Thanks ethereal reality. That is a great picture. Yes, it must be that dark rooftop just behind those trees 1 building in from First. Amazing!

I thought I had read the area was getting a little seedy by the late teens, but not from that picture. I do know that by the early 20's they were living in Boyle Heights (the burbs) where he lived until he passed away in 1966.

And thanks GaylordWilshire for the links. Great stuff.



Mark

JohnnySocko, thanks for clarifying the details about the rail-line up to Mt. Lowe Resort. It can all be a bit confusing.

I'd love to hike the old 'right-of-way' up to Mt. Lowe (with the old trestles still intact in places).
It just sounds so cool....almost like finding buried treasure (well, sort of).
The postcard you posted was great...."cold as charity"....go figure.
That is some pretty obscure slang.

Armchair hiking of Mt Lowe:

http://geekhiker.wordpress.com/2009/...-lowe-railway/

^^^That is such an excellent link GaylordWilshire.

It's so cool to come across remnants from the recent past like that.
I couldn't believe the old supports for the overhead power lines still protrude from the rock at the Granite Gate.
Also the huge mechanical parts from the incline railroad.

The next time I visit L.A. I am definitely going to take this hike. :)













http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/4...tlowead001.jpg
ebay







Below: Now this looks truly frightening!



http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/178...ailwayjuly.jpg
Bancroft Library UCB July 4, 1893




http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/4...ancroftlib.png
Bancroft Library UCB

Below: This illustration clarified MANY things me.


http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/9...re1905cabl.jpg
cable-car-guy





As did this one.


http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/3...ddeauslowe.jpg






ABOVE: I had pictured the Echo Mountain House to be on the summit,
and the funicular/incline portion of the railway to be the LAST leg of the journey up Mt. Lowe
instead of at the beginning. I apologize if I mislead anyone with some of my earlier posts.





http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/7...irearticle.jpg
cable-car-guy





Below: The layout of the Echo Mountain House atop the funicular railway.


http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/6...ssebastian.jpg
kansas_sebastian



You can also find great photos of the hike up to Mt. Lowe here.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kansas_...7619603744339/



Also go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Lowe_Railway
I just noticed JohnnySocko previously supplied this link.....but I think it bares (bears?) repeating. :)

That Hotel Fleur De Lis in the photo reminds me of the movie L.A Confidential where the club Fleur De Lis figured prominently as a high class house of prostitution patronized by the corrupt city elders. Wonder if that hotel is where author James Ellroy came up with the name.

It took me a while to get around to it but I finally took the pictures on January 3, 2010-- and then I forgot about them. Here they are.

• Video Link

:55
http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/659/p1090642.jpg

:57
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/4319/p1090643l.jpg

1:06
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/1474/p1090644.jpg

^^^Hi sopas_ej, that YouTube video doesn't work.

So....do the 3 photos correlate to something in the video?

Good eye kanhawk. I think you're onto something there.
It's very much a possibility that Hotel Fleur-De-Lis was the author's inspiration.







Below: A raid on a house of prostitution. Los Angeles 1948


http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/9...houseofpro.jpg
ucla archive

Oh man that sucks. Oh well.

Yeah, the time code and photos were supposed to correspond to the shots of the Ricardos' and Mertzes' arrival at their hotel in that "Hollywood At Last" episode.

The "Lucy" video must have JUST been pulled. It worked fine yesterday morning, and I've watched it before here.

As for the Fleur de Lis, perhaps Ellroy was inspired by this one in Hollywood, "originally built for actresses — an apartment hotel for those on their way up." http://www.swelgroup.com/fleur.htm NOT that one still equates acting with prostitution--the ladies who built the original WCTU building downtown might have done so, but I would never make such an assumption, even in these days of Paris Hilton etc...hmmm, or would I?) Anyway, I wonder if the Grand Ave Fleur de Lis later moved itself to N. Whitley, or if it's just another hotel by that name. I know that the Black Dahlia was living in an apartment building on N. Cherokee when she died, also apparently for single young ladies, very close to N. Whitley--I'm sure Ellroy would have known about that building. Btw, I once made up a "James Ellroy Tour" using his book "My Dark Places"--centers on Hancock Park, Larchmont area, and other areas north of Wilshire toward downtown, his childhood addresses and young-adult haunts.... a good noir-in-the-daytime driving tour. I'l have to see if I can dig it out.

Wow...I didn't know something like the Mt. Lowe Railroad existed in SoCal.

Gaylord Wilshire, your "James Ellroy Tour" sounds interesting.
Ellroy's book about his own mother's unsolved murder is really haunting.
I found it difficult to get it out of my mind.

http://chuckpalahniuk.net/files/imag...s-ellroy-2.jpg


To be honest with you, I could never really get through his fiction because of his grating "patois"--I think the only novel I read all the way through was The Black Dahlia. But I agree that My Dark Places is superb. As you say, haunting. A must-read for anyone interested in Los Angeles noir. If I find that tour I made for myself, I'll let you know. But it seems you can have it directly from the source--apparently Ellroy gives his own tours. I found this as I was looking for the above picture: http://www.esotouric.com/jamesellroy . I may have to plan my next trip around one of them.

I hear you're being inundated with rain in the Los Angeles basin.
I hope everyone's safe.






Below: A 1948 rainstorm at 5th & Flower Street.

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/8...rmat5thflo.jpg
ucla archive




Below: A 1950 rainstorm at Sepulveda & Slauson.


http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/2...daslausona.jpg
ucla archives





Below: A 1910 rainstorm at 7th & Grand Ave.


http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/8...e7thstin19.jpg
ucla archives

Can't help but notice the semaphore signal in the 1948 pic and the signals in the 1950 pic that could almost be current. Great pics.

The Embers Lounge (1963) 11332 Washington Blvd. Whittier


http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/5...ounge1963f.png
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/3...123embers1.png
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/8...123embers2.png
tikiroom.com


The bar features murals and portraits of nubile 'devil' girls tempting men by the local artist Frank Bowers.





Below are more photos of the 'she-devil' paintings posted by John-O at www.tikiroom.com



http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/1...postedbyjo.png
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/6...ers3ajohno.png
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/9...23embers3b.png
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/3...23embers3c.png
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/7...23embers3d.png
posted by John-O

In that last pic, it looks like there is also a muscular boy-devil far right.

http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/...53&forum=16&20


I had to posts these on NLA....the place drips L.A. noir.

__

Great pics, ethereal. So fitting too because of our current rain. It hasn't rained this hard in a long time, it seems.

The Embers looks mighty tempting; maybe if I'm in Whittier some time I'll grab a cocktail there. ;)

I posted the following photos today on the Aon Center thread,
so I thought I'd go ahead and post them here as well.




Below: Aon Center construction 1973.


http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/6...kyline1973.jpg
ucla archives





Below: Another photo of the Aon Center several months later (still in 1973).


http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/1...apers1973a.jpg
ucla archives

It will always be the UCB (United California Bank) Building to me. :)

I love all the advertisements and different font types in this photograph.


http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/4...me123sbroa.jpg
usc digital archive


Above: 123 S. Broadway in 1949.

It looks like Broadway could use some curb work.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/3...eandflower.jpg
usc digital archive


Above: Wilshire & Flower Street area in 1951. Far left is the art deco Richfield Building.
You can also see the General Petroleum Building under construction.



Today the Petroleum Bldg. is the Pegasus Apartments.

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/6...egasuscopy.jpg
cqkinla on flickr

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/4...yh1richfie.jpg
usc digital archive


Another view of the General Petroleum Building, also known as the Mobil Oil Building, with a menagerie of wonderful buildings.
The art deco Richfield Building with it's ubiquitous tower is far right.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/9...nlookingno.jpg
usc digital archive


Above: Looking north along Broadway from 11th street.





http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/5...n8thstsmai.jpg
usc digital archive



Above: 8th Street & S. Main St.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/7...northalong.jpg
usc digital archive


Above: Looking north along Broadway between 2nd & 3rd Streets.





http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/2...ongmainbtw.jpg
usc digital archive



Above: Looking north along Main Street between 2nd & 3rd Streets.
I like the cafeteria sign with the clock.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/1...mainbetwee.jpg
usc digital archive



Above: North along Main Street between 1st & 2nd streets.








http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/9...tweenmainl.jpg
usc digital library




Above: First Street between Main & Los Angeles Street.

Belasco Theater.


http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/6...theater191.jpg
usc digital archiv


Above: No date or address.

This incarnation of the Belasco was on Main Street just north of Fourth.

Hi Guys:

That wasn't the only Belasco Theater...there was also the one that was adjacent to the Mayan Theater at Hill & Olympic:

http://sites.google.com/site/losange...-geocities.jpg

(I have a slightly better historic photo of the two, but I just realized it's on my work PC. Bummer...)

Both buildings still exist. The Mayan Theater is obviously still an active theater, and one with which I have a personal connection: My sister is co-creator, co-producer and performer in Lucha VaVoom, a quintessentially Los Angeles attraction whose "home base" is the Mayan.

The Mayan's current owners also own the former Belasco theater next door, but sadly that building is only used as a storage annex for the Mayan.

Such cool photos, you guys!

Here's one from outside the big city, in Alhambra, courtesy of LAPL; a car accident, 1941, on Valley Boulevard:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics48/00073540.jpg

And some Then and Nows:

1927: Looking north on Griffith Park Blvd. at Hyperion, Silverlake
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/1...nhyperiona.jpg
USC archive

2010: Looking north on Griffith Park Blvd. at Hyperion, Silverlake
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/417...ngriffithp.jpg
Photo by Me

1930s: 6000 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. I'm surprised to learn this used to be a market.
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/638...tblvd1930s.jpg
USC archive

2010: 6000 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. This is now part of the Sunset Gower Studios, I think.
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/5649/p1090617.jpg
Photo by Me

1930s: 8423 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. This was a market and gas station, a pre-cursor to the gas station mini-marts that exist today, perhaps? It could also be a proto-strip mall too.
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/9...lvdbeverly.jpg
USC archive

2010: 8423 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. It is now a Porsche dealership.
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/4544/p1090630.jpg
Photo by Me

Sopas_ej, your before/after photos are great.

I love that old photo of the Cashis King Market on Sunset. It's too bad they covered up the graceful art deco details,
and added those strange gold squares with stars.

It's also great the market/gas station in Beverly Hills has survived all these years.

The Westminster Hotel at 4th & Main in 1900.


http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/916...sterhotelw.jpg
usc digital archive




Below: A lunch menu from the Westminster Hotel dated 1901.



http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/214...instermenu.jpg
NYPL



"Hmmm......I can't decide if I should have the pickled lamb's tongue or the pig's feet in jelly".

Here are a few more menus from the Westminster Hotel.


http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/497...nstermenu2.jpg
NYPL






http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/218...stermenubr.jpg
NYPL






http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/297...stermenudi.jpg
NYPL

I think for breakfast, I'd like the fried mush.

The Mayan Theater 1927.


http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/546...eaterbuilt.jpg
usc digital archive


Above: It looks like human sacrifices took place in this building. I love it.






Below: Another great view, also showing the Belasco Theater to the Mayan's right.



http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/7...heater1925.jpg
ucla archive



You should save these two photos for your sister Johnny Socko.

The first Los Angeles Athletic Club located on the west side of Spring Street between 29th & 31st Streets in 1885.




http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/3...eticsclubo.jpg
usc digital archive


I love the brave kids on the roof. Too bad the one at the peak got his head chopped off in the photo.

The Occidental College Football Team 1894.


http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/4...talcollege.jpg
ucla archive



I think the affectionate guys on the upper left are great.
Can you imagine today's football players posing like that.
What happened between then and now?

Thanks, Ethereal. I just looked it up on my work PC, and the "Elsie Janis" photo is the same one I have!

One thing I've always wondered is whether the exterior was painted in bright colors in the early days. I think I may have read someplace that it was. For most of my lifetime, it was your basic sandstone color -- like an actual "ruin". But a couple of years ago, the street-level panels were repainted in intricate, Mexican (or Oaxacan) style colors:

http://www.you-are-here.com/theatre/mayan.jpg
[You Are Here]

The architects were the incomparable Morgan, Walls & Clements. Julia Morgan is perhaps most notable for being William Randolph Hearst's personal architect, and is responsible for some of L.A.'s most wonderful buildings -- including Hearst's Herald-Examiner building:

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...3716C4214?v=hr
[USC Digital Archive]

I posted this photo of the Title Guarantee Building on the 'Park Fifth' thread.


http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/9...aranteebld.jpg
ucla archive

Here is a photo of the Herald-Examiner Building that Johnny Socko had mentioned earlier.
I didn't realize it was designed by Julia Morgan

This is actually showing the back of the building (and it's still beautiful).




http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/1...aminerbldg.jpg
usc archive



I like the miniature 24hr. gas station.

Who knows what happened; in many 19th Century portraits, men who were buddies are often shown arm-in-arm. If you've ever seen the silent film "Wings" which came out in the late 1920s but was set during World War I, at the end of the film in the death scene, you see the one main male character kiss the other main male character on the mouth (because they were buddies in the film and the one gets mortally wounded).

Temple and Figueroa looking south in 1932.




http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/1...ndfigueroa.jpg
usc digital





http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/782...tjunctionb.jpg
usc digital



Above: Temple at the junction between Flower and Figueroa in the 1930s.

What does this intersection look like today?

Mystery photo from 1912.



http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/552...2mysterybw.jpg
ebay


Does anyone have a clue?

Does anyone have a photo of a wonderful old mansion that once stood at 900 West Adams? It was the Russell Waters house (hope I have that right) and
was used to great effect in the 1944 movie "Curse of the Cat People."

Here's another mystery photo.

http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/3...licegarden.jpg
usc archive



Above: "Tropical Ice Garden with 12,000 seats in Westwood circa 1938".
I had some information about this project but I can't seem to locate it.



I just found the answer to my own question.
http://www.squareone.org/PolarPalace/tropical.html

Of all the buildings destroyed in Los Angeles this is one of the most sickening to have lost for me: :wah:

MacArthur Park on July 12, 1954.



http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/3...954macarth.jpg
found on ebay



Odd name for a boat.

South side of Market Street... San Francisco. 700 block: JJ Pfister Knitting at 739, McDonald & Collett Tailors at 741, Gallery of Scientific Wonders at 745.

http://berkeleyheritage.com/berkeley...//pfister.html (scroll 3/4 down)

http://books.google.com/books?id=HFQ...street&f=false

http://cdnc.ucr.edu/newsucr/cgi-bin/...ic+wonders-all

oops....my bad.....wrong thread.

Thanks for the information GaylordWilshire.