Olympic Sized Pools
 

I swim at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center in Pasadena.

We Have two Olympic sized pools.

The Competition pool is 50m long by 25 Yds wide.

https://i.postimg.cc/qRkC10hZ/Screen...1-09-01-AM.png
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.1512.../data=!3m1!1e3Google Maps

The caption for this photo from 'Compton' by Robert Lee Johnson claims to show Tom Mix's winter quarters in Compton. I've studied the picture for a while, and discounted several buildings, but still can't decide which one belonged to Tom Mix.

https://i809.photobucket.com/albums/...MixWinter1.jpg
https://i809.photobucket.com/albums/...MixWinter2.jpg
books.google.com

Even Tom Mix's own adverts don't give a street address. You just write to "Tom Mix Circus and Wild West, Winter Quarters, Compton, California."

https://i809.photobucket.com/albums/...MixWinter3.jpg
www.americanradiohistory.com (PDF file)

Another NLA'er previously mentioned this 707 Heliotrope address as the location for a late '80s-early '90s eatery: Club Mambo. Evidently, the structure served as a Phelps & Terkel men's clothing store ('28-early '30s) and a liquor store (in '35), around the time when Chester's film was produced.

I do not recall seeing any connection with nationally/internationally recognized competitive swimming at the Hotel and doubt the so-called "Olympic Sized" pool was literally designed for competitive swimming events, conforming to specific dimensions and standards. Nor was it intended to cause guests to believe olympic swimming events transpired there. Rather, the use of poetic license comes to mind and it is more likely that the characterization is but a colloquial expression used to describe an extremely large swimming pool - maybe even big enough to accommodate Tom Mix and Tony, The Wonder Horse..

Note that the Ambassador Hotel, which also boasted a large (Olympic-like) pool that may have been used for "competitive" events, but may not have tightly conformed to the Olympic Federation's standards.


https://bizarrela.com/wp-content/upl..._seal_1930.jpghttps://bizarrela.com/wp-content/upl..._seal_1930.jpg

https://bizarrela.com/wp-content/upl...s_backside.jpghttps://bizarrela.com/wp-content/upl...s_backside.jpghttps://bizarrela.com/wp-content/upl...ool_Club-a.jpghttps://bizarrela.com/wp-content/upl...ool_Club-a.jpg


Ambassador's Lido Club was known for "Feminine Conditioning."
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/cb/d5/33/c...2dbe515386.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/736x/cb/d5/33/c...2dbe515386.jpg






In a discussion regarding six LA Hotel pools, the Mondrian's pool is described as follows:





https://proxy.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=h...jpg&f=1&nofb=1

http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger...4/aarider6.jpg


http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l800...53644545_1.jpghttp://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l800...53644545_1.jpg


http://www.circusesandsideshows.com/...rcus8large.jpghttp://www.circusesandsideshows.com/...rcus8large.jpg


http://www.circusesandsideshows.com/...s10large_7.jpghttp://www.circusesandsideshows.com/...s10large_7.jpg

Here's an enlargement that might help.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/xq90/923/8jsdao.jpg

There's a building at lower left that might be a possibility.


This one.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/eYf3LD.jpg
DETAIL

. . .of course there are other possibilities as well.


Noir Noir, is the intersection of N. Wilmington and W. Palmer Street (formerly TEREBINTH) visible in Hoss' aerial?


.

Here's an old map of Compton (1926) that might come in handy.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/xq90/922/kReJ5E.jpg
Old file of mine.

I see Terebinth St. listed.

.

The person that took the Tom Mix Winter Quarter pic also took this snapshot of the Ambassador Hotel.


https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/BuZGXs.jpg
flickr

I don't recall the huge field of flowers out front.


A closer look.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/xq90/923/DH5Y6o.jpg
DETAIl

odinthor, any idea what kind of flowers they are?

.

Hmmmm, e_r . . . [studies pic] . . . It's pretty much too indistinct to tell; but from the size and look of the plants, I'm thinking either Geraniums, Dahlias, or perhaps Chrysanthemums; if it was the Yuletide, it could be small potted Poinsettias.

At one point, Geraniums were certainly at hand:

https://i.postimg.cc/5tTnH5Sk/Ger1-2-27.jpg
LA Times, 1/2/1927, via ProQuest via CSULB Library

In looking for clues about the above, I found this article, which seemed quite interesting to me; and I thought I'd share it. Much edited, and without its photo:

https://i.postimg.cc/9f5DrrqY/Geran2-28-71.jpg
LA Times of 2/28/1971, via ProQuest, via CSULB Library

Now shuttered Café Bijou was originally home of Lou Costello on Ventura Blvd- Sherman Oaks

No it's not e_r. It would be back behind the camera and off to the left.

It could still be a Samson Tire Co. building at N. Wilmington/Terebinth (Palmer) in the original picture

The circus could have changed quarters to another location in Compton between 1935 and 1937.

So unless I'm misreading something, either the caption of the Compton photo is wrong, or the map has North oriented incorrectly. I'm going with the map is correct, and that the dark line is not Compton Blvd, but rather Main St. This puts the main left-right road just below center as Wilmington, and Terebinth would then be two blocks to the left. Does this make sense?

https://i1165.photobucket.com/albums...psvkmo0kyc.jpg

October 26, 1935, Los Angeles Times @ ProQuest via LA Public Library



Three ten North Tamarind was a little house, so maybe some circus staff lived there. The old factory was across the street.


Here is the site of the old tire factory as it has been redeveloped. Please note Arbutus St. at upper right, between Alameda and Tamarind:

https://i1165.photobucket.com/albums...ps4cbkgqaw.jpg

Googlemap



May 1925 Compton Sanborn Map, showing the Samson Tire and Rubber plant and, in the lower right corner, the house at 310 N. Tamarind.
At upper right is Arbutus Street. Terebinth has not yet been renamed Palmer:

https://i1165.photobucket.com/albums...pszabcqbok.jpg

ProQuest via LA Public Library



September 1938 Compton Sanborn Map, with the old Samson plant now operated by U.S. Tire and Rubber:

https://i1165.photobucket.com/albums...pswxo8fahv.jpg

ProQuest via LAPL



An article on Tom Mix in the February 21, 1937, Los Angeles Times says, “At season’s end, the show retires to winter quarters at Anniston, Ala., and
Tom returns to Hollywood. . . . Next winter he may house the troupe here.” So the winter of 1935-36 may have been the last one in Compton.

Main was renamed Compton Blvd and Wilmington was renamed Willowbrook.

Second go at this thanks to Lojack who I think is right as regards the streets. I went with the present day
map with the changed street names and got confused.

I think this is the site where the Samson and US Tire factories, from Flyingwedge's Sanborn maps, stood
at N. Wilmington and Terebinth.

https://i.imgur.com/INDkLMX.jpg


I can't spot a building like the one in the Winter Quarters picture though. :shrug:

Two other places that were originally houses:

Marix Tex Mex Cafe, 1108 N Flores St., West Hollywood. (Open.)

The 8795 Sunset Blvd. address, entrance is actually on Horn Ave., was a Spanish style residence which became the Café Gala in the 40's and 50's, then it was the Armenian restaurant Har-Omar through 1965. By 1969 it became Kavkaz, a Russian-Armenian restaurant, and then in 1982 it became Spago's until they relocated in 2001. It's been vacant since then, though some film companies have shot there. For quite awhile someone was trying to open a day care center--?--at that location, but no one thought that was a good idea.

Speaking of Tom Mix, I was watching a retro program recently and Gary Owens announced:
"Contrary to popular belief, Tom Mix is not a cowboy actor. It's the name of a popular turkey stuffing."

The Formosa Cafe - Back to the Past
 

2019

A friend and I have been planning to get to the remodeled Formosa Cafe, but haven't made it yet, but it's gotten rave reviews. After the disastrous remodeling (stripping) in 2012 or 13, which took away everything that anyone liked about the old place, this 1933 Group stepped in and brought it back to the past!

The 1933 Group spent two-and-a-half years and a reported $2.4 million resurrecting the landmark property. The team brought in master craftsmen to meticulously restore what remained of the original Formosa–which operated from 1945 until 2016–while staying true to the look from the spot’s mid-century heyday. They located and kept many of the most memorable bits of decor, from the autographed black-and-white photos, to the silk lanterns, to that green neon script along Route 66.

The new menu by chef David Kuo harks back to the last owner, Vince Jung, grandson of Lem Quon. Quon’s Cantonese fare is updated with Chinese-American dishes like General Tso's cauliflower, orange chicken, and beef with broccoli. Handcrafted old fashioned Hollywood cocktails are part of the restored restaurant menu as well.

Above: It opened in 1939, so not sure of the 1945-2016 reference in that paragraph.

Info above from KTLA; link has news videos of the reopening:
https://ktla.com/2019/06/24/formosa-...est-hollywood/


Bobby Green, designer and co-owner of the 1933 Group gives a little tour of the remodeled Formosa Cafe.

• Video Link

He references the bar from the Yee Mee Loo location, see below.

Is this what's being described? He says they bought the Yee Mee Loo bar from the owner.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/c...pg?format=800wThe Formosa Cafe

We're getting closer and closer.

I can add this....


https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...922/YiYzK9.jpg
San Bernardino Sun Nov. 21, 1939

It's certain now. The building has NOT survived. :(



Has the Fry Roofing Co. been mentioned? --perhaps it will lead us to additional photographs of the place. (pre-fire, of course)

.

I did a Google search on "Fry Roofing Company" and came up with a 1944 California Supreme Court decision. It seemed to be about a land transaction, but it did have plot numbers(Boland Track). Searching for "Boland Track", I came up with a real estate listing for an adjoining plot. I think Fry Roofing was located on Mona Blvd(which was Wilmington) north of Rosecrans(then Orange). It's currently a Owens Corning Roofing location. So if this is the location, it'd be off the photo to the left.

ETA: Here's the history of the Fry Foundation and includes the company history as well. They had 7 plants(including Compton), and supplied roofing to Sears. By 1976, they had 24 plants and that were sold to Owens Corning in an all cash sale.