Originally Posted by odinthor (Post 8057072)

I'm afraid that I'm small potatoes compared to many of the posters here; but here's my background and how I arrived here (put as laconically as possible):

A lifelong love of Catalina prompted me to start collecting old postcards of same. In due course I thought that it would be fun to make a site showing early Catalina, via a fictional story. I then thought, "Well, I have to get the visitors to Catalina, don't I? I could have just a little bit about the part of their visit before they got to Catalina." And then the "little bit" in Los Angeles turned into the lion's share of the site. In researching the L.A. views, at length I found myself repeatedly googled over to Noirish L.A. . . . and spending hours reading post after post. On the encouragement of our colleague Alvaro Legido, I eventually joined . . . which however put me into a cyber holding pen for about a year, a sort of limbo in which I could neither post nor re-attempt to join. One day, I somehow was released from limbo, and . . . here I am.

Such familiarity as I have with metropolis L.A. derives from these turn-of-the-century postcards I've collected, and the research I did when putting them together and writing the story for the site.

I have a further familiarity with pre-Yankee L.A., and L.A. up to about 1875; but sadly or happily that doesn't much come into play here.

Perhaps most importantly, another keen lifelong interest of mine is horticulture, and so I'll often have something to say about trees or flowers or whatever.

I'll (nearly) end by saying that NLA posters compose the most good-natured and well-behaved group of people I've seen on any forum (and I'm on a good number of forums), our spirited, knowledgeable, and gallant preceptor e_r leading by example.

And so, welcome to NLA, and, um, Hurrah for us!

That is all. :runaway:

Originally Posted by Mstimc (Post 8058383)

I comment occasionally because I can't seem to get the hang of posting pics (maybe just as well given the treachery of Photobucket). I was born and raised on the other side of the Orange curtain but my mom was an L.A. girl who grew up in an apartment on Laguna Ave., straight across the street from Echo Park and St. Athanasius church (now the Episcopal Diocese of L.A.). I spent many pleasant Saturdays playing on the side of the hill behind my grandmother's apartment.

I've always loved DTLA and the old places like St. Joseph's Church on Los Angeles Street (burned in the 80's). When I was in college in the late 70's and early 80's, I had a job driving back and forth from the OC to the Red Cross HQ on Vermont and Pico. I drove past the spectacular Young Apartments next to the 10 freeway a million times, and a couple of years ago I decided to Google its history. Lo and behold, the search hit NLA and I've been a nightly addict ever since!

Originally Posted by Bristolian (Post 8061709)

I like many, I assume, have also thought about the proverbial time machine while looking at old photos. Of all the fascinating photos that have been seen here, for some reason this one posted by Beaudry in 2016 is the time and place I'd most want to visit.



I'd love to sit on the bench next to the old guy and maybe ask him where he buys his suspenders. Things like that...

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 8063079)

I just listened to the song.

• Video Link

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 8063063)

"A fun snapshot of children sitting inside and around the World’s Fair searchlight atop the powerhouse on Echo Mountain."

Originally Posted by Flyingwedge (Post 8063084)

:previous: Carrie Jacobs-Bond was at 2042 Pinehurst Road in the 1920 LACD.

Originally Posted by Flyingwedge (Post 8063084)

:previous: Carrie Jacobs-Bond was at 2042 Pinehurst Road in the 1920 LACD.

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 8063743)

mystery buses.

"Original c.1961 Slides, Street Scene & Bus in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California"

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/ha4mVw.jpg
ebay

'Golden Bear'?

#2
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/mw8q3v.jpg
ebay

I don't recall seeing these golden bear buses before.

_

Originally Posted by BillinGlendaleCA (Post 8063066)

Probably a good guess, IIRC the Forest Service blew up the remains of the powerhouse and the Ol' Alpine Tavern in 1959.

ETA: One site that seems to have been neglected in the discussion of the Mt. Lowe project is Inspiration Point which is southeast of the Ol' Alpine Tavern(currently the Mt. Lowe campground). It's the only thing up there that been restored(more like rebuilt). Here's the view:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2888/...e20b0db5_b.jpg_4290193.jpg by BillinGlendaleCA, on Flickr. You'll notice the sighting tubes, they also have those up on Mt. Lowe.

Originally Posted by Scott Charles (Post 8063101)

I love Echo Park!

When I was a kid, Echo Park wasn’t really the kind of place that you’d want your kid to play. However, I decided to have my lunch there one day last year, and lo and behold! Groups of friendly people were sitting around picnicking. It’s really nice to see the place being used by people again - it’s a beautiful park!

Originally Posted by odinthor (Post 8063760)

Don't know why, but as soon as I saw the pix, I said, "Oh, yeah--Golden Bear Tours."

Here's the only reference to Golden Bear Tours I could find in a quick check of the Los Angeles Times; but the time is right. I probably saw the busses myself when the family would visit Hollywood.

https://s26.postimg.org/5htd382hl/Golden_B.jpg
LA Times via ProQuest via CSULB Library.

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 8063743)

mystery buses.

"Original c.1961 Slides, Street Scene & Bus in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California"

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/ha4mVw.jpg
ebay

_______________________________________________________________

Originally Posted by Martin Pal (Post 8064186)

I believe the film playing at Grauman's Chinese Theatre is THE YOUNG DOCTORS. It starred Frederic March, Ben Gazzara, Dick Clark, Eddie Albert and George Segal, among others. It played for 7 weeks from Wednesday, August 30, 1961 - Tuesday, October 17, 1961. (It was followed by Breakfast at Tiffany's, 8 weeks, and then West Side Story, 57 weeks!)

http://graumanschinese.org/1961.html