noirish Los Angeles

[GaylordWilshire]

LAPL


I came across this ad for the Pacific Military Academy, which it seems we haven't seen here before, in the 1923 LACD.

According to this website, "The Pacific Military Academy (PMA) was situated on a hill just north of Culver City, at Cardiff and Cattaraugus, after a short time in Culver City (c 1925) at 6450 Washington Blvd. Culver City's founder, Harry H. Culver, established PMA in honor of his late father, Gen. J. H. Culver, U.S. Army Volunteers."


The illustrations below came from the site linked above, which includes more information.




CHMA

The second location, above, is discussed here. The building was demolished in 1962.


There are a couple of shots at the LAPL, apparently taken at the second PMA building, which was designed by Wallace Neff, according to the first website...




Docs R Us
From a 1938 Standard Oil map


So it seems that we've seen the site of the second PMA here before, just before it was built:

USCDL

From prior post 16614

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=16614

[MichaelRyerson]

Originally Posted by Tetsu

I've been meaning to post this article for a while now - I'm taking your post as a sign to stop being lazy about it.

Article is dated Feb. 4, 1962.

Thank you, Tetsu for a really well done post. The article, of course, only partially answers my question but absent a really comprehensive study, these anecdotal stories will have to do. With upwards of ten thousand people being displaced, you'd think some enterprising urban planner would have taken advantage of the opportunity. In any event, nice post. Thanks again.

Originally Posted by Albany NY

Wow, Michael, you're a man after my own heart! (Did that sound creepy, at all?)...((not particularly. Well maybe a little.)) Every single one of them had their own hopes and dreams and demons stalking their every waking hour....just like the rest of us.

Well, we're really on the same page with this...it's always been about the people to me. Even when we are looking at the sometimes magnificent buildings, sometimes modest buildings we all miss, the Richfield, the Sunkist, the Poundcake Hill High School building, I'm always thinking about how those buildings affected the people who saw them contemporaneously, as parts of their normal environment. How the designs lifted their spirits, served them, oriented them...

Anyway, here's the image that started my most recent thinking on this...

Extension of 4th Street through Bunker Hill, 1956

The coming of the 4th Street cut. Looking west over 4th Street where half a mile extension will carry it from Hill Street under Grand Avenue (middle distance) and Hope Street (Hildreth house is gone, only shrubs appear to remain) and over Flower and Figueroa (which cannot be seen) to the Harbor Freeway, part of which can be seen in the background. Camera appears to be situated on the south east corner of Olive and 4th Streets probably on the upper floors or roof of the Subway Building. Lovely curved staircase at center/bottom is from the now demolished Fremont Hotel. The $1,256,085 project is scheduled to be finished Jan. 1st, 1956. 135,400 cubic yards of dirt are in the process of being moved and work can be seen from the Harbor Freeway.

[HossC]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

According to this website, "The Pacific Military Academy (PMA) was situated on a hill just north of Culver City, at Cardiff and Cattaraugus, after a short time in Culver City (c 1925) at 6450 Washington Blvd. Culver City's founder, Harry H. Culver, established PMA in honor of his late father, Gen. J. H. Culver, U.S. Army Volunteers."

The illustrations below came from the site linked above, which includes more information.



CHMA

The second location, above, is discussed here. The building was demolished in 1962.

It looks like residential properties closed in fast on the Pacific Military Academy. Here's a series of aerial shots, all from Historic Aerials. The graphic above makes it look like Beverly Drive was just north of the academy, but now it's the street that bisects the old site, so did it move or is the map wrong? I have a 1928 map which shows the portion of Beverly Drive that's currently to the south of Cattaraugus was once called Watseka.

1948 - Still in acres of space.



1953 - Surrounded by housing.



1972 - Gone.

[Beaudry]

Am certain I'm not alone in saying Urban Diachrony is one of my all-time favorite blogs. Glad there's cross-pollination here!

[ethereal_reality]

ebay

I was surprised to see how lush the 'grounds' were...almost like a formal garden.
(not sure of the exact location)
__

[ethereal_reality]

A series of snapshots showing a ramshackle amusement park in Sunland CA. (all from ebay)













-this reminds me of that photograph of CBD and his brother on a carnival ride.










Eskimo Pies!












Is that William Frawley?


__



"The old carousel in Sunland park." uploaded by patricia Green on pinterest. (same place?)

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/375839531375555555/
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Sunland Bus Line from Los Angeles


http://www.pinterest.com



Second only to rooftop signs...signs traversing a street. (and this one looks like it lit up)

http://www.kenoticket.net/store.php/...s_street_scene



detail/small real estate office (Morris?)





detail/Sunland Pharmacy





detail/Shopping Bag




The Shopping Bag 1960s (same location?)






Los Angeles Public Library branch, Sunland Station (no date)

redondowriter blog




..and in living color.

ebay

__

[Chuckaluck]

1938 - 945 Westwood Blvd. Lucille's

http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...SPGEP7TPD2.jpg





1938 - Weyburn Ave., Westwood



http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...RUN6JSPK1V.jpg


Undated North Hollywood - Peters Electric

http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...IEC4377KUN.jpg

http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...7RM4VRPUG2.jpg

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

A series of snapshots showing a ramshackle amusement park in Sunland CA.



__

Here's my brother and I at Beverly Park...about a thousand years ago...

I'm on the left.

Personal photo.

[Tetsu]

Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson

Thank you, Tetsu for a really well done post. The article, of course, only partially answers my question but absent a really comprehensive study, these anecdotal stories will have to do. With upwards of ten thousand people being displaced, you'd think some enterprising urban planner would have taken advantage of the opportunity. In any event, nice post. Thanks again.



Well, we're really on the same page with this...it's always been about the people to me. Even when we are looking at the sometimes magnificent buildings, sometimes modest buildings we all miss, the Richfield, the Sunkist, the Poundcake Hill High School building, I'm always thinking about how those buildings affected the people who saw them contemporaneously, as parts of their normal environment. How the designs lifted their spirits, served them, oriented them...

Anyway, here's the image that started my most recent thinking on this...

Extension of 4th Street through Bunker Hill, 1956

The coming of the 4th Street cut. Looking west over 4th Street where half a mile extension will carry it from Hill Street under Grand Avenue (middle distance) and Hope Street (Hildreth house is gone, only shrubs appear to remain) and over Flower and Figueroa (which cannot be seen) to the Harbor Freeway, part of which can be seen in the background. Camera appears to be situated on the south east corner of Olive and 4th Streets probably on the upper floors or roof of the Subway Building. Lovely curved staircase at center/bottom is from the now demolished Fremont Hotel. The $1,256,085 project is scheduled to be finished Jan. 1st, 1956. 135,400 cubic yards of dirt are in the process of being moved and work can be seen from the Harbor Freeway.

Sure thing, glad you enjoyed it. You're right - it's just a tiny sliver in comparison to all those who were displaced. Each one of them had a unique story. It's equally fascinating and saddening to think about. I've pondered on that exact photograph, and I actually posted it on NLA a while back, believe it or not. The saddest thing for me to see in this picture is the empty site where the Hildreth once stood. I heard an older couple had purchased the house in the 40's and had restored it, only to have it taken from them and demolished a few years later.

[ethereal_reality]

I hadn't heard of the Waldorf Cellar until I came across this souvenir photo/folder from the 1940s.


ebay


ebay



-listed in the Los Angeles City Directory as late as 1956.

http://www.lapl.org/

___

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Dublin's 8240 Sunset Boulevard, 1980s


https://www.flickr.com/groups/vintagela/

today

GSV

Information on the present building.
http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/16005...-Hollywood-CA/
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At some point, after Dublin’s closed in this location it reopened, replacing the former Ciao Trattoria restaurant, on 7th Street in the 1926 Fine Arts building.


Brigham Yen

8240 Sunset Blvd. seems to have been a number of establishments, beginning possibly with the:

Colonial Drive-In
Hollywood Photographs has the Colonial Drive-In listed at 8240 Sunset Blvd. in a photo dated as 1936.

http://hollywoodphotographs.com/search/colonial/

But Chuckaluck had this post identifying the same Colonial Drive-In photo as c. 1933 and located at 6429 Sunset Blvd.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=16849

I just found this Herman J. Schultheis photo labeled 1938 from LAPL, with the 8240 address:

LAPL

It was also the:

Marquis Restaurant
...noted in a post by ER and another by GW:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=21896

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=6082

This is announcing the opening after a remodel in 1953:

Richard Schave, Flickr

Here’s an interior shot:


http://onbunkerhill.org/manneats4

I wonder if George got a discount?

LAT

Newlyweds, 1959:

LAT

I’m not positive of the order, but after that it was the Mexican club/restaurant Carlos & Charlie's, Dublin's Irish Pub, and in the GSV view in ER’s post it is or was Sunset Beach.

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I hadn't heard of the Waldorf Cellar until I came across this souvenir photo/folder from the 1940s.

ebay___

I first thought that the sailor in the photo was a woman.

On the other hand, on Martin Turnbull's site he lists all sorts of places mentioned in Los Angeles that he's come across in books.

On page 60 of Sheila Graham's book The Garden of Allah, 1970, she talks about The Waldorf as a Gay bar…on a seedy stretch of Main Street…near Harold’s…since their glamour days as early as the 1930s, both bars had grown shabby.

In the book George Cukor: Double Life by Patrick McGilligan, Harper Perennial, 1991, on page 11 is a note about The Waldorf that says And if you looked at the downtown bars like the Waldorf, the Cellar, the 326 – it was so goddamned open.

The last one indicates the Waldorf and Cellar might be two different places? Anyway, it's interesting.

[Otis Criblecoblis]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

The Shopping Bag 1960s (same location?)



..and in living color.

ebay

__

I think I can help provide a little context, or at least some verification, regarding this group of shots from Sunland. I grew up in North Glendale/La Crescenta, but Sunland was within my stomping grounds, and along one of my family's migratory routes.

First, I can confirm that although I don't recall the amusement park, from the surrounding areas shown in that group of pictures, that was almost certainly in Sunland Park, along the Foothill Blvd. side.

Second, I remember that Sunland sign just barely, although I would say it was gone most likely by 1966 or 1967, and definitely by 1970.

I remember the stretch of Foothill centering on the Shopping Bag strip mall very well. It was about a mile east of Sunland Park. We occasionally shopped at that Shopping Bag and Cornet, and I was actually in that Security Bank in the late Seventies when I worked for Security Pacific (not at that branch, but I was there for a work-related reason).

One last observation: there used to be a tiny stone house not very far west from where the color picture was taken that in 1979 served as a rehearsal hall for a band I was in. So this little stretch of Foothill is full of memories for me.

I hope this helps give some context for these pictures.

[sadykadie2]

This is down the hill from Fashion Island in Newport Beach. I'm less than 10 minutes away. Crap! I'm not familiar enough with computers to know how to reply to a post where it shows up right below the post. I'm talking about the Boy Scout Jamboree picture posted by ER. Can someone give me a hand in my technical retardation?!

[Martin Pal]

I had an appointment in the Wilshire area near downtown today, so afterwards I decided to walk around a bit. I had not planned this so I had no camera or anything to take notes.

Wilshire is a veritable smorgasbord of buildings of various styles and periods all beside one another and that was a bit jarring at first, having looked at the Wilshire corridor through the eyes of this forum so much during the past year.

There were a few historic markers, with history and photos, of some buildings and where they had been, like the original Brown Derby at Alexandria. On that sign they fortunately didn't even mention that the hat & brim part was incorporated, they say, into the building nearby. Fortunately because it looks really awful. Across the street it was very bizarre not to see The Ambassador Hotel on the huge lot, though the new tenants have incorporated a small pedestrian park along the Blvd. which many people were taking advantage of today.

I walked east to The Talmadge apartments which had a historic marker and info, but the building was not receptive to visitors.

Gaylord Wilshire, I visited your namesake on the other side of the street, though! I was welcomed with open arms to look about the lobby which has many historical displays both in cabinets and on the walls. They had some photos of films being shot in there, but not the titles of them.

There was a guest register from 1926 and all sorts of keys, lamps, and the like. There were many photos of past residents, like Constance Bennett, who I had just seen in a film.

There were a lot of articles, too, but the lobby was very dimly lit and I wasn't able to read them very well. Even though I wasn't a resident, the man at the desk allowed me to go out to the pool area and walk around the outside garden and view things from there. It's a nice area, smaller than you might think, and very quiet compared to the Blvd. nearby.

I then wanted to visit the Bullocks Wilshire building which is now the Southwestern Law School. While walking around the building the gated parking lot in the back opened and I walked in back there to view the mural on the ceiling of the port cochere in the back. I'd seen it before, but it always makes me use the word stunning. Someone with a keycard let themselves in the back entrance and I walked in behind him, but the young security guard in an adjoining room called me to over and asked me what I wanted. Unless you're a student or employee you're not allowed in there so I was not able to walk around. He told me to call about the tour they give once a year, though, and he gave me a card. He told me he'd open the gate in the back to let me out, but allowed me to stay out there a few minutes before leaving.

As I walked across the adjacent street I smelled burning rubber and saw a great deal of smoke because a car burst in flames. Firetrucks and
ambulances started appearing.

Right there at, I think, 3500 Wilshire is a new building called The Vermont or The Vermont Wilshire. From across the street it looked rather bizarre to me, like it was crooked in two sections and had the appearance that it, or parts of it, was falling or something. Hard to explain, but it was unusual.

I decided to walk down to The Wiltern, at Western, before I had to go, for some more art deco viewing. The small lobby of the building was open, The Pellessier Bldg. and I went in to discover some really fine art deco features--the ceiling, lighting, furniture and the elevators. There was also a recessed area with some history and photos and that was a nice treat before leaving for the afternoon.

[Lorendoc]

Originally Posted by Otis Criblecoblis

I think I can help provide a little context, or at least some verification, regarding this group of shots from Sunland. I grew up in North Glendale/La Crescenta, but Sunland was within my stomping grounds, and along one of my family's migratory routes.

First, I can confirm that although I don't recall the amusement park, from the surrounding areas shown in that group of pictures, that was almost certainly in Sunland Park, along the Foothill Blvd. side.

Second, I remember that Sunland sign just barely, although I would say it was gone most likely by 1966 or 1967, and definitely by 1970.

...

One last observation: there used to be a tiny stone house not very far west from where the color picture was taken that in 1979 served as a rehearsal hall for a band I was in. So this little stretch of Foothill is full of memories for me.

I hope this helps give some context for these pictures.

Yes, Otis C., your memories give meaning to these mute pictures - thanks for sharing them!

[ethereal_reality]

I agree, thanks Otis C.

Martin P, I didn't realize Dublin's was in the old Marquis. How did I miss that!?
..and I'm surprised there wasn't an outcry when they tore it down.
I appreciate the information on the Waldorf Cellar too.

Originally Posted by sadykadie2

This is down the hill from Fashion Island in Newport Beach. I'm less than 10 minutes away. Crap! I'm not familiar enough with computers to know how to reply to a post where it shows up right below the post. I'm talking about the Boy Scout Jamboree picture posted by ER. Can someone give me a hand in my technical retardation?!

Hi sadykadie2. You just click on the quote tab at lower right. ---> ---v
__

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

I had an appointment in the Wilshire area near downtown today, so afterwards I decided to walk around a bit. I had not planned this so I had no camera or anything to take notes.

Wilshire is a veritable smorgasbord of buildings of various styles and periods all beside one another and that was a bit jarring at first, having looked at the Wilshire corridor through the eyes of this forum so much during the past year.

There were a few historic markers, with history and photos, of some buildings and where they had been, like the original Brown Derby at Alexandria. On that sign they fortunately didn't even mention that the hat & brim part was incorporated, they say, into the building nearby. Fortunately because it looks really awful. Across the street it was very bizarre not to see The Ambassador Hotel on the huge lot, though the new tenants have incorporated a small pedestrian park along the Blvd. which many people were taking advantage of today.

I walked east to The Talmadge apartments which had a historic marker and info, but the building was not receptive to visitors.

Gaylord Wilshire, I visited your namesake on the other side of the street, though! I was welcomed with open arms to look about the lobby which has many historical displays both in cabinets and on the walls. They had some photos of films being shot in there, but not the titles of them.

There was a guest register from 1926 and all sorts of keys, lamps, and the like. There were many photos of past residents, like Constance Bennett, who I had just seen in a film.

There were a lot of articles, too, but the lobby was very dimly lit and I wasn't able to read them very well. Even though I wasn't a resident, the man at the desk allowed me to go out to the pool area and walk around the outside garden and view things from there. It's a nice area, smaller than you might think, and very quiet compared to the Blvd. nearby.

I then wanted to visit the Bullocks Wilshire building which is now the Southwestern Law School. While walking around the building the gated parking lot in the back opened and I walked in back there to view the mural on the ceiling of the port cochere in the back. I'd seen it before, but it always makes me use the word stunning. Someone with a keycard let themselves in the back entrance and I walked in behind him, but the young security guard in an adjoining room called me to over and asked me what I wanted. Unless you're a student or employee you're not allowed in there so I was not able to walk around. He told me to call about the tour they give once a year, though, and he gave me a card. He told me he'd open the gate in the back to let me out, but allowed me to stay out there a few minutes before leaving.

As I walked across the adjacent street I smelled burning rubber and saw a great deal of smoke because a car burst in flames. Firetrucks and
ambulances started appearing.

Right there at, I think, 3500 Wilshire is a new building called The Vermont or The Vermont Wilshire. From across the street it looked rather bizarre to me, like it was crooked in two sections and had the appearance that it, or parts of it, was falling or something. Hard to explain, but it was unusual.

I decided to walk down to The Wiltern, at Western, before I had to go, for some more art deco viewing. The small lobby of the building was open, The Pellessier Bldg. and I went in to discover some really fine art deco features--the ceiling, lighting, furniture and the elevators. There was also a recessed area with some history and photos and that was a nice treat before leaving for the afternoon.

Interesting excursion Martin P.


Here are some Wilshire Blvd. shops from days gone by.


ebay


from this book published in 1948.


__

[HossC]

Originally Posted by HossC

The picture is dated 7/23/61. The caption says "Last old house on Hope Street wrecked the next day."


Huntington Digital Library

You may remember this house at 231 N Hope which was discussed a couple of weeks ago. While I was looking through the HDL collection earlier I found this side view of the same house taken on the same day.
NB. I've tweaked the colors and cleaned up most of the dirt from the sky.


Huntington Digital Library

I hadn't realized how deep the house was when I only had front and rear views to go by. It looks like the house was extended several times.


Detail of picture above.

The owners must've felt they only needed to paint the front of the side wall because that's all that showed when the house next door was still standing - see Hoffman's picture below.

Originally Posted by Hoffman

There's another shot of the front of 231N. Hope on LAPL.

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics14/00026590.jpg

[Engine54]

Originally Posted by FredH

I believe that this is the light fixture, mentioned in Engine54's video, which is now missing. I hope that they can somehow replace it.


USC Digital Library

And hey,Chin/Engine54 is REALLY good. I think that he would be great as the next Huell Howser. A perfect mixture of enthusiasm, knowledge, and likability.

Fred, that is the one. I like seeing this blow up of the light in this photo. The photo I took way back in 1994 shows that the bottom ornamental portion is missing. That light stayed in service until sometime in the early 2000's and then it was gone. I can tell you it was removed by the Bureau of Street Lighting and I suspect it has found its way back to their yard. Just a suspicion of mine because I saw a similar piece in their lighting collection. We've been working to get a replica put up, but because it's close enough to be consistently damaged, we don't think we'll get it. By the way, modern LED replicas that look great of these types of lights are now being installed all over L.A.

Thanks Fred for the compliment. The late Huell Howser is an inspiration for all of us who cover these kind of feature topics. If we could match him even 1/10th of the way, we'd be doing great!

Chin/E-54