Thank you, ethereal, though I have to admit that I've been negligent about updating my blog in recent months. Main reason is that most of my posts have to do with my L.A. ephemera collection, and I've had to severely curtail my acquisitions for the last year or so...

Anyway, no one can argue with the fact that this thread is THE place to be for L.A. history these days! This place is a mother lode of information, not to mention addictive! I probably check this thread for new posts at least a couple dozen times a day. :)

-Scott

a 1960 photograph of a proposed transportation facility amongst the gasometers east of union station

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...UI-302a~1?v=hr
Source: USC Digital Archive

dig them crazy on and off ramps from the 101and macy street! them radii look a tad bit tight!

takin' to the air again

looking west across the civic center 1961 - (now where did i park my car?)

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...945-003~1?v=hr
Source: USC Digital Archive

looking south east from 3rd and beaudry - 1961

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...945-003~2?v=hr
Source: USC Digital Archive

looking south east from 4th and beaudry - 1961

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5103/...65964cfe_o.jpg
Source: USC Digital Archive

looking east from over city hall - 1961. the paris inn was located to the right side of the parking lot entrance to parker center from los angeles street, just to the right of center in the photograph

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...945-003~3?v=hr
Source: USC Digital Archive

air force fighter over downtown - 1954

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5221/...7fb69a59_o.jpg
Source: LAPL

L.A. Noire update

http://dualshockers.com/wp-content/u...1-889x1024.jpg


sooooooooo, while responding to an invitation to join someone's (i have no idea who they are), network over at linkedin, i see there is a tweet from none other than esotouric tours, directress kim cooper, directing me to a link over at the 1947 project web site.

turns out, our very own Beaudry, along with Kim and her husband and co esotouric conspirator, Richard Schave, actually got a chance offered to them by Rockstar, (the games creator), to play the game recently.

as most reviews that will be forthcoming on L.A. Noire, will focus strictly on game play, Beaudry's review is focused on what Los Angeles urban archeologists (such as our little anachronistic band of snoops here at the noirish los angeles thread), care about, (certainly not game play fore heavens sake), is it really los angeles 1947?

well, i highly recommend you skedaddle over to his review and see for yourself.

Hey gsj, thanks! I just headed over here to plug the link myself. Had a lot of fun writing that piece. I think it speaks to a particular market: first-timers. I know a gang of folk who don't play video games who're gonna invest in this one (and its system).

That is an intense review Beaudry!


below: Shirley Preston age 32, Santa Monica.

http://img576.imageshack.us/img576/5...deathsanta.jpg
USCDL



below: Shirley Preston found dead in car, 1952. Is it murder or suicide?

http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/2...yprestonag.jpg
USCDL

Amazing pictures, gsjansen. Interesting to see that during that period, the area around the Civic Center was all parking lots; the area east of the Harbor Freeway, too. I'm particularly fascinated by this picture:

You can see what is now the AT&T telephone exchange building without its microwave tower (as well as being a number of stories shorter), as well as the contour of Bunker Hill, and the blocks that would eventually be the sites of the Union Bank building and Bonaventure Hotel. I see that the Biltmore Theatre still existed in 1961, at least the building still did; don't know if it was being used as a theater at that point in time anymore.

Everyone's on the move!

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/2...locksdohen.jpg
USCDL

above: A building blocking Doheny south of Sunset Blvd. in 1952.



below: Moving a building with annotative arrows. No other details.

http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/1...jjournal2a.jpg
unknown



below: Moving an apartment building in three sections, circa 1949.

http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/7...ptin3secti.jpg
unknown

above: I wish I knew the details about this photograph. It is especially intriguing.

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/2285/dwb773isla.jpg
USC Archive

This is captioned as being Brunswig Square in 1939, but clearly this is the old Plaza, with the old Brunswig Building in the background, as well as the Federal Courthouse under construction.

Cahuenga Blvd. after widening, 1935.

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/670...ablvdafter.jpg
USCDL

I wonder what kind of compensation these home owners were offered.
From this vantage point it looks as if their homes were all but destroyed. :(

Sansinena Oil Tanker Explosion Los Angeles Harbor 1976

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...plosion970.jpg
Photographer: Jack Gaunt / Los Angeles Times
http://framework.latimes.com/2010/12...the-harbor/#/0

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lachman970.jpg
Photographer: Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times
http://framework.latimes.com/2010/12...the-harbor/#/0

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...osion7_970.jpg
Photographer: Bill Hodge / Los Angeles Times
http://framework.latimes.com/2010/12...the-harbor/#/0

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...osion4_970.jpg
Photographer: Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times
http://framework.latimes.com/2010/12...the-harbor/#/0

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...osion6_970.jpg
Photographer: Cal Montney / Los Angeles Times
http://framework.latimes.com/2010/12...the-harbor/#/0

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...osion3_970.jpg
Photographer: Marilynn K. Lee / Los Angeles Times
http://framework.latimes.com/2010/12...the-harbor/#/0

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...osion2_970.jpg
Photographer: Peter Brandt / Los Angeles Times
http://framework.latimes.com/2010/12...the-harbor/#/0

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...osion5_970.jpg
Photographer: Bruce Cox / Los Angeles Times
http://framework.latimes.com/2010/12...the-harbor/#/0

• Video Link


The Sansinena was a Liberian oil tanker that exploded in Los Angeles harbor on December 17, 1976.

The vessel was a steamship built in 1958. At its final port of call, the Sansinena had discharged its cargo of crude oil and was taking on ballast and fuel when a massive explosion split the ship in half and obliterated multiple port buildings. The blast shattered windows for miles around and triggered a fire that spread across the dock and around the tanker. The Los Angeles Fire Department soon arrived on the scene to contain the blaze and rescue survivors. A United States Coast Guard investigation later concluded that the incident was caused by flammable vapor buildup on the deck of the ship. The ignition source was never identified.

The official casualty count is:

• 6 dead, all members of the Italian crew
• 3 missing and presumed dead (two crew and one dock security guard)
• 46 injured, 9 requiring hospitalization

The explosion of the Sansinena and technical details of the incident were featured as the first segment of the Engineering Disasters of the 70's episode of History Channel's Modern Marvels television series.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Sansinena

Good Samaritan curb: Original?
 

Hello, I am new to posting to this forum, so please bear with me!
I started on page 68 (came from an outside link) and am only through to 120. My brain is starting to ache, but it's a LEARNING ache- which is good.

I am rewinding to an old post that grabbed my attention:


Yesterday I stopped by that curb on my way home and grabbed a few shots:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5182/...4d4662dc3a.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5108/...2f2858e6a3.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5030/...00a66130b7.jpg

I don't know if these help much, but it looks to me like that tiny segment of curb does *not* match the surrounding curb. Its height, sharp corner, and draft angle seem to imply that the rest of the curb may have been replaced but that part is likely older.

PS: I do spend my time between Koreatown and a loft on Spring. If I am available, I hereby volunteer to get clarification shots like this if necessary in the future. (Within reason, of course.)

It might have been the fumes from those cheap vinyl seat covers that did her in.

This post is close to my heart: Sunset between Fig and Grand is a great source of joy. (And heartbreak.) I wrote a bit about it years ago, here: http://1947project.blogspot.com/2005...n-manhole.html
(I know, I know, it's a stretch to call that area Bunker Hill, but it's reasonable hyperbole.)

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics08/00013932.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5109/...33ac02da_b.jpg

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics50/00059936.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5042/...df731723_b.jpg see also

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics24/00061512.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5264/...c299f783_b.jpg

That of course is the north side of the street. On the south:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5224/...54b84637_b.jpg

And these guys:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5104/...da363452_b.jpg

Crunch crunch:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5022/...df2a9159_b.jpg

Let the body hit the floor:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5230/...2be9b66b_b.jpg

On the "auto repairing" building, at its east side, there was this cool ghost sign. It read "LUMBER Plyw-d Roofing - Cement - Wallboard General Lumber & Supply Co. MA-8-4022 - 806 Sunset" Here it is, before, during, after.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5144/...a4fed532_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5069/...b35e1a60_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5050/...b2a29db6_b.jpg

I remember that! I had only been living in L. A. for a few months. I was living in Palms (on Bagley, 1 block north of Venice) and I felt the rumbling in my apartment (had to be at least 20 miles away). At first, thought it might be an earthquake (I had yet to actually experience a temblor at that point, so I didn't know what to expect), later I was watching the news on TV and that's when I knew what had happened.

well here are some images that are certainly new to me!

city hall as viewed from between the courthouse and the hall of records 1930

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5147/...68442c7f_o.jpg
Source: USC Digital Archive

a great gasometer shot taken from the richfield building 1945. (edison engstrum sunkist gasometer, with city hall tossed in as well.....what more could anyone ask for?)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5025/...f864619f_o.jpg
Source: USC Digital Archive

looking west on 5th street from hill street 1915

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5066/...437dfc6b_o.jpg
Source: USC Digital Archive

a great view looking south on hill street taken from the f. p. fay building se corner of hill and third 1928. (dig the blade on the subway terminal building)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5261/...f6d854e3_o.jpg
Source: USC Digital Archive

open air market at the plaza, view is looking north westerly from the fire house - undated (probably around 1900)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5144/...0c05b0f8_o.jpg
Source: USC Digital Archive

looking south on main street across temple past the old federal building/post office 1931

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5221/...df7d0329_o.jpg
Source: USC Digital Archive

a great 1928 aerial centered on city hall. if you look closely you can also see the old city hall still standing on broadway between 2nd and 3rd, as well as the bradbury mansion at court and hill

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5102/...b8246381_o.jpg
Source: USC Digital Archive

a great image from 1972 prior to the destruction of the hall of records, showing just how close the new courts building was when constructed next to it.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5182/...ef863604_o.jpg
Source: USC Digital Archive

and last but not least, (at least for now.....gotta get some work done.......)

a great 1954 image of angels flight

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5025/...f3d0644a_o.jpg
Source: Calisphere

oh ok....one more, (why do today, what i can put off til tomorrow.....sigh)

view of the old courthouse with city hall nearing completion behind 1928

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5270/...8ae20cfb_o.jpg
Source: USC Digital Archive

sigh....one more, (well there goes my morning shot to hell)

looking east on temple across hill street. you don't see too many photos of the still intact old courthouse missing it's clock steeple

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5106/...ca74510a_o.jpg
Source: USC Digital Archive

i wonder if there's a 12 step noirish los angeles anonymous program available?

in this undated (i'm guessin' late '39 or early '40 as union station looks just built), aerial looking north east from above city hall, you can see the paris inn on the right side, just below center of the photograph. the building clearly has a sign on the roof that says paris inn

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5230/...c5c79d63_o.jpg
Source: USC Digital Archive

Welcome to the thread 'LinLorienelen'!
I'm sure we'll take you up on the offer. It will be good to have a set of feet (and a camera) downtown.