Hi Earl, welcome!
Speaking of Raymond Chandler, here are some pics of Santa Monica, which of course was known as Bay City by Mr. Chandler.
All pics courtesy of the USC Archive.
Santa Monica City Hall, undated
Downtown Santa Monica, undated
1947
1951, Narcotics arrest. Mrs. Helen Louise Hall gets 90 days in County Jail for marijuana possession. Looks like she's trying to glam it up for the camera-- or HAM it up.
1953, random cross country cyclist on the sidewalk in front of Santa Monica City Hall. Cyclists 57 years ago apparently had to wear silly outfits like today's cyclists do. The end of the street is where Santa Monica Place mall would be now.
1958; this guy confessed to a robbery. I thought I'd see a penny in his loafer.
