Quote:
Originally Posted by 3940dxer
Steve, it's great to see you here, and congratulations on reading the whole thread! It was you that first brought me here and like you, my head is still spinning. I've learned 100 times more about L.A. history than I had in 35 years of living here, and the history and photos here have inspired dozens of fantastic hikes and field trips. Right now I'm planning a hike to the peak of Mt. Lowe with my brother and will take plenty of "Now" photos.
I'm afraid that my obsession with this thread had led to diminished participation in your own outstanding forum.  I hope you understand.
I have lots more little photo safaris planned, if you'd like to join me on one sometime. It's been a true revelation, learning how much great L.A. history and architecture is here to see and interact with, in many cases just minutes from my door.
Again, welcome! Great to see your name here!
David K. |
Hi David,
Yes, this thread is addicting, isn't it? I saw you earlier on here and that photo of the Market that turned into our favorite LA recording studio was really a blow-mind. I've lived here all my life and I've been to a lot of historic places here but it never ceases to amaze me what we've lost, in the name of "modernization".
When I was a kid here I remember going to places like the old Philharmonic Auditorium and looking on them not with nostalgic wonder (nothing like that existed yet in the early 1960's) but with sort of a contempt, believe it or not. Hard to believe now but the mind set back then was "old was bad, new is good". When something stops being new, tear the sucker down and build something else. Tragic mind set but everyone had it back then. After all, Art Deco reminded the older people of the terrible depression. It wasn't fun to look at the Deco and older buildings, it was sad and spooky. I think most people were glad when they were torn down and it couldn't happen fast enough. Imagine that? The call to those in power here at the time was always "Modernize Our City!"
Of course, that started to change in the 1970's when "nostalgia" became popular and it was OK for people to look back on a different time. Before that, forget it. David, it was like the old recording engineers who couldn't get rid of vacuum tube recording gear fast enough. Didn't matter that the new solid state gear sounded lackluster... The old had to go. Sigh. I'm glad things are different now but I can't help getting the feeling that the next generation might not see it that way and start to destroy the "old stuff" again. Let's hope not..
At any rate, David, glad you are enjoying this thread as much as I am!