noirish Los Angeles

[AlvaroLegido]

Originally Posted by Noircitydame;7096878

The famous postcard view of the house and Cary's very green car:
[URL=http://s281.photobucket.com/user/decobelle/media/carybeach.jpg.html

[/URL]

I walked past it last November, looking pretty well cared for and fairly unaltered, and spotted this little call box at the street entrance. No longer used (that's what the note says) but originally if you dropped in on Norma/Cary/Randy, you'd pick up an intercom telephone inside the box and let the butler know.

The cross on the door is still there !

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by HenryHuntington

Under high magnification (with correspondingly low resolution), here's what I see, ER:

- The streetcar nearest to us is waiting for a couple of pedestrians (man and boy?) standing in the track. The man appears to be looking at the rear end of the streetcar ahead. I've no idea why they're in that spot or why he's looking in that direction.

- The vehicle immediately behind the streetcar is a truck whose porthole windows flank the (blind) rear doors.

- Bringing up the rear is another truck with an open bed, and the white material that seems to resemble firehose might be padding for whatever dark object they're carrying in the center of the bed. Also, there's stylized lettering on the side, so it looks like this is a commercial vehicle.

- The truck emerging from the alley appears to be empty, or at least I couldn't pick up any reflection from a glass load. Those high stakes on the sides certainly are curious, though.

Thanks for your help Henry_H. I appreciate it.
___________________________________________





Here are a couple enigmatic photographs from 1920s Los Angeles.

description from eBay.
"Vintage SAPS (letters on sign?) Los Angeles Aeroplane Junk-Yard Photo"


http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-SAPS...item28030d04d7

Is that Baldwin Hills in the distance?


And later in the day, I came across this second photograph.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-LOS-...item28032eb4ba

Does anyone have any ideas where this might be?

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[ethereal_reality]

...and a few miles west of Chatsworth.



http://matterhorn1959.blogspot.com/2...lle-movie.html

Did any of you visit this place back in the day? It looks fun.

I wonder if you can still hike out to the caves? (number 19 on the map)

Also, I thought the western town was called 'Silvertown', but it isn't listed as such on the map.
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I just found this photograph at Silvertown from 1952.


http://movielocationsplus.com/corrigan/enter1.htm




And here's an aerial from the 1950s as well.


http://matterhorn1959.blogspot.com/2...lle-movie.html

"This aerial of Corriganville shows the 'Silvertown' working movie set, lower left center. 'Fort apache' is directly north
of Silvertown, center left. 'Lake Robin Hood' is at the far right upper portion."

hmmm....I don't see the lake.

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[ethereal_reality]

A not very flattering photograph of silent film star Clara Bow with her son Toni.


eBay



Palm Springs-1935.

[Tetsu]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

1940's kodachrome slide showing a swimming pool beneath the Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena.


eBay

I believe this the swimming pool at the Hotel Vista Del Arroyo.
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I would guess so too. Never realized how far the grounds of the hotel once stretched out. Judging by the angle of the bridge and the general landscape, I think the pool was once in or near an area that's now occupied by a US Army Reserve center. Here's about the closest you can get with the Google-mobile, looking north from a small side street, Westminster Drive:

GSV

Can't help but wonder if any of the shapes on the ground here are the remnants of the pool. The hotel is at bottom right (now U.S. Appeals Court).

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by Tetsu

I would guess so too. Never realized how far the grounds of the hotel once stretched out. Judging by the angle of the bridge and the general landscape, I think the pool was once in or near an area that's now occupied by a US Army Reserve center. Here's about the closest you can get with the Google-mobile, looking north from a small side street, Westminster Drive:

GSV

Can't help but wonder if any of the shapes on the ground here are the remnants of the pool. The hotel is at bottom right (now U.S. Appeals Court).

Here's the then empty pool in 1972.

Historic Aerials

Today I believe its that grassy area peeking out from the trees.

[tovangar2]

Hmm, dunno if anyone's still interested in this.

I'm in contact with the Leo Katz Foundation. It's run by Katz' grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They may have "Youth Arisen" confused with Orozco's "Epic of American Civilization" at Dartmouth (Katz served as Orozco's assistant on that mural). I'm trying to get that clarified ATM and waiting for second messages from two other institutions.

No inkling (yet) of the mural's current location.

Anyway, here's a photo of Katz in front of "Youth Arisen". It gives a good sense of the scale of the thing:




ucla dl



Also an 80-year-old Associated Press report re the LA mural controversy of 1935:


google

[MichaelRyerson]

Vista del Arroyo Hotel pool and cabanas, Herman Schultheis, 1937


The Colorado Street Bridge was designed and built in 1913 by the Kansas City (MO)-based firm of J.A.L. Waddell. With a span of 1,486 feet and is known, of course, for its distinctive Beaux Arts arches, lights, and railings, the bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Marston and Van Pelt designed the Vista del Arroyo Hotel in 1920 and in 1930 George Wiemeyer added the tower. Myron Hunt designed some of the bungalows. In 1981 the hotel and courtyards were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2001 the building became a District Court building. The pool and most of the bungalows have been destroyed. This view of the Vista del Arroyo Hotel pool captures the diving board, patio furniture, umbrellas, palm trees and the dressing tents all in front of the Colorado Street Bridge.

LAPL

[Krell58]

I thought I'd label the pool and cement deck.

pool by krell58, on Flickr

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by tovangar2

Hmm, dunno if anyone's still interested in this.

I'm in contact with the Leo Katz Archive. It's run by Katz' grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They may have "Youth Arisen" confused with Orozco's "Epic of American Civilization" at Dartmouth (Katz served as Orozco's assistant on that mural). I'm trying to get that clarified ATM and waiting for second messages from two other institutions.

No inkling (yet) of the mural's current location.

Anyway, here's a photo of Katz in front of "Youth Arisen". It gives a good sense of the scale of the thing:




ucla dl

Also an 80-year-old Associated Press report re the LA mural controversy of 1935:


google

The brouhaha over this mural in 1935 is rather like what people said of modern art....its 10% art and 90% explanation.

The other day I looked at some abstract art after my noontime lunch at the deli. When I got home, all I could remember was how good the warm pastrami sandwich on rye was, complemented by the crunchy dill pickle on the side....mmm, delicious.

[Those Who Squirm!]

I've been living in Escondido for just over a year, and today I finally made it to the Escondido Public Library to get a borrower's card. (I've had one for the San Diego PL, for several months already.)

After I filled out my application and turned it in, I waited for the clerk to go over it. On the wall behind her, I noticed what appeared to be a poster-sized pen-and-ink drawing of something vaguely familiar, apparently true to life yet with artistic liberties towards improving the composition--and possibly fitting it all on the page. A couple of towers, a round gazebo-like area in the middle and four huge old trees. It was because I had to study it for half a minute that it was such a pleasure to discover that it was a drawing of the the old Plaza--as a casual decoration in the library of a small city, a hundred miles away. IIRC a couple of minor buildings on the south side of the plaza were missing, and as we all know the entire east side has been missing IRL since the early 1950s. In fact, the view was from the east side, with the Firehouse, the Pico House, the Plaza Church, and the tower of the Methodist church on the corner of Olvera Street all quite recognizable.

It was nice to see a bit of home in a place which at times still seems a bit new and strange.

I now regret not having asked if I could take a picture of this drawing, but I will make a point of going back in a day or two. If they allow it, I'll share it here.

[John Maddox Roberts]

Originally Posted by AlvaroLegido

The cross on the door is still there !

And someone left roses. I wonder if they're for Norma or for Cary/Randolph?

[Wig-Wag]

Originally Posted by HenryHuntington

Under high magnification (with correspondingly low resolution), here's what I see, ER:

- The streetcar nearest to us is waiting for a couple of pedestrians (man and boy?) standing in the track. The man appears to be looking at the rear end of the streetcar ahead. I've no idea why they're in that spot or why he's looking in that direction.

- The vehicle immediately behind the streetcar is a truck whose porthole windows flank the (blind) rear doors.

- Bringing up the rear is another truck with an open bed, and the white material that seems to resemble firehose might be padding for whatever dark object they're carrying in the center of the bed. Also, there's stylized lettering on the side, so it looks like this is a commercial vehicle.

- The truck emerging from the alley appears to be empty, or at least I couldn't pick up any reflection from a glass load. Those high stakes on the sides certainly are curious, though.

I agree with HenryHuntington's assessment with a couple of additional observations.

The truck behind the van with the portholes appears to be in tow, while the truck emerging from the alley may be for the transport of compressed gas cylinders. Since this is not an industrial section of town I would hazard a guess that it is was delivering Oxygen for a hospital or CO-2 for fountain drinks, etc.
This type of truck can still be seen today. Indeed, a local supplier to our San Luis Obispo area medical facilities uses one.The cylinders are loaded in a vertical position, sometimes in racks and chained horizontally to keep them stable and in place. Crates of beer for local delivery were also transported in this style of truck. The chained off area on the sides of the truck allow easy unloading from either side.

Cheers,
Jack

[Tourmaline]

Originally Posted by BifRayRock

Image is date non-specific (1930-1940) Most likely 1938 - Wilshire Blvd. - "The White Spot" and "Glorified Hamburger" (The Post-Bob's Era)

USC Digital

Same location but from a different perspective and later date. (Post '62, looking WxNW rather than east (above).


http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...d/20772/rec/19

Originally Posted by BifRayRock

http://pleasantfamilyshopping.blogsp...acific-in.html

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=11826






http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=8012

[Tourmaline]

Originally Posted by tovangar2

Thx for the Walker's info, I only knew this building as Milliron's/Orbach's
(now it has what is just about my least favorite base modernization):

lapl

Tragic news article. I'll remember that forever.

1929 - Holiday Season



http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../id/554/rec/39






"Does anybody really know what time it is?" "Does anybody really care?"

Sidewalk clock










"What an Opportunity!"

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co...id/8819/rec/95


1931 - Walker's Department Store, West Fifth and South Broadway
















S&H Green Stamps




















1933 - Walker's escalator. Mind your step.

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co...d/50374/rec/58

[Tourmaline]

Originally Posted by HossC

Chuckaluck's picture above provides a nice segue between Carpenter's Sandwiches (far right) and the view down Wilshire that I've been looking at.

I know the tiled Texaco service station at New Hampshire and Wilshire has been on NLA several times before, but I think this close-up is new. The service station stood nearly opposite the I. Magnin store - for a wider shot of both, and a lot more history of this block, see GW's blogspot post on 3240 Wilshire Boulevard.


USC Digital Library

Here's a better view of the service station. Again, I know that similar pictures have been posted before, but I don't remember seeing this one with the Green T Cafe on the left. There's three zoomable pictures in the set (link below image).


USC Digital Library

Of course, this is the old Calpet station, but I did doubt that for a while because e-r's earlier picture makes it look like the wings sweep back.



I now realize that it's just an optical illusion/camera trickery, as can be seen in the picture below. The Calpet station was adorned with far less signage than the later Texaco.


California State Library

Returning to my first picture, the Wiltern Theatre is visible in the distance. Nowadays, the view is blocked by trees and tall buildings.


Detail of first picture above

On the left, just past the Immanuel Presbyterian Church, I spotted a building that looked like a theater. When I zoomed in, I could read the text "Hammond Organ". Sadly, neither of the buildings either side of the sign are still standing (at least not in a recognizable form).


Detail of first picture above

Here's a listing from the 1939 CD with details of the Hammond Instrument Co. at 3328 Wilshire.


rescarta.lapl.org

The later buildings also housed a keyboard retailer - the Sherman Clay Pianos/Organs sign is still there, although the business has gone. Sherman Clay went out of business early in 2013, after 142 years of trading, but I believe this site closed earlier because la.curbed described the building as "empty" in this article about redevelopment from 2010.


GSV

USC has a couple of other photos similar to the first, quite possibly from the same shoot. They are taken from slightly different angles, and include a bit of Switzer's on the left and the Gaylord in the background. The first has a better view of the Wiltern Theatre:

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/re...ll170/id/22062

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/re...ll170/id/93249

More on the I. Magnin store:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=16372

March 17, 1930 - At this station, Monday Night Mar[ch] 17, Cecil Hawley, Driver of the Texaco, Transcontinental Record Breaking Car, New York - Los Angeles, will be greeted by Jean Arthur, Paramount Film Star"



http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co...d/27848/rec/47
















































Shall we dance?




















Smile








Driver obviously has yet to see the gift basket.

[Tourmaline]

1931 - Midnight Mission. 396 S Los Angeles Street


http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co...d/45331/rec/19

[rbpjr]

Well, today, July 17, 2015...I am up-to-date with page 1,489...I am one-happy camper. RBPjr

[ethereal_reality]

Congratulations RPBjr! I wonder how many others are still catching-up?
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Thanks for the additional information on the lost pool of the Hotel Vista Del Arroyo Tetsu, CBD, MichaelRyerson and Krell58.


1940s

http://hometown-pasadena.com/wp-cont...hion-Show1.jpg

In this somewhat blurry photograph there appears to be a fashion show going on. (note the temporary 'runway' bisecting the pool)

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by tovangar2

I'm in contact with the Leo Katz Foundation. It's run by Katz' grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They may have "Youth Arisen" confused with Orozco's "Epic of American Civilization" at Dartmouth (Katz served as Orozco's assistant on that mural). I'm trying to get that clarified ATM and waiting for second messages from two other institutions.

No inkling (yet) of the mural's current location.

Thanks t2. Can't wait to hear what you learn from the other institutions.

posted by tovanger2


The mural was larger than I expected. Good find.
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