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Mstimc Jul 10, 2013 3:18 AM

From Gaylord Wilshire:
"Today, US and UK society has morphed into a very ragged, in-your-face rabble of people out of control."

With all due respect, CBD, I think this is a bit of an overstatement... the innate goodness of people? Since when? If L.A.'s noir era was all petunias and ice cream, what are we doing here on this thread? Nostalgia is a dangerous thing... the past was never what you think it is now, even if you were there, including manners. Old newspapers from the Spanish era forward are FULL of mayhem and a lack of civility. And I hope I'm never so unhappy with the present. It's all there is....


From E_R:
and to think this was once a vibrant streetscape. Architects from the 1970s and 80s should be reprimanded for building this type of foreboding shit

*I realize parking podiums are still being built. Hopefully with better transit solutions they will eventually become a thing of the past.
-wishful thinking I know. (especially in Los Angeles)

CBD said:
My friend Mr. Wilshire reminded me this is a noir thread. Sometimes I forget.

My only point was that I'm aware of the incivility of the past, as you correctly remind me. Today, in my opinion...its much worse overall. Forty years ago people in public seemed to be much more polite and good manned...today, not so much. If you fall on the sidewalk today, people merely step over you and walk on by. Today they ignore you. Of course there are exceptions but not many.



Hi Folks—

I may be a newbie to the thread, but I’ve been following it for a long time, and have seen this issue pop up several times before. Also, I worked on the western edge of downtown L.A. (Vermont and Pico) in the early 80’s, just as the crime rate was reaching its zenith, so I feel qualified to add my two cents worth.

I’d agree with CBD to the degree society was certainly more formal. If you look at the thread’s photos from the 1930’s through the 50’s, you see men wearing ties when they’re out and about, and women in dresses. I think those are indicators of a more structured (or uptight?) society, where public behavior was valued more highly than it is today. As for it being more civil, I’ll side with Gaylord Wilshire. A lot of it depends on where you look. From the Chinese Massacre in 1871, through the Zoot Suit Riots and the Rodney King melee, “civil” was never L.A.’s strong suit, especially if you weren’t part of “proper” society.

More to the point of this thread, and E_R’s observation about the hideous “skyscraper in a parking podium/plaza”, I think back to my second-favorite city, San Francisco. SFO toyed with the monolith in a plaza in the 70’s and 80’s, but quickly came to its senses. And our neighbors to the north have certainly done a better job preserving their downtown (the ill-fated Embarcadero Freeway notwithstanding). I think it was Gaylord, who, many pages ago, while lamenting the loss of the Bunker Hill Victorians, said it was inevitable they’d be pushed aside as the city’s demographics and economics changed. I agree with that. Of course, they, and other areas, didn’t have to be replaced with soulless bunkers like the Security Pacific Building. Maybe like San Francisco, L.A.’s planners should have thought more about adapting than demolishing. Most of SF’s downtown buildings no longer serve their original purpose, but they’re still being used by new businesses. And of course, SF has a real functioning public transportation system which keeps people near where they work, and the sidewalks a lot more lively. In the early 1990’s, I took a transportation/planning class at CSUF. The lecturer showed us a picture much like E_R’s Security Pacific building, except it included people walking on the sidewalk past the monolith. He asked a very simple, yet damning, question: “Where exactly are those people going? There is absolutely nothing at street level that would make you want to get out of your car.”

I think what saddens me most is to see an ornate old building stripped of the ornamentation that made it unique. Most of the time, this seems to take the form of turning the ground-level floor into a featureless series of rectangular-windowed stores, one after another. I think the difference is in the details and scale. The Bonaventure is an awesome site from the Harbor Freeway, but offers nothing when you’re next to it. It appeals to a distant audience. The old Atlantic Richfield building drew the individual in with detail that had to be seen up close. These buildings were constructed by people and companies who wanted to impress on the personal level, and wanted people to remember what they saw. The newer buildings look great from a helicopter as pieces of giant sculpture, but when you’re right up next to them, what’s there to touch, to run your fingers over and appreciate what a small team of craftsmen accomplished just so you could enjoy their work?

I looked at CBD’s picture and thought about the books and articles read about the Black Dahlia murder. Given today’s technology and professional investigative standards, the perpetrator probably would have been caught in a relatively short time. Id’ rather be living in a time when I don’t have to worry about my kid getting polio and living in an iron lung. When you get down to it, we’re left to make best of the here and now, and hopefully do a better job for the people who come after us.

Okay, rant over. I’m still trying to figure out how to post a decent picture!:shrug:

Mstimc Jul 10, 2013 3:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 6192836)
A glimpse of Googie's on Sunset behind the 'Steak and Stein' sign, circa 1968.

Note the Julie Andrew's STAR! billboard....one of the biggest flops in Hollywood history.


more on Googie's on Sunset here:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=15414
__

But it co-starred Richard Crenna and Robert Reed. How could it go wrong?!?:D

ribosome Jul 10, 2013 4:21 AM

1971 Park Grove Street, Los Angeles
 
Here are a couple of before and after pictures of my great(x2)-grandparents' home at 1971 Park Grove Street. My ancestors Oliver Barr Phillips and Anna Columbia (nee Murray) Phillips moved to Los Angeles in 1884 and first lived at the southwest corner of Second St & San Pedro Street near William Hammel and the palms. They moved to Park Grove St abt 1894 or so. We visited the home in 2007 and it's still there. Unfortunately, the current owners were not home. Oliver died in the home in 1896. He had tuberculosis.

That's Anna on the porch with her son
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ParkGrove5.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ParkGrove1.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...3/IMG_2168.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...3/IMG_2172.jpg

ProphetM Jul 10, 2013 5:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 6192836)
A glimpse of Googie's on Sunset behind the 'Steak and Stein' sign, circa 1968.
http://imageshack.us/a/img15/3365/fu0j.jpg
slide/ebay

Note the Julie Andrew's STAR! billboard....one of the biggest flops in Hollywood history.


more on Googie's on Sunset here:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=15414
__

Actually, I was noticing the other billboard, for an even bigger flop! Head starred the Monkees and was in nearly every sense of the word a disaster. It's actually a pretty good movie but it's extremely odd.

Those Who Squirm! Jul 10, 2013 5:32 AM

San Fernando Tunnel
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Mayor Shaw (Post 5881515)
(Deleted pictures of San Fernando railroad tunnel)

Mayor Shaw, I'm not clear on where the San Fernando Tunnel is--is this the same as the Stoney Point/Chatsworth tunnel?

Flyingwedge Jul 10, 2013 6:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 6192836)
http://imageshack.us/a/img15/3365/fu0j.jpg
slide/ebay

Note the Julie Andrew's STAR! billboard....one of the biggest flops in Hollywood history.

__

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProphetM (Post 6192989)
Actually, I was noticing the other billboard, for an even bigger flop! Head starred the Monkees and was in nearly every sense of the word a disaster. It's actually a pretty good movie but it's extremely odd.

Another odd 1968 movie flop was Skidoo, with an LSD-taking Jackie Gleason ("I'm seein' mathematics!") and a pot-smoking Groucho Marx (in his last film):
http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...psbcbf0569.jpg
Blogtocomm -- http://black2com.blogspot.com/2012/0...-starring.html

Moxie Jul 10, 2013 3:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mstimc (Post 6192882)
Hi Folks—

...

I think what saddens me most is to see an ornate old building stripped of the ornamentation that made it unique. Most of the time, this seems to take the form of turning the ground-level floor into a featureless series of rectangular-windowed stores, one after another. I think the difference is in the details and scale. The Bonaventure is an awesome site from the Harbor Freeway, but offers nothing when you’re next to it. It appeals to a distant audience. The old Atlantic Richfield building drew the individual in with detail that had to be seen up close. These buildings were constructed by people and companies who wanted to impress on the personal level, and wanted people to remember what they saw. The newer buildings look great from a helicopter as pieces of giant sculpture, but when you’re right up next to them, what’s there to touch, to run your fingers over and appreciate what a small team of craftsmen accomplished just so you could enjoy their work?

...

Okay, rant over. I’m still trying to figure out how to post a decent picture!:shrug:

I enjoyed reading your post Mstimc, very insightful. The big change came for L.A., as it has for other cities, when they decided they wanted a skyline to compete with NYC and Chicago. London's going through something similar currently. They'd rather become modern by adding lots of tall buildings with glass, rather than renovating and reusing existing structures. One city that does a much better job, IMHO, is Glasgow (where I used to live, so yes, I'm biased). They've got legislation in place that requires developers to maintain the Victorian facades downtown, so that the city doesn't lose its historic character. When I look at the pictures of historic Los Angeles, it makes me so sad that I never had a chance to visit *that* city. The one that exists now is certainly nice in its own right, but they're like two totally different places.

Regarding your comment about posting pictures, I explained how I post mine back on page 771. Hope it helps. Even if you don't have Photobucket, if you do a Google Image search and click on the button that says "View Original Image" use that url inside [img] [/img] to post here. The drawback to that is that you're trusting the page that is hosting the image to not remove it, which is why most of us put images in an account we control. :)

ethereal_reality Jul 10, 2013 3:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ribosome (Post 6192942)
Here are a couple of before and after pictures of my great(x2)-grandparents' home at 1971 Park Grove Street. My ancestors Oliver Barr Phillips and Anna Columbia (nee Murray) Phillips moved to Los Angeles in 1884 and first lived at the southwest corner of Second St & San Pedro Street near William Hammel and the palms. They moved to Park Grove St abt 1894 or so. We visited the home in 2007 and it's still there. Unfortunately, the current owners were not home. Oliver died in the home in 1896. He had tuberculosis.

That's Anna on the porch with her son
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ParkGrove5.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...3/IMG_2168.jpg

ribosome, this is so excellent! Thanks for sharing the photos of your ancestors and their home in Los Angeles. It's amazing it's still standing and in pretty good shape too.
__

CityBoyDoug Jul 10, 2013 3:16 PM

The old and the new...
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Moxie (Post 6193237)
I enjoyed reading your post Mstimc, very insightful. The big change came for L.A., as it has for other cities, when they decided they wanted a skyline to compete with NYC and Chicago. London's going through something similar currently. They'd rather become modern by adding lots of tall buildings with glass, rather than renovating and reusing existing structures. One city that does a much better job, IMHO, is Glasgow (where I used to live, so yes, I'm biased). They've got legislation in place that requires developers to maintain the Victorian facades downtown, so that the city doesn't lose its historic character. When I look at the pictures of historic Los Angeles, it makes me so sad that I never had a chance to visit *that* city. The one that exists now is certainly nice in its own right, but they're like two totally different places.

Regarding your comment about posting pictures, I explained how I post mine back on page 771. Hope it helps. Even if you don't have Photobucket, if you do a Google Image search and click on the button that says "View Original Image" use that url inside [img] [/img] to post here. The drawback to that is that you're trusting the page that is hosting the image to not remove it, which is why most of us put images in an account we control. :)

The current "look" of LA has sadly a lot to do with the youthful age of LA. Its a very young town and the land at the city center is worth a lot of money.

The old beautiful Victorian buildings had to go eventually. Some of them have been moved to other locations. My father moved a large old house that was on Wilshire Blvd. to a new location but it was costly to do that.

ethereal_reality Jul 10, 2013 3:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mstimc (Post 6192882)
The newer buildings look great from a helicopter as pieces of giant sculpture, but when you’re right up next to them, what’s there to touch, to run your fingers over and appreciate what a team of craftsmen accomplished just so you could enjoy their work?

So true Mstimc, and well said.
__

Chuckaluck Jul 10, 2013 4:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ribosome (Post 6192942)
Here are a couple of before and after pictures of my great(x2)-grandparents' home at 1971 Park Grove Street. My ancestors Oliver Barr Phillips and Anna Columbia (nee Murray) Phillips moved to Los Angeles in 1884 and first lived at the southwest corner of Second St & San Pedro Street near William Hammel and the palms. They moved to Park Grove St abt 1894 or so. We visited the home in 2007 and it's still there. Unfortunately, the current owners were not home. Oliver died in the home in 1896. He had tuberculosis.


http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ParkGrove1.jpg

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2759/5...b7e31aa7_o.jpg

:previous: Noticed the children posed on the lawn. More relatives?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mstimc (Post 6192882)
I think what saddens me most is to see an ornate old building stripped of the ornamentation that made it unique.

So many treasured past designs fall prey to the cost of upkeep and the fickle tastes of a changing demographic. What appears to have started out as a Queen Anne style cottage is virtually intact. The leaded glass windows and the ornamentation overhanging the porch and wood trim were nice touches that made the home unique. Probably would not have to ask the original designer and residents whether window bars and steel fencing were improvements. But they do add "texture."

Beware of dog sign seen in other pictures as well as on neighboring homes is a nice touch, although seeing and hearing dogs might be more effective. :shrug:

CityBoyDoug Jul 10, 2013 4:14 PM

A sad tale...
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by ribosome (Post 6192942)
Here are a couple of before and after pictures of my great(x2)-grandparents' home at 1971 Park Grove Street. My ancestors Oliver Barr Phillips and Anna Columbia (nee Murray) Phillips moved to Los Angeles in 1884 and first lived at the southwest corner of Second St & San Pedro Street near William Hammel and the palms. They moved to Park Grove St abt 1894 or so. We visited the home in 2007 and it's still there. Unfortunately, the current owners were not home. Oliver died in the home in 1896. He had tuberculosis.

That's Anna on the porch with her son
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ParkGrove5.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ParkGrove1.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...3/IMG_2168.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...3/IMG_2172.jpg

Look at what has happened to this old house. Its gone from its lovely quiet spot on the block... to something much different.

We see it today, surrounded by a menacing iron security fence, topped with sharp spikes. The windows are covered with iron bars.

Like I said before, society in general is far different in LA than it was 100 years ago. Its gone from a polite, more or less well mannered city, to a full time land of lawlessness.

I used to walk by myself to kindergarten in the early 1950s LA. You rarely see that today... in any neighborhood. Today there is fear everywhere.

ethereal_reality Jul 10, 2013 5:08 PM

Here's a similar house I've always liked at Albion Street & S. Avenue 18.

http://imageshack.us/a/img849/7199/85im.jpg
gsv





side view
http://imageshack.us/a/img7/4592/33e7.jpg
gsv



This charming little home is katty-korner from Albion Elementary School (I like those sun rays)
http://imageshack.us/a/img12/774/wws6.jpg
gsv



minus the trees (the other end of the building)
http://imageshack.us/a/img585/9462/wczp.jpg
http://www.yelp.com/biz/albion-stree...ol-los-angeles
__

Mayor Shaw Jul 10, 2013 5:18 PM

Hi, Those Who Squirm I've been away from the site for a month or so (I'm in Maine) and haven't had as ready access to the internet as I'd like. I just happen to pop into the local library here to try and catch up. It feels that if one misses a day here, one misses a lot!

Anyway, in answer to your question, The tunnels at Stoney Point are located in the Northwest end of the valley in Chatsworth. There are two tunnels in that area. The one at Stoney Point and another which goes thru Chatsworth Park which is located just a little further down the tracks. I grew up in Chatsworth and we used to dare each other to go into the tunnels. We were told by our parents that if a train came while we were in the tunnels, the vacume created by the train would suck us up into the engine. It was enough to scare us from going in unless we had just witnessed a train pass and knew another wouldn't be by for at least an hour.

The tunnels I photographed are located near Newhall/Santa Clarita which are near the 14 freeway at the East end of the valley. Hope this helps.

ethereal_reality Jul 10, 2013 6:07 PM

slide 1960s
http://imageshack.us/a/img811/7706/4wgd.jpg
ebay
__

Godzilla Jul 10, 2013 6:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug (Post 6178591)
That's a trash can but I have no idea the point of it being an ice cream cone.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ps1a35398c.jpg


A different style trash can, or a mixed use tree trunk?

Sycamore Grove, Highland Park - undated
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics20/00019790.jpg
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics20/00019790.jpg

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics20/00019803.jpghttp://jpg2.lapl.org/pics20/00019803.jpg


1937 - described as a horse trough - could serve many other purposes! But please don't park there!
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics20/00019796.jpghttp://jpg2.lapl.org/pics20/00019796.jpg

Godzilla Jul 10, 2013 6:55 PM

Except where noted, none of these images are dated. From what I can tell, these are a conglomeration of events the Sycamore Grove Park in Highland Park. Most images are self-identifying, with limited detail: "State picnic." Might be more apt to describe these as gatherings of folks connected to States other than CA, e.g., Alaska, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and New York. Also picnics of various ethnic and religious groups.



http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics20/00019794.jpghttp://jpg2.lapl.org/pics20/00019794.jpg

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics20/00019800.jpghttp://jpg2.lapl.org/pics20/00019800.jpg

Former Nebraskans in Highland Park, Ca '25
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027083.jpghttp://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027083.jpg


The land of plenty
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027116.jpg



http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027118.jpghttp://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027118.jpg


http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027082.jpghttp://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027082.jpg

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027133.jpghttp://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027133.jpg



Something about this photo . . . :uhh:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027119.jpghttp://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027119.jpg

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027155.jpghttp://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027155.jpg

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027117.jpghttp://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027117.jpg

Minnesotans searching list of names

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027156.jpghttp://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027156.jpg

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027081.jpghttp://jpg3.lapl.org/pics15/00027081.jpg

Circa 1898
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics12/00025540.jpghttp://jpg3.lapl.org/pics12/00025540.jpg


1924
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics09/00004422.jpghttp://jpg1.lapl.org/pics09/00004422.jpg

Godzilla Jul 10, 2013 6:58 PM

More Sycamore Grove, Highland Park


39'er gathering of '49'ers (Authenticity consultants available for GWTW? Get me Mr. Selznick!)
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics47/00058376.jpghttp://jpg2.lapl.org/pics47/00058376.jpg



Quote:

Mrs. Mary Franklin sitting in a rocking chair. She is a member of the Los Angeles County Pioneer Society, the old-timers of the city who gathered at times in Sycamore Grove, in Highland Park. Mrs. Franklin, who is 89 and known as "Aunt Mary," came here in 1854 in a wagon train from Missouri.
1937
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics32/00065825.jpghttp://jpg3.lapl.org/pics32/00065825.jpg

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics27/00048373.jpghttp://jpg2.lapl.org/pics27/00048373.jpg


Circa 1931 Maxud and Mary Tangairian and others in garden at Sycamore Grove Park, Highland Park.
Aeonium ‘Schwartzkopf’?
http://jpg1.lapl.org/sola1/00000191.jpghttp://jpg1.lapl.org/sola1/00000191.jpg

ethereal_reality Jul 10, 2013 7:09 PM

:previous: Excellent photographs of Sycamore Grove and the state reunions Godzilla.
If I remember correctly, Raymond Chandler has a famous quote inspired by the Iowa state picnic at Sycamore Grove.
__




Originating in San Francisco, Acme opened a Los Angeles brewery in June of 1935.

http://imageshack.us/a/img22/5796/jyx7.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65068105@N00/576627/


http://imageshack.us/a/img441/179/1vqw.jpg
ebay

http://imageshack.us/a/img694/6961/zmu4.jpg
ebay




not sure of the exact address.
http://imageshack.us/a/img32/93/6rr0.jpg
http://www.rustycans.com/COM/month0205.html

I wonder if the factory is still there?







a brew kettle at Acme's Los Angeles brewery, circa 1941.
http://imageshack.us/a/img23/7938/oylu.jpg
http://www.rustycans.com/COM/month0205.html




church key
http://imageshack.us/a/img826/5711/is75.jpg
http://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/12756...cet=vintageale






novelty salt n pepper shaker
http://imageshack.us/a/img838/1602/s366.jpg
ebay
__

CityBoyDoug Jul 10, 2013 7:10 PM

Cary Grant at home....NOIR for sure
 
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