Yes, accidents 'now and then' but...
 

fewer than you'd expect. On one level, these were the days of the 20 and 30 mile an hour speed limit and a couple of generations before cell phones. But still you had the inattentive driver and the drunk so people were occasionally bowled over with tragic consequences. In some places the 'island' was actually a raised concrete area on the lane divider but in many places, probably most places, it was simply a painted boundary within which pedestrians could stand regardless of the traffic light on the adjacent intersection. Most had a large raised button at the end facing traffic with a bright red reflector in it. Of course, a car could easily straddle this button so it was scant protection. We only had one car and besides my mother didn't drive, so we went many places by streetcar. I've stood in those painted islands many times and don't remember any 'close calls'.

True enough Michael.

While I'll admit a painted line is scant protection and improvements were made (raised platforms, some including guardrails, became more common in the 40s and 50s.....not just in LA but other cities with streetcars).....

It's possible to go overboard.

Before and after of the Santa Ana Metrolink/AMTRAK station.

Mommy MTA decided we are incapable of crossing the tracks for our trains by ourselves (despite the fact that ALL passenger trains stop in Santa Ana, and freights slow to a crawl while passing through the station.)

http://www.trainweb.org/chris/photos/DMU8.jpg

http://www.santa-ana.org/sartc/image...epot_9443a.png


At the very least you think they could have come up with a solution like this (Tustin Station, just 4 miles from Santa Ana)

A combination of steps and ramps that takes passengers below the tracks. 15 steps up and down instead of 48.

Cost: 1/3 that of building a bridge.

The MTA is insane.

http://subwaynut.com/california/metr...n/tustin26.jpg

As long as there have been moving vehicles and pedestrians . . .


http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics29/00049371.jpgLAPL
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http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics50/00044596.jpgLAPL

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Safety Island at 10th and Broadway, ca. '28

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...FF8736E91?v=hrUSC Digital Lib

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1st and Hill, ca '58
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...273-020~1?v=hrUSC Digital Lib

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Sidewalk, 49th Street and Central Ave, ca '52
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...561-012~2?v=hrUSC Digital Lib

:previous: I've never heard of A.G. Schloesser's Castle Sans Souci or Castle Glengarry.
Castle Sans Souci resembles an overgrown architectural folly....it's kind of fun in that respect. :)

(I'm back after five days away from my computer....let's get this thread rolling again!)

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Calle de los Negros, circa 1882
 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8282/7...e94c3473_b.jpg
Calle de los Negros, circa 1882
image from California State Library

I don't remember seeing this image before. On the left is the adobe of Antonio Coronel; behind the adobe and with belltower is the fire station; center with a gable roof is the adobe of Vincent Lugo (facing the plaza on Los Angeles Street); and right with columns is the Antonio Maria Lugo adobe, which he willed to his son, Dolores del Carmen Lugo. View is looking toward the plaza from the east.

Wow...don't get me started. I'm a hopeless Plazaphile and the Calle de los Negros looms large in the legends of our early days. It was the site of the Chinese Massacre among many other histories. The wooden buildings on the right in your photo which you name as "Antonio Maria Lugo adobe" (gambling dens and prostitute cribs) "mysteriously" burned down one night and this fine multi-windowed building was erected and survived right up until Christine Sterling and her cronies had their way with what was left of Old China Town...which unfortunately included the Lugo House.

Here's a view looking east from Aliso St at the entrance to "the alley". These photos originally came from UCSDL.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Photos/NA8.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...gstanding1.jpg http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets.../view/CHS-6686

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...tbuilding3.jpg

The Plaza, circa 1890
 

Well then, here are three more I don't remember seeing before, either...
Judging by the plantings, this is in roughly chronological order

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8425/7...88b037ea_b.jpg
Plaza_and_Pico_House, circa 1890

Notice the five story section of Brunswig is yet to appear, making this the earliest of these three. Also the first generation of electric streetlights is apparent.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7249/7...577b7eac_b.jpg
LA_Plaza_ca1890

Now we have the Brunswig Building and the trees and shrubs are filling out.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8144/7...bd295882_b.jpg
Plaza_1890(2)

And somewhat later still, this view is in a slightly more westerly direction exposing more of the houses and businesses north of the church and north of the Plaza.

images from calstatelibrary

:previous: Great chronological photos of The Plaza MichaelRyerson.

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'Shortest route to Union Station'.....I would love to see interior photos of this 'passageway'.

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Sergeant Judson welcomes Maggio to his brig
 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8165/7...c79913e0_b.jpg
ernest-borgnine
image from uproxx.com

Circa 1964:

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics18/00028807.jpg
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics25/00032067.jpglapl

http://p.twimg.com/AxUW6ynCIAIVs2r.jpggoogle

http://media.komonews.com/images/120...rgnine_x_1.jpggoogle

Jessie Florian?
 

Just kidding. Scanned and retouched by Paul Malon, who attributes it to "Roscoe's Tiki Time":

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8018/7...35c3b198f1.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmal...n/photostream/

Cheers,

Earl

Great photos of Griffith Observatory, Bif.

I noticed how boldly apparent the structure is from surrounding neighborhoods. It looms over the city. Good thing it was built when it was. It could never be built today. ("Sensitive" habitat, daily vehicle trips, slope/stormwater issues, visual impact, light pollution nuisance, etc.......)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8161/7...27b1b664_b.jpg
Los Angeles County Courthouse, 1900LAPL

Los Angeles County Courthouse in 1900, taken from across Broadway near Rivers Bros. Rivers Bros?

:previous: Excellent photograph. I've never heard of Rivers Bros. before.

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A photograph I found on ebay.

http://imageshack.us/a/img444/2091/aaaebay0708a.jpg



below: Detail showing the blueprint shop sign...'engineering supplies'.

http://imageshack.us/a/img207/5236/a...lueprintsi.jpg





below: Storefront window of the blueprint shop. Awning says McKinney's Surveying Instruments.

http://imageshack.us/a/img687/6994/a...lueprintst.jpg


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I just noticed the poster for 'The Cat and the Canary'...very cool.

http://imageshack.us/a/img685/6994/a...lueprintst.jpg

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The original photo from ebay (this is the complete view)

http://imageshack.us/a/img69/7754/aaaebay07082012.jpg



below: Detail of the lower left corner. I really like the bold sans-serif 'M'...is this for a metro stop?

http://imageshack.us/a/img826/6296/a...08ftrolley.jpg






below: Detail of the turreted building (I forget the name at the moment).


http://imageshack.us/a/img593/1896/a...708aturret.jpg



Is any familiar with a 'dancing' venue at this location?

http://imageshack.us/a/img72/9025/aa...ancingsign.jpg






below: The I.N. Van Nuys Building located at the southwest corner of 7th & Spring.

http://imageshack.us/a/img854/7364/a...annuysbldg.jpg

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http://imageshack.us/a/img29/3857/aaambush.jpg
ebay



below: reverse side.

http://imageshack.us/a/img210/9780/aaambush1reverse.jpg