noirish Los Angeles

[Johnny Socko]

Hi folks! It's been a few...er...years since I've posted, but I've always loved this place.

I have something that is a little unusual in that it is not visual but rather audio. I came across an audio recording on YouTube of a memoir by one Belle Buford Thom Collins, who was born in Los Angeles in 1878, and whose father was Cameron Thom, Mayor of Los Angeles from 1882-1884. The recording was made in November, 1964.

In it, Mrs. Collins talks about her very early childhood in Los Angeles in the 1880s. One fun fact that she saved until near the end, was that Mayo Street was actually named by her father (after his mother). The YouTube video includes a multitude of still photos that will be familiar to visitors of this thread.

Enjoy, and feel free to post any quotes from the audio that you find interesting.

https://youtu.be/PD5eMh4VTp8

(And yes, it's been SO long that I forgot how to embed YT videos in a post.)

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by Mackerm

The Keystone, 112 N. Spring St.

And in the 1897 Los Angeles City Directory.
___________________________________________________________________




I feel sorry for the stray kid.



I imagine he was caught stealing but why force him to be in the photograph? ..That's a bit cruel.

And is that a jelly roll stuck to his jacket?
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[ethereal_reality]

.
August-Marathon has solved the mystery!

Seller's description:.."Original Slide, SP Southern Pacific EMD SD39 #5312 at Los Angeles, 1971"


eBay

Originally Posted by August-Marathon

In the above locomotive photo, the light green building, Eastern Novelty Distributors, Inc. 'the Imperial line' (billiards) is located at 2005 N San Fernando Rd. Structure with the tan roof and white trim is the American Fence Co at 1941 N San Fernando Rd. Photographer was standing on a pedestrian footbridge over N San Fernando Rd at the SP Taylor Yard. Both buildings are still standing but hidden from view by privacy vegetation.

Here's how 2005 N. San Fernando Road looks today.


GSV

And down the street you can see the roof of the building that I thought might be an American Legion. (it wasn't)

Thanks for your help, August-Marathon! I appreciate it.

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[ethereal_reality]

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I have a question about this rppc.


eBay



I've stared at the lower left corner for quite some time and can't figure it out what's going on down the center of the street.




detail

A . .um. .tiny monorail



.

[ethereal_reality]

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There is a remarkable rppc currently listed on eBay

"Early Railroad Steam Train to LONG BEACH CA California Los Angeles Area ca 1900 Photo."


eBay



Here's a closer look.



There appears to be a long horizontal sign atop the roof of the smaller building.

I wonder what train stop this could be

Bat Signal to Henry-Huntington!
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[Mackerm]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

.
I have a question about this rppc.

I've stared at the lower left corner for quite some time and can't figure it out what's going on down the center of the street.


A monorail for . . . (little tiny people)



.

A pipe suspended in the air by a cable ... for some reason?

[HenryHuntington]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

.
There is a remarkable rppc currently listed on eBay

"Early Railroad Steam Train to LONG BEACH CA California Los Angeles Area ca 1900 Photo."


eBay



Here's a closer look.



There appears to be a long horizontal sign atop the roof of the smaller building.

I wonder what train stop this could be

Bat Signal to Henry-Huntington!
.

_____________________

Sorry for the late-ish reply, e-r. Alfred has the afternoon off, and squeeing into these tights gets more difficult with every passing year...

This photo is pretty interesting, and of course the name on that building is tantalizingly not quite readable. The train pictured is either on the SP San Pedro line (on or adjacent to Alameda St. in today's geography) or on the SP Long Beach (née Alamitos Beach) line, which heads cross-country from Alameda and Henry Ford Ave. across the L.A. River and in those days continued to a depot at 27th St. and California Ave.

Now the not-so-good news: other than the Dominguez Hills and a couple of watercourses, the terrain between metropolitan Los Angeles and Long Beach tends to be pretty featureless, as shown in our photo. Great for cultivation, one supposes, but not for identification. SP didn't operate a lot of passenger service into Long Beach much past 1900, so a photo on the Long Beach branch would be kind of rare. With the evidence at hand, though, I can't establish that the photo was taken there.

[riichkay]

Another of those restored, colorized, sound-added films has been posted to YouTube..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PJD...b_channel=NASS


This one is really good, as the camera truck is moving very slowly.....







The truck turns onto E. 5th St., for an extended tour of Skid Row....





























At the 3:53 mark the footage jumps to the 10600 block of San Fernando Rd....






At 6:29 some excellent aerial views of the Cahuenga Pass....






The 7:34 mark features a large group of folks searching for something in the surf at Redondo Beach, 1940.....

[Hollywood Graham]

Touring of 5th St "Skid Row" was not a heck of a lot different in the early 70's but Oh Brother it is not the same now. Skid Row has expanded blocks in each direction.

[quickstop]

One of the women at the beach is carrying a clam digging fork, so clams?

[Godzilla]

Originally Posted by riichkay

Another of those restored, colorized, sound-added films has been posted to YouTube..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PJD...b_channel=NASS


This one is really good, as the camera truck is moving very slowly.....

Noticed "Noticed "Glorified Hamburger." ~:31" Related establishment was at 5400 block of Wilshire (depicted here in beginning of this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoTsWtgbVcc ) and previously discussed on NLA.

LAPL


See also: https://larchmontbuzz.com/larchmont-...nches-forward/







Since you brought it up, here is another recent posting of what apparently captures the environs of Westwood. When locating a parking space was a minor inconvenience?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reFmSN8tYII

[Martin Pal]

In that video linked in the post above at 2:27, the car in the center of the picture...by the right headlight/front hood...is that two rows of lettering, like a sign, or is it vents or something. It looks like letters to me, though I can't make out what it says. Can't recall seeing anything like that before.


Thanks for pointing out those videos riichkay and Godzilla, I hadn't seen those.

[ethereal_reality]

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Thanks for your help on the 1909 Long Beach steam train photograph, Henry Huntington. ..I appreciate the help.



Rare photograph currently listed on eBay


Seller's description:..."1905 Amazing 951 Orange St Los Angeles CA Buggy Palm Trees Dirt Road"


eBay

It's difficult to imagine back when Wilshire Boulevard (previously ORANGE STREET) was just a dirt road!

Does anyone know what's at this location today? . . .because I sure as hell can't figure it out.


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[Tysonbrown]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

.
I have a question about this rppc.


eBay



I've stared at the lower left corner for quite some time and can't figure it out what's going on down the center of the street.




detail

A . .um. .tiny monorail



.

It is a cable hanging between two poles. back up from the photo The shadow is cast on the sidewalk to the right.

[nealberke]

I'll give you some guesses about the suspended pipe.
1. It's a steam pipe running from the school's boilers to radiators in the buildings and equipment that uses steam. The school may have used steam it generated itself to power AC generators. Old LAUSD buildings had lots of radiators.
2. The photo we are looking at is of the original MAHS built about 1910. It was destroyed in the Long Beach Quake and rebuilt with Public Works Administration money. The 1935 era school has an "art deco" appearance.
3. With that, it's odd that there is no insulation on the pipe. If it is a steam pipe they would have wanted to keep heat in on those long runs.
4. It may not have been practical or desirable to run a steam pipe underground or a private utility pipe underground back in the day.
5. Examine the photo at about the center of the school. There's a big chimney there. That might have been a steam plant. I've noticed lots of what looks like roof ventilators and at least 2 other chimneys in the photo.

Your thoughts?

[Godzilla]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

In that video linked in the post above at 2:27, the car in the center of the picture...by the right headlight/front hood...is that two rows of lettering, like a sign, or is it vents or something. It looks like letters to me, though I can't make out what it says. Can't recall seeing anything like that before.


Thanks for pointing out those videos riichkay and Godzilla, I hadn't seen those.

Likely engine cowl vents.


https://ccmarketplace.azureedge.net/...-sedan-std.jpg

[rwalls]

Originally Posted by quickstop

One of the women at the beach is carrying a clam digging fork, so clams?

Grunion run.

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by Godzilla

Likely engine cowl vents.
_________________________________________________________________

Thanks, Godzilla. If it was lettering, I thought it an interesting way to advertise or communicate!

[unihikid]

Originally Posted by rwalls

Grunion run.

That's what i thought as well, but when i did i the run as a kid i had a bucket to catch them. Could it be stones? I know RB was known for the rare stones that could be found on the shores and sand. Even today a good majority of the streets in RB are named after gem stones.

[Mackerm]

Originally Posted by rwalls

Grunion run.

Grunions only do their thang at night. Noirish fish.

Welcome to the funhouse, rwalls!