they were great.
I didn't realize Long Beach had such density....especially in your photo number 3.

Earlier I posted this image, which Scott identified as the Temple Block.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...922/yQFHIj.jpg
unknown





Today I found this side view of the Temple block.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...923/P6qsQE.jpg
usc digital archive

____




Also, here is another image of the Baker Block, which we briefly discussed earlier.


http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/2...ocklosange.png
usc digital archive

Here's an intriguing photograph of the Bella Union Hotel in 1871.
It looks like a Bank of Los Angeles is next door.

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/8...ionhotel18.jpg
usc digital archive


Anyone know any details on this one?

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/bellaunionhotelsite.jpg

Here is a California Landmark plaque for the Bella Union Hotel that is located across Main Street from the 1940 Federal Building. I took the picture during my visit to City Hall this past July 10. Unfortunately, I was facing in the direction of the sun, so the photo came out rather poorly. I will attempt a transcription:

"Near this spot stood the Bella Union Hotel, long a social and political center. Here on October 7, 1858, the first Butterfield Overland mail stage from the east arrived 21 days after leaving St. Louis. Warren Hall was driver and Waterman _rmsby, reporter, the only through passenger."

I think it's funny how the best they could do is say it was "near this spot," rather than "on this spot." Even the historians back then weren't entirely sure where this landmark once stood!

-Scott

^^^Excellent!! That plaque is too cool. Thanks Scott. :)

:previous: :previous:

Really awesome pics!

____________________________

The building on the left was the Jennette Block, built in 1888, which was torn down in the 1950s when they built the Hollywood/Santa Ana (US 101) freeway through downtown, leaving the adjacent Garnier Building (built in 1890) standing. The photo is from around 1925:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics18/00018809.jpg
LAPL

The Garnier Building is currently the home of the Chinese American Museum which opened not too long ago. A very fitting place for a Chinese American Museum, being that this building for decades was used by Chinese merchants, and being that this building faced the old Chinatown and is near the Old Plaza. It's considered the last building to be left standing from the old demolished Chinatown. Of course now the building faces Union Station.

Here's Madame Chiang Kai-Shek on a visit to Los Angeles in front of the Garnier Building in 1943:
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics08/00003791.jpg
LAPL

During a Moon Festival:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics41/00055494.jpg
LAPL

http://www.camla.org/images/building.jpg
Chinese American Museum website

From these pictures, it looks like after the Jennette Block was knocked down, much of the Garnier Block was also knocked off. Look at these, taken some time after the demolition.

1968; looks like they might've restored the old firehouse by then.
http://jpg1.lapl.org/00079/00079160.jpg
LAPL

Notice the firehouse being worked on.
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics18/00018785.jpg
LAPL

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics18/00018784.jpg
LAPL

Compare the above photo with this much earlier shot:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics18/00018787.jpg
LAPL

Undated photo, but as you can see the Garnier building's facade is restored, but is still not as big as it once was:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics50/00059888.jpg

Here's a photo of it in 1971:
http://content.cdlib.org/dynaxml/dat...nb2xx-FID5.jpg
cdlib.org

Here's a view of it today:
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/276...uildingjq5.jpg
From imageshack

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2216/...0a9820.jpg?v=0
From flickr


Here you can see it in context to the rest of the historic Plaza area, next to the Old Firehouse Museum and the Pico House.
http://www.inetours.com/Los_Angeles/...za_SW_7313.jpg
inetours.com

Hey, there's the Newmark Fountain in front of the Temple Block! Larry Harnish wrote a great piece about it in his Daily Mirror blog last year. Here is the Newmark Fountain's story. The female figure atop it was nude, which made it an object of some interest at the time. Unfortunately, the fountain met a premature end when a team of runaway horses hit it in 1892...

-Scott

That's completely amazing. I had no idea the Garnier Building had been so altered during its history. Seeing how much of it they removed when the freeway was built, it makes me wonder why they left any of it standing at all. The restorers did a very authentic and convincing job, I must say.

When I was there in July, I saw two old brick buildings on Main Street near the Plaza that were in the process of being restored. One was the Brunswig, but I can't recall the name of the other...

-Scott