noirish Los Angeles

[ethereal_reality]

Thanks Fredh! I was pretty sure it was the Shrine.




I came across a couple of really interesting negatives on Ebay last night.






Vtg 1930 Orig PHOTO Film NEGATIVES Glencoe Way HOLLYWOOD Calif HEIGHTS Home HOUSE / STATUE






Let's take a closer look.

#1

EBAY




The lovely Statue


EBAY







If you look closely at the first negative (top, above) you can see a small portion of the statue. (or go HERE) The seller included close-ups.



DETAIL

I'm curious to see if the statue is still in that niche.

Does anyone want to check it out for me? (I have several projects to finish before Easter)


Here's the street number.

DETAIL / above the garage in photo #1


.

[HossC]

It's difficult to get a good angle on the statue at 2049 Glencoe Way. Here's a long shot, but there's a wall in the way.


GSV

This is the best view I could find in the historic images. As far as I can tell, the statue is intact.


GSV

The property websites give a build date of 1925/26.

[Lorendoc]

Browsing through calisphere.org a while back I found this handsome moderne retail building:


calisphere.org

The caption was:

"Exterior view of El Rancho Building, housing various retail shops including El Rancho Hardware store in the foreground. The small stores include E.R. Paulsen, a knit shop, Rancho Shoe Repair, Streamliner Salon, and Davidson Sporting Goods."

No location was indicated. The date was given as "c. 1955"; those cars look older.

Couldn't find these businesses in the CDs. But a circuitous route led to:


gsv

...in Arcadia. Looks like a survivor.

{{waiting for HossC to point out this building was discussed in 2014 in 5....4....3....2....1..... }}

[acorn8332]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

acorn8332, I think you're probably right about black masking tape. that's about the only thing that could explain the visual anomaly.


Did you mean to say the right luminaire? The left one appears to have less tape. (or am I seeing thing...again)


Thanks again Hoss.

Here's where I see tape--on the left.



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...bdf3396d_c.jpg

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by FredH

Anyone notice how desolate it is around this Tamale place? Doesn't seem to be anything else around for miles. the front of the building seems to say: N.W. Lane.


I know one thing...if I tossed down a malted milk and a couple hot tamale pies, there better be a bathroom in the vicinity.



On further review, I found that the place still exists at 6418 Whittier Blvd. in East L.A.


Google Street View

Civilization has moved in.

It looks right at home with all the wacky, colorful shops on Whittier.


https://goo.gl/maps/XdHuR36YnCY7UZqZA

That stretch of road has kind of a Route 66 vibe. Before the freeways it was a part of the main road going out to Orange county from downtown LA, with little food stands and roadside attractions all along its length. Today it's just a great road for cruising. This 1915 map shows it as part of the El Camino Real linking the missions:


source

Speaking of Whittier blvd, I'm really going to miss driving into downtown on the 6th st bridge. It's probably the most dramatic approach into the city. When I was heading downtown and I wasn't pressed for time, I would often get off the freeway in Boyle Heights and take the bridge just to take in the views.


https://goo.gl/maps/qdmDGJUXkwjEJADD7

Today it's the end of the road. The views won't be as good on the new bridge


https://goo.gl/maps/8ceDWJ2pbYN7eFLE9

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Thanks for the help on the mystery' locations, HossC and FredH. ....ha ha ..very funny badrunner and Martin Pal.

So we're still searching for the location of the pig pic., right? (#2)
.

Decided to give this one a shot and I managed to find both remaining mystery locations! Turns out all four pictures were taken in Boyle Heights so that helped in the search.

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

#1

EBAY clink link, then scroll down.

Nice VW.

.

This one is at Blanchard St and Evergreen Ave, looking east.


https://goo.gl/maps/K9a1cs7M5mUpt86K9

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

#2

EBAY clink link, then scroll down.

Is that pig holding a giant ear of corn...or is he just glad to see me? ......*groucho*

.

For mystery location #2, we go back to Whittier Blvd , looking east from S Soto St.


https://goo.gl/maps/F5xwaT5Sj5tRVbEUA

It looks totally different today but a couple of buildings in the foreground are still identifiable, and I can confirm that our Pig/Dog/Tamale stand was there at least until 1980:



The view looking back towards downtown from that intersection is kinda cool:

[HossC]

I guessed that the sign on the far left said "White Spot", but missed it in the CDs. Here are a few businesses from the 1969 and 1973 CDs: 2403 White Spot Hamburger, 2409 Corinas (the restaurant with the arches), 2415 Orquidia Beauty Salons & Boutique and 2419 Figueroa Pharmacy.

So far, this is the only other shot I've found of the White Spot. The dog is on the right.


www.facebook.com

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by acorn8332

Here's where I see tape--on the left.



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...bdf3396d_c.jpg

My mistake, acorn.

I thought you were talking about the streetlight in the 1963 photograph.

Originally Posted by badrunner

Decided to give this one a shot and I managed to find both remaining mystery locations! Turns out all four pictures were taken in Boyle Heights
so that helped in the search.

Fantastic job of sleuthing, badrunner!


Thanks, Hoss, for checking out 2049 Glencoe Way. I appreciate it, buddy.

I am glad the statue is in its rightful place!




.

[ethereal_reality]

At this point in time I thought we had exhausted all the pics of City Hall.

This interesting photograph was on Ebay a few nights ago. (it still is)


Ebay

My question is:

What are the two buildings on each side the walkway? They appear to be at an angle (in relation to city hall). Is the building on the left the old Bank of Italy building?



Observation:

The bench, with the man sitting on it, intrigues me as well. It appears to be a popular place to rest and sit a spell.
Note the scuff marks, tar and gum(?) in the area surrounding the bench. (in comparison; the right side of the walkway is relatively clean.



Question number 2:

Where is the pathway coming from? (I didn't word that very well, did I) .....How's this......is the pathway coming from an area near Court, or Bunker Hill?
If so - the bench would, no doubt, be a satisfying rest spot for pensioners. (and a place to congregate and discuss the weather...the sports scores...the price of meat.



Scuff marks and such. A closer look.


DETAIL


.

[HossC]

It must be looking out between the courthouse and the Hall of Records. I've marked the rough location on this 1929 view.


mil.library.ucsb.edu

I can't see the bench, but I've arrowed the marked part of the walkway in this undated image.


USC Digital Library

[ethereal_reality]

You found the stain, Hoss!


..while we are downtown (and in the vicinity).


EBAY

The seller says:

"This great snapshot was taken by a man who worked for North American Aviation. He was a big fan of Pacific Electric and LA Transit Lines trolleys and streetcars. Taken in the 1940s
during WWII. Shows a trolley or streetcar of the Los Angeles Transit Line with the Times Building in the background. Believe the street intersection is likely around 1st and Broadway."

[Lwize]

.

[Earl Boebert]

Apologies if these have been noted before, but I encountered these two jewels while (or should I say "whilst") I was searching the British Library on an unrelated topic. I've extracted the cover, title page, and sample page of each.

I have put a "gateway link" under the illustrations. If you chase that you get a page where you can download a pdf of the whole document, a searchable OCR text, or all the illustrations. "Two Years of Progress" is 44 scanned pages and "California of the South is a jam-packed 368.



https://flic.kr/p/i7AJ3b



https://flic.kr/p/i7NYYR

Lots of stuff to sample in there. Enjoy.

Cheers,

Earl

[FredH]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

You found the stain, Hoss!


..while we are downtown (and in the vicinity).


EBAY

The seller says:

"This great snapshot was taken by a man who worked for North American Aviation. He was a big fan of Pacific Electric and LA Transit Lines trolleys and streetcars. Taken in the 1940s
during WWII. Shows a trolley or streetcar of the Los Angeles Transit Line with the Times Building in the background. Believe the street intersection is likely around 1st and Broadway."

E.R. - Those streetcar waiting zones out in traffic always seemed pretty dangerous to me. I think I would have waited on the curb until the streetcar approached.

Also - Regarding the stained area between the Hall of Records and the courthouse: Do you think the stains could be the result of someone sitting on the bench and spitting tobacco juice on the sidewalk? Not only disgusting, but it would have taken him quite a while.

Happy Easter to everyone

[JimCraig]

Originally Posted by Lorendoc

Browsing through calisphere.org a while back I found this handsome moderne retail building:


calisphere.org

The caption was:

"Exterior view of El Rancho Building, housing various retail shops including El Rancho Hardware store in the foreground. The small stores include E.R. Paulsen, a knit shop, Rancho Shoe Repair, Streamliner Salon, and Davidson Sporting Goods."

No location was indicated. The date was given as "c. 1955"; those cars look older.

Couldn't find these businesses in the CDs. But a circuitous route led to:


gsv

...in Arcadia. Looks like a survivor.

{{waiting for HossC to point out this building was discussed in 2014 in 5....4....3....2....1..... }}

I much prefer the original view. The owner probably thought adding the brick pillars gave the building "Class." I think they just look tacky.

[ethereal_reality]

Yes, I wholeheartedly agree, JimCraig. The integrity of the building has been seriously compromised with the columns
and the loss of the 9 ornamental squares (or are they windows?) above the main entrance.

I won't even mention the awnings. oops. I just did.

[Bristolian]

One of Randy's lesser known relatives on Western Avenue at Compton Boulevard in Gardena. No exact date but from the gas prices at the Phillips 66 station probably early to mid 1970s.


Facebook
And today with Compton renamed Marine Avenue

GSV

[odinthor]

"HOT-FRESH" looks uncomfortably like "NOT-FRESH" . . .

[ethereal_reality]

mystery location


We have seen a lot of parades, and a lot of parade floats, on NLA over the years. . .

but I am pretty sure this photograph is new [to NLA].


Ebay found about a month ago.

Written in white (above) ..... ELKS PARADE ..... L. A. 1921.....Then a word I can not read.



But the postmark is dated Nov. 13, 1926



I hope the seller didn't accidentally scan the back of a different postcard.


In all honesty, folks..I don't believe there are enough clues to figure out the location.

If the photographer had aimed a bit more to the right - we would have been able to see more of the sign on the brick commercial building.
(all we see now is PR)

.

[Lorendoc]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

mystery location


We have seen a lot of parades, and a lot of parade floats, on NLA over the years. . .


In all honesty, folks..I don't believe there are enough clues to figure out the location.

The word looks like "Alhambra."