Merry X-mas!

Hollywood and Highland, 1938
http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/2...ighland193.jpg
USC archive

9th and Broadway, undated
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/7...wayundated.jpg
USC archive

It doesn't seem to be the kind of thing you can find on Netflix, but if you can get your hands on the dvd "This Was Pacific Electric", you will love it-- it really is one of the best histories of the development of L.A. I've ever seen. Lots of old clips and pictures, with a well narrated, well-told story--and the best explanation of the demise of the PE I've ever heard. Clips include brief shots of the gas tanks we've discussed here, as well as of the '20s white-on-black street signs. Best part is commentary by Ralph Cantos, particularly in the extra walking tour he gives on the dvd. He's a real "foamer", the kind we owe alot to for seeing urban history in "four dimensions" (as the dvd calls it)--the past overlaid on the present, like the pictures of the past here. He apparently still gives rail tours--check out this link:

http://www.latimes.com/theguide/even...0,253053.story

Merry Christmas to all & Happy New Year.

Thanks for the heads up GaylordWilshire, the dvd sounds really interesting.

Shorpy panoramas 1899-1900
 

I don't usually link to my blog here, but I think this post is worth pointing to:

http://losangelespast.blogspot.com/2...e-picture.html

You must look at the enlargement of the photo of Bunker Hill in 1899. The detail that can be seen in that image is really quite something...

-Scott

GaylordWilshire, that DVD does indeed sound interesting, I'm gonna look for it some time soon, thanks for the info about it.

Scott, the pics on your blog are very fascinating-- I kept staring at the area around the old St. Vibiana Cathedral.

Being that's it's the eve of the 121st Tournament of Roses Parade, here are some random old pics of said parade, courtesy of LAPL.

Happy New Year and New Decade, everyone!

1930
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics23/00061032.jpg

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics23/00061034.jpg

1938
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics33/00066019.jpg

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics33/00066005.jpg

1945
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics45/00072222.jpg

1947
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics45/00072215.jpg

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE ! !

Here is the very first photograph of the thread, taken on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, 1951.


http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/520...adec311951.jpg
usc digital library

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/9...enewyears1.jpg
ebay

..or you might prefer to ring in the New Year at one of these establishments.



http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8...nyclubmenu.jpg
ebay







http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/7...nwinefront.jpg
ebay

...or perhaps someplace a little more classy.






http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8...hotoholder.jpg
ebay






http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/3...nu1946huge.jpg
ebay

...since I'm on a roll, here are a few more interesting places.




http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/7...cocktails1.jpg http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/8...ocktails1a.jpg





http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/8...1128zendas.jpghttp://img704.imageshack.us/img704/6...128zendas1.jpg





http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/5...almgarden1.jpghttp://img704.imageshack.us/img704/3...almgarden2.jpg






http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/3...ankershim1.jpg http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/5...ankershim2.jpg

You're definitely on a roll, ethereal--thanks for the great pictures. Can't decide between the Paris Inn and Bernies-- Happy New Year.

Stunning detail in that photo. It must have been taken with the highest quality camera of the time.

I did a Rose Parade search on the USC digital archive site and thought I'd post these from there:

1925
http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/8...parade1925.jpg

1926
http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/889...parade1926.jpg

Undated
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/5...roseparade.jpg

The above undated photo is very interesting to me because it shows the site of what is now the Norton Simon Museum. The intesection at the top of the photo is Orange Grove Ave. and Colorado Blvd. I noticed the Victorian house in the photo and wondered if maybe this was Norton Simon's estate at one time or something. I was wrong; according to the Norton Simon Museum website, the site for the museum is the former site of the Carr residence, which later became Carmelita Park, which is now the site of the Norton Simon Museum.

Excellent photographs in the L.A. Times today.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...4618.htmlstory


...very interesting parade pics sopas_ej.

PHENOMENAL! Best 'then & now' match-ups I've ever seen, period. Congratulations and a big thumbs-up to Scott Harrison, the 2009 photographer. This must have taken a LOT of work to get just right...

Bonus! With a download helper add-on, I managed to grab the .swf file of the color 360-degree panorama at the top of that page. I can now view the flash file in my full-size browser window. Seeing that panorama at 1600x1024 resolution is truly awesome!

-Scott

Thanks for that LA Times link, ethereal! I downloaded the photos and have added them to my collection. :D

Inventing L.A.
 

Flaubert (not to get too high-falutin' here) is supposed to have said something to the effect that "Behind every fortune is a crime." Having somehow missed its original broadcast, I just watched PBS's "Inventing L.A.: The Chandlers and Their Times" online--very, very, interesting and well-done, if you haven't seen it. Commentary by many major California historians--Starr, Deverell, McDougal, Mike Davis etc-- and an incredible assemblage of footage including alot of historical street scenes as well as Chandler home movies, interviews with family members (including both of Otis's wives), and interesting voiceovers of Buff and Otis, all very well-edited. If you like what you see on this blog, you will love this documentary. Tells the family story extremely well--Otis comes off better than in some accounts, with emphasis on his hard work to remake the paper and use it to raise the city's standing in the world (as his predecessors had used it to build L.A.'s standing nationally), while the undistinguished, reactionary branches of the family look just as isolated and cluelessly entitled as legend has had it. (Certainly Chandler cousin Tad Williamson comes off here as angry, nasty, brittle and arrogant, apparently having no understanding of how he comes across.) But mainly it's the visuals-- well worth the nearly two hours. Free for the watching here:

http://www.pbs.org/kcet/inventing-la/watch_online.html


PS This article is a good follow-up:

http://www.santamonicadispatch.com/?p=1483

You're right GaylordWilshire, "Inventing L.A." IS a great documentary.

I'm glad you included the link. I'm going to watch it again. :)

One of my favorite old theaters was the Fox Carthay Circle Theater.

You can find a brief history here. http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/la/c...146343341.html



http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/1...haycirclen.jpg
usc digital library




The theater was part of a development begun in 1921.
Below is an advertisement for the area then known as Carthay Center.


http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/4...817carthay.jpg
unknown



Below: From the air in 1924


http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/7...haycircle1.jpg
lapl





http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/8...aysololapl.jpg
lapl







Below: Even an earlier (and larger) aerial showing the seeds
of the development in 1921.


http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/312...yearlyview.jpg
lapl

To be honest, I'm a bit confused about the streets or I would have labeled them.




Below is a great postcard.

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/7266/carthaypc.jpg
ebay

Great pics of the Carthay Circle Theater and neighborhood, ethereal, and thanks for the link!

I wasn't aware that the neighborhood was the first subdivision to have underground utilities; I thought I remembered reading somewhere that it was Hancock Park or Windsor Square. Carthay Circle is indeed a charming neighborhood.

Histories of each subdivision make the "first" claim, but it seems that Windsor Square began earlier than Carthay (here a few excellent sites about LA development):

See under "More Subdivision" here: http://www.laokay.com/halac/RanchoLaBrea.htm

and here: http://preservation.lacity.org/hpoz/la/carthay-circle

and even seemingly contradictory claims here: http://www.laconservancy.org/initiat...poz_book07.pdf

Looking west down Wilshire Blvd. in 1928.
The Brown Derby, which opened in 1926, is clearly visible on the lower right hand side.


http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/485...ilshire192.jpg
usc digital archive


It's amazing to see the plethora of billboards.
The billboard at lower left (which I believe is in front of the Ambassador Hotel) advertises the movie 'Four Sons' 1928.

Liquor.......
a MAESTRO of MISERY.



http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/4...roadway195.jpg
usc digital archive


Above: The corner of Temple and Broadway in 1950.

At first I thought WCTU was a radio station, when in fact it stands for Women's Christian Temperance Union,
which explains the "maestro of misery" billboard.


That reminds me, I gotta run out to the liquor store. :)

Below: Also in 1950, 2nd and Olive Street.

http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/6...dolive1950.jpg
usc digital archive



I like this 'gritty' photo.

View from above Temple and Broadway, 1892. (I think we've seen this before.) It appears to me that the building above could be the same one in the foreground below, just chopped down to two storeys. Does anyone know the original name of this structure?

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/CHS-51.jpg

The original name was the same... the building started out as the WCTU. Check it out (scroll down a bit):
http://www.wctusocal.com/old-wctusoc.../archives.html

PS--I might be willing to pretend interest in membership (I could only pretend, I'm afraid) if I could get a peek inside the ladies' current headquarters, apparently at 551 S. Kingsley: http://www.wctusocal.com/

(Not archived.)

Very interesting pics of the WCTU! And I wasn't aware that they still exist, I would think that they wouldn't.

I really like that 1892 shot of Broadway and Temple, too, considering what the area looks like now.

From USC archive:

St. Vincent's Hospital, 1937
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/659...spital1937.jpg

What got me was the caption, saying this was on Sunset and Beaudry. I've always known St. Vincent's (Now called St. Vincent's Medical Center) to be on 3rd street, but apparently it moved there in 1971.

According to their website, St. Vincent's is actually the first and oldest hospital in LA, founded by the Daughters of Charity Catholic order of nuns back in 1856. Today in the vicinity of Sunset and Beaudry, there's a convent there but it's a different order of nuns, I don't remember what they're called.

That WCTU website was very interesting...thx for the link gaylordwilshire.
and also to 'Los Angeles Past' for making the connection in the first place.

I would have never guessed that was the same building.
And I agree, the street level photo of the 'Temperance Temple'
shows a remarkable structure.

WCTU lecturing in a crowded Pasadena bar in 1947.



http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/6...eredcrowde.jpg
ucla archives






http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/3...uagain1947.jpg
ucla archive


I'd tell these old bags to take a hike.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sk9YjbbyJw

I don't know if any of you guys are gamers but I just found out about this game and if you ask me, it looks freakin sweet!!! I don't know why it's called "L.A Noire" and not "L.A Noir". Anyway, I don't think it matters...I can tell they really took the their time on this one. Check it!!!

The 1929 Los Angeles Auto Show.


http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/2...lesautosho.jpg
ucla archive

It came to a fiery end, destroying 320 cars.

http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/4...esautoshoz.jpg
ucla archive





http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/2...esautoshoh.jpg
ucla archive


Does anyone know where this was located?

:previous:
I do, actually! This was located where the LA Furniture Mart is now, which would be Washington and Hill.

I know this because I went to the LA Auto Show recently (I go every year) and they actually had a very interesting display that showed the history of the LA Auto Show, from its beginnings to modern times. It's been going on for over 100 years now.

After this fire, whatever cars were left were displayed at the Shrine Expo Center. There were pictures of 1920s cars being displayed at the Shrine Expo Center.

^^^Cool, thanks for the info Sopas_ej.

Pretty cool!

Majestic Theater Building in 1920.


http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/7...ctheaterbl.jpg
ucla archive





http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/1...ctheater19.jpg
ucla archive



I love this marquee....very art nouveau and 'war of the worlds'.

Isn't that originally where Chutes Park was located? (EDIT: my mistake. Chutes Park was apparently at Washington and Grand, where Polytechnic High School (L.A. Trade Tech) would later be built...)


https://otters.net/img/lanoir/CHS-5197.jpg
USC

https://otters.net/img/lanoir/chutespark2.jpg

I've always wondered where that amusement park was.

Sopas, thanks for chiming in -- I also enjoyed that historical display at the Auto Show this year, and had intended to post some pics of that fire here. (At least ethereal was more motivated.)

Also interesting was the fact that there happened to be an auto salvage business on the adjoining lot (you can see it on the extreme left in the photo below):

http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/2...lesautosho.jpg

After the fire, they simply took down a portion of the fence and dragged the burned-out cars into the salvage yard. Must've been like mana from heaven for that business!

^^^lol...."mana from heaven"...that's great Johnny Socko. :)

I wonder where the owner/employees of that salvage yard were right BEFORE the fire.

[QUOTE=ethereal_reality;4647261I wonder where the owner/employees of that salvage yard were right BEFORE the fire.[/QUOTE]

Are we thinking someone "accidentally" dropped a Lucky Strike in the gas tank of a Hudson?

exactly ;)

Here is a great photo showing the Hill Street Pacific Electric Station.
I noticed the advertisement on the side of the neighboring Masonic Temple building.
I was completely surprised that you could reach Mt. Lowe Resort via this transit.



http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/815...electrichi.jpg
usc digital archive





Below: I found this schedule/map showing a Mount Lowe route (through a wonderland) for $2.50.



http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/589...electricma.png
unknown





Below: And I had this amazing photo showing a death-defying route ascending Mount Lowe.


http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/888...ailwaybanc.jpg
usc digital archive





Below: From this photo, it looks as if once they get to a certain point on Mount Lowe
they transfered to this rather daunting incline railway.


http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/715...ableinclin.jpg
usc digital archive




http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/9...uugebancro.png
usc digital library







Below: And this is what awaited them at the top of the funicular/incline. I believe the sign reads Echo Mountain House.




http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/9...weinclinee.jpg
usc digital archive










http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/823...ummitevent.png
ucla archive




I find it amazing that Pacific Electric would build a rail-line up to Mt. Lowe.
To be truthful, my knowledge of all this is very vague.
Does anyone here know more details about this resort atop Mt. Lowe?

Could it have been owned by the Pacific Electric Co.?

Wow. Thank you all for the several enjoyable hours I've spent going through this thread.

At the Central Library the other day I found my Great Grandfather's 1918 WW1 draft registration. At the time he lived at 212 S. Grand Ave. As far as I can tell, that was roughly where the Colburn School is today (several feet higher, obviously).
There are plenty of pictures of the Melrose one block north, but I can find none of that general n/e corner area at 2nd and Grand.
Any chance someone has one from that period? I would love to see a picture of where dear old Daniel Webster McMillan and his wife May lived.

Thanks again for this great collection of photos and info you all have contributed to.

Mark

Hi Mark, welcome to the forum. I'm glad you came across the thread.





Below is a photograph from 1913.
It is a view north on Grand Ave. from between 3rd and 4th Street.
I would guess Daniel and May resided on the east side of the street
up where you can see the group of trees (or perhaps a bit beyond).



http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/881...ein1913loo.jpg
usc digital archive



This is the best I can do at the moment.
At least it gives you a good idea of their neighborhood.


Keep visiting the thread though Mark, you never know when one of us
might come up with a photograph of 212 S. Grand.

Hello Mark-- if you haven't already seen them, here are a couple of interesting sites that will give you an idea of Grand Ave and old Bunker Hill--

http://www.csulb.edu/~odinthor/socal10.html

http://www.onbunkerhill.org/taxonomy_menu/4/10/25

Ethereal: Great pics of the Mount Lowe Railway, I had never seen those particular ones before!

Pacific Electric's Altadena line delivered passengers to the embarkation point of the Mount Lowe Railway, which I had always thought was part of the overall enterprise developed by Thaddeus Lowe. However, a photo in the book "Picturing Los Angeles" shows a side view of one of the incline railway cars -- with "Pacific Electric" painted very clearly on the side. That was news to me!

The Wikipedia entry for Mount Lowe solved this mystery: Lowe sold his interests in the venture, and they passed through several parties before ending up in the hands of Pacific Electric owner Henry Huntington. So, the labels on the rail cars will differ depending on what era the photograph was taken. Here is a great postcard from circa 1906:

http://www.mountlowe.org/albums/albu...tcard_AAAA.jpg

The Mount Lowe Railway right-of-way is a popular (though difficult) hiking trail. My former boss went there a lot, and he said that some of the trestles were still largely intact.

Great postcard, Johnny. Never heard the expression "cold as charity" before...