Thanks for catching the error. I'll let Jon know. He'll appreciate it as he's scrupulous when it comes to getting the facts as accurate as possible.

Although in perusing a few sections of this site I did notice a mistake in Jon's text: Gloria Stuart appeared in a dozen or more films at Universal in the 1930's, notably appearing opposite Claude Rains in “The Invisible Man.” She’s best remembered today, however, for winning an Oscar at age 87 for her role in “Titanic.” [Link HERE.]

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Here's a glimpse inside one of remodeled villas at the Garden of Allah.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/tAuyOy.jpg
westhollywoodhistory

"A woman in an evening gown relaxes in a villa of the Garden of Allah during the hotel's farewell party, August 1959"


Does the mystery woman look familiar to anyone?


https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...922/6SZ027.jpg

Link
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While looking into the matter of Belvedere Gardens, I found myself mystified by references to it being developed from a "Rancho Laguna," and cudgeled my pre-Yankee-era-Los-Angeles brains to recall any such rancho of that name in that area.

As it turns out, "The land in the City of Commerce was originally a portion of Antonio Maria Lugo's Rancho San Antonio, a Spanish land grant. Parts of the Rancho were sold in the late 1850s, primarily to Abel Stearns, an early pioneer of Los Angeles who amassed vast land holdings. The properties Stearns acquired in the Commerce area were named Rancho Laguna" (from Los Angeles Revisited https://losangelesrevisited.blogspot...-commerce.html).

Cattle were still being herded on the land that became Belvedere Gardens so late as 1921:

https://i.postimg.cc/SxPCd2RJ/Belvedere.jpg
LA Times, 8/21/1921

The article is not strictly correct in stating that "Rancho Laguna was one of the old Spanish land grants"; it was part of Rancho San Antonio, the original nub of which was said to have been granted in 1810 (in the Spanish era) by Jose Argüello to Antonio Maria Lugo, with further additions granted in 1823 and 1838 in the Mexican era. Rancho Laguna didn't exist as an entity of that name until Stearns bought the acreage in the late 1850s. Mrs. De Baker, referred to in the article, had of course been Stearns' widow (and was the daughter of Juan Bandini).

One of my Garden of Allah holy grails is to identify that party-goer stretch out on the sofa. My other GOA holy grail was to find the scale model. I NEVER thought I'd ever find it, but lo and behold, it surfaced, so you never know luck in this big city of a thousand stories...

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Barbara Steele comes to mind.


That was interesting information on the Rancho Laguna-Belvedere Gardens connection, odinthor. Thanks for posting it. :) (to be honest I need to read it again to fully understand it)


I happened upon this photograph during our conversation on Belvedere Gardens.

"View of Ysidora Street at Belvedere Gardens in the Whittier Boulevard District, Whittier, ca.1924"

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/xq90/923/C3umfZ.jpg
calisphere

The problem is, I can't find a Ysidora Street anywhere near this area. I even checked numerous city directories from the 1890s.




Lastly, here's a blurry look at the heart-shaped sign.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...922/VFKg2L.jpg

I've been squinting my eyes but . . . .

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:previous:

Hmmm. It looks as if the photo description got it slightly wrong. It was Ysidora Avenue.

However:

https://i.postimg.cc/qvfSDLR3/Ysidora-Ave-CD-33.jpg
1933 CD

Speculative punt with the actress Patricia Medina.

She was seemingly one of the last residents of the Garden of Allah.


https://i.imgur.com/5RReB2U.jpg
Google Books - The Castle on Sunset By Shawn Levy


She was also at the final Garden shindig along with Jack Larson and Leslie Caron.


https://i.imgur.com/m05g8A9.jpg
gq-magazine.co.uk


The picture of her on the right is from 1959, the year of the last party.

https://i.imgur.com/6JSBIQX.jpg
imdb.com


She could lounge on a sofa with the best of them.


https://i.imgur.com/VMlJeSE.jpg
worthpoint.com

Thanks for the correction, odinthor. ...I'm still trying to locate it on a map.

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Something to add to the Belvedere Gardens miscellanea.


https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/xq90/924/55julP.jpg
lacountylibrary

Fourteen people pose for a photo in front of the Belvedere Garens Public Library, circa 1926.


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:previous:

Here's the location:

https://i.postimg.cc/zXZQz923/Belved...-1924-10-2.jpg
LA Times, 10/2/1924

:cheers:

Here, under its newer name Oakford, is the former Ysidora Ave.:

https://i.postimg.cc/2S4rjQxN/Belved...d-Renie001.jpg
From the 1955 Renié map book for Southern California.

The street/location of the just-mentioned library, Kern Avenue, is also present.

Before we leave Belvedere Gardens, please indulge me in my mentioning these two mighty palm trees in the 600 block of South Kern Avenue.

https://i.postimg.cc/L4ZBNDBp/Belved...Kern-Palms.jpg
gsv

They overtop all other plantings in the area. It appears to me from their size to be very likely that these trees predate the development of Belvedere Gardens, and so perhaps indicate where the Rancho Laguna ranch house or headquarters was (the structure they at present share the lot with, though, is not of that age). Those interested in the preservation of L.A.'s historical trees might want to check into the history of these two palms.

:tup:

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:previous: Thanks for the follow-ups on the library, odinthor. I really appreciate it.

And the two palms trees are beautiful.

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Here's a look inside Nazimova's mansion before it became the Garden of Allah. (or did she always call it the Garden of Allah?)

Picture Show...January 1st, 1921
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/xq90/924/y4XZ5N.jpg


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This slide of Hollywood Blvd. was briefly on eBay a week or so ago.


https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/cmRoHq.jpg
eBay

It appears the building across the street is being remodeled.


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A first for NLA.


We've seen many vintage accident photographs on the thread but not one where an accident is actually happening.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/KmZ8NF.jpg
eBay


https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/QJV5hx.jpg

For search purposes:...Action Photo...349 E. 64th St....LA....Th 3356

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Issues with navigating this forum
 

Hello,
I apologize for posting this in the wrong place but couldn't find the right place. I tried to send this directly to the moderator but the mailbox was full.
I have slowly but surely been navigating every page of your (wonderful!) Skyscraper page. It has so far taken a couple of months and I am up to page 1763. However, every time I try to go to the next page, my virus ware prevents me from getting any further and giving the following warning:

Deceptive site ahead
Attackers on movies.hollywoodrepublican.net may trick you into doing something dangerous like installing software or revealing your personal information (for example, passwords, phone numbers, or credit cards). Learn more

No idea what that means, because I have NEVER been to movies.hollywoodrepublican (Sounds dreadful!)

So, when I skip the next page or two, I get the same warning on every page. So I skipped to the last page, registered so I could contact you, and wonder what to do now? Is this a recurring problem for everyone?

I used to live in LA in the 1970s, and find your sight fascinating.

Thank you!

:previous:
Alla Nazimova from Yalta, Crimea called her mansion and later hotel conversion "The Garden of Alla" after herself as long as she owned it. The hotel villas were added to supplement her declining income in the mid 1920s, after a couple of money losing film ventures. The hotel became a big hit with Hollywood stars, writers, directors and other creative types soon after opening, since it guarded privacy and did not employ house detectives. Annoying autograph hounds and tourists not staying there were discouraged. Party Central for the residents and guests. The "h" was added to Alla after she sold it to Central Holding Corp. in 1930. Nazimova moved back in 1938 and rented Villa 24, where she mostly lived until her death.

In any event, the name "Garden of Alla/Allah" came from (and punned) a work of romantic fiction written in 1904 by Robert Hichens, later adapted for film (1916, 1927, 1936). I don't believe Nazimova had any relation to any of these film adaptations, but I wonder if she did a stage adaptation earlier? Martin T. would know.

Hi WannabeEl, and welcome to posting on the thread!

I'm not the moderator (in fact, I believe that we don't have a moderator; the closest we have would probably be the group's founder, e_r, who I believe doesn't have Moderating or Administrative powers); but I did a Google search and found the following seemingly pertaining to your question:

https://www.getastra.com/blog/911/re...ahead-warning/

It seems that it would be something that skyscraperpage.com's techs would look into, who I'm sure would thank you for the heads up. You'd contact them by writing them a note at:

https://skyscraperpage.com/site/contact/

Hope this helps!