Here is a photograph of the Edison Building that shows a rooftop sign.
(and some nice reflections of the buildings across 4th street!)

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...911/7LIXkO.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...661/WxpRTi.jpg
http://hdl.huntington.org/

MichaelRyerson wrote:
In this photograph you can actually read the Hotel Venice sign. -pretty cool :)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...911/brGZip.jpg
http://hdl.huntington.org/

for comparison with the vintage photograph above.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...905/uMK8xT.jpg
gsv


and a closer view of the old hotel.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...540/quNepR.jpg
gsv


old hotel neon sign. (as t2 noted, there is also an old neon 'baths' sign on the opposite end of the building)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800...537/cMVSPW.jpg





This ugly little building is on the spot where the turreted Hotel Newport (shown in MR's photograph above) used to stand.

So sad. :(
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...540/SBBAgH.jpg
gsv

_

Venice Hotel & the Palace Turkish Baths
 

:previous: I updated that post with some more info on the Venice. It's LA's oldest bathhouse.

I realize too that the 1906 Venice Hotel/Palace Turkish Baths has lost its cornice. It used to be taller than the Edison.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-c...32353%2BPM.jpg
flickr

That sign is a loss. It was nice:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-l...52759%2BPM.jpg
http://hdl.huntington.org/ (detail)

But the neon blades must have been nice at one time too:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R...52925%2BPM.jpg
gsv

Oh wait, sopas ej already posted on this:

4th and Los Angeles Streets
 

Here's the Hotel Newport on the SW corner of 4th and Los Angeles Streets c. 1954:
http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...e.jpg~original
CA State Library -- http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...TRG24BKPVD.jpg

Looking west down 4th toward Main Street, also c. 1954:
http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...o.jpg~original
CA State Library -- http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...N87IFUF26F.jpg

:previous: Amazing finds FlyingWedge! Thanks so much for posting them.

I hope you don't mind if I attempt to enlarge your first photograph.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...537/TH7q3U.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...911/v0fewg.jpg
http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...TRG24BKPVD.jpg

In it's truncated form, it reminds me somewhat of an armory.
__

"Taken through two panes of glass on moving train."

We've seen numerous tunnels on NLA over the years, so forgive me if we've discussed this particular tunnel before.

(I came across this earlier tonight on eBay)

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...538/aT7wva.jpg
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PASADENA-SAN...item567339f573

seller description:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640...661/7O4B6r.jpg
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Pasadena, Santa Barbara railroad tunnel, circa 1906

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8823/...4efdd7ca_o.jpgWT35-WouldYouBelieve-annie_0 by ryanrpalmer, on Flickr
Image credit: Annie Laskey/L.A. Conservancy
.
I'm not sure if this was posted yet. I did a quick scan of the last several pages, but did not see it.
The L.A. Conservancy is celebrating its 35th anniversary with a huge 6 hour walking tour of downtown L.A. They usually do a shorter walking tour on Saturdays, but this looks like it will be the motherload of them all.

From the website: "On Saturday, May 16, the Conservancy will hold a special docent-led tour based on that original map as part of the 35th Anniversary celebration of our Downtown Walking Tour Program. This six-hour tour will include highlights from the tour map and the Conservancy’s Downtown Walking Tours.

We'll visit interiors including (subject to availability) the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, PacMutual, Los Angeles Theatre, William Fox Building, LATC (Los Angeles Theater Center), Alexandria Hotel, The Last Bookstore, Bradbury Building, and Grand Central Market, along with the exteriors of such iconic buildings as the Oviatt Building, Eastern Columbia, Stock Exchange Building, and many others.

Enjoy a full day of touring and discovery, guided by our knowledgeable docents and shared with your small tour group of 15 people. The tour includes lunch and ends with a no-host beer and wine reception."

$65 for non members. Anyone here interested in going? Perhaps we could set up a carpool of some kind (or vanpool if enough us can go).

Website: Would You Believe L.A.

The walking tour sounds great - but that weekend I'm out of town! :hell:

Re the Windsor Square houses from 1914 picture
 

Our good friends live across Windsor from the house in question, and it did indeed sell last summer. We helped our friends rescue a feral cat who lived on the grounds, because the new owners had told the caretaker that they planned to have the cat captured and euthanized. It was quite an undertaking, and the cat rebuffed our gentle attempts to capture him, but he figured out what we were trying to do and came across the street on his own volition. He rescued himself!

He now resides happily with our friends. He's quite a cat.

google image search
 

OK. I'll try again. If one goes to images.google.com and clicks the camera icon you will be invited to paste an image url or upload an image to start the search. Not near as convenient. It's a great service though.

I tried it on your tunnel photo e_r, but it could only give "similar images"

Trying Flyingwedge's second photo of the Newport Hotel found two NLA posts, one of yours and one of HossC's:

http://skyscraperpage.com/forum/show...ostcount=23767

http://skyscraperpage.com/forum/show...ostcount=23774

I assume (?) anyone can use this service, even if one doesn't use google chrome.

I'd be lost without it. It's the only memory I've got.

Mmmmmm, working neon
 

I'm still over at 4th and Los Angeles.

LAPL has a Wm Reagh photo of the Newport Hotel (later the Belmar Hotel, as HossC has posted) and the (Palace) Turkish Baths. The Marathon Cafe takes up the retail space in the Venice/Graham Hotel building. I can't seem to make it any bigger without loss of clarity, but it's a great shot:

Belmar Hotel and Marathon Cafe, 1960, Wm Reagh:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-X...24909%2BAM.jpg
lapl

The gold lettering on the extant glass door says "Turkish Baths".

:previous:

I had a quick look for a larger version of that picture, but my search only found this matchbook for the Marathon Cafe. It claims that they offered "Genuine Grecian Dishes".

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...rathonCafe.jpg
eBay

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0...2520AM.bmp.jpghttps://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3...ility31817.jpg
Times Sept 26, 1916/March 18, 1917


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n...2520AM.bmp.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a...2520AM.bmp.jpg
Times Aug 26, 1917


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3...bility1118.jpghttps://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A...2520AM.bmp.jpg
Times Jan 1, 1918/Women's Wear Nov 22, 1916


Stability Building Company / A. C. Martin / Albert C. Martin / Edison Building / Grauman's Million Dollar Theater / Metropolitan Water District Building

http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics44/00041853.jpgLAPL/Bizarre Los Angeles

The "first" Trader Joe's... "Looking west along 5th Street from Central Avenue at 1:45 a.m. on April 7, 1955."

Nice story!

You should name the cat Colin. Colin Feral! :P

The Gates Hotel has appeared several times on NLA, sometimes in the background of shots, but I can't remember seeing a good color view (I'm sure someone will prove me wrong).

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...esHotelPC1.jpg
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...esHotelPC2.jpg
eBay

I had a feeling that HDL might also have some color photos, and just for a change they don't show any buildings being demolished. This one is dated April 1968.

"Hotels from right to left: Gates Hotel, 830 West 6th Street; Ritz Hotel, 822 West 6th Street; and Southland Hotel, 605 South Flower Street. Mobil Oil/General Petroleum Building with its Pegasus logo just beyond the hotels."

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...1.jpg~original
Huntington Digital Library

And here's another angle from 5/20/70. There's a similar view from a few years earlier in post #21863 (the same post that contains the top picture).

"Gates Hotel at the southeast corner of 6th and Figueroa Streets. Southland Hotel at bottom left. Hilton Hotel on Wilshire Boulevard in the background."

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...2.jpg~original
Huntington Digital Library

Is this the recently discussed helipad on the Hilton?

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...a.jpg~original
Detail of picture above.

The Gates Hotel can also be seen on the right of this image. Is this Dawson's Book Shop connected to the one at 627 S Grand Avenue which GW wrote about in post #8448? The image is dated April 1968.

"Dawson’s Book Shop at 550 South Figueroa Street is between two parking lots. Gates Hotel, 830 West 6th Street, is across the street to the right. Tishman building, 615 South Flower Street, in the background."

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...3.jpg~original
Huntington Digital Library

:previous:

Dawson's was at 550 S Figueroa from 1952 into the '80s... don't remember where it went after that; it was on Larchmont the last I heard, and I believe it's now closed. According to the web, it was at 713 S Broadway 1905-1908; then 518 S Hill until 1922; then 627 S Grand until '52.

:previous: I really like this noirish photograph GW.

I was surprised to see that everything on the left side of the street is gone.

I believe the tall building with the New Hotel sign on the right side of the street is this building. (see below)

[http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...661/IxtAJi.jpg
GSV


Just past this building on the same side of the street are these two buildings.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...905/LRKVw3.jpg
GSV


Here's a straight on view.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...537/49YV5x.jpg
GSV



The other building is the Hotel Edward.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...673/0x5oSw.jpg
GSV
__

Dawson's Bookshop
 

"Ernest Dawson founded Dawson's Book Shop in Los Angeles, California, in 1905 at 713 South Broadway; Dawson began the store with a purchase of 2,250 books from the Salvation Army at 1 cent apiece, and immediately resold one of them, a book on Indian basketry, for $ 2.50; issued first rare book catalog in 1907, and with its success, Dawson began to specialize in rare books; the shop moved to 518 South Hill St. in 1908; Dawson made his first business trip to London in 1911, beginning a long series of buying expeditions made by members of his staff; soon he was attending book auctions in Boston, Philadelphia, and New York and conducting worldwide searches for collectors; the business moved to 627 South Grand Ave. in 1922, and to 550 South Figueroa St. in 1952; while always dealing primarily in rare and second hand books, the business has published small editions of books related to western America and the history of books; after Dawson's death in 1947, his sons Glen and Muir continued the book shop." -OAC

dawsonbooks.com

Dawson's facebook page

LAT article on Dawson's clearance sale

Los Angeles Revisited on Dawson's closing

Michael Dawson now runs the business online and out of his Echo Park home (by appointment). TheEastsiderLA has some great photos (unfortunately uncaptioned) of the various locations and a nice interview with Michael at its Dawson's page. Michael is available re advice and queries by phone and email.

LAPL has some of the same photos (with captions). This is 627 S Grand Ave
in 1940 at the time of Dawson's 35th anniversary:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-D...20259%2BPM.jpg
lapl and previously posted here.

KCET.org has a good interview with Michael too


I spent many happy hours (and a lot of money) in the Figueroa and Larchmont shops.

Dawson's is still a great resource 110 years after its founding.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D...2520PM.bmp.jpgLAT Dec 25, 1921
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/2006/00005420.jpg
http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/4954/00005421.jpg
http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/4554/00005437.jpg
http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/5756/00005425.jpgAll LAPL
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j...2520PM.bmp.jpgLAT Jan 6, 1924

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m...2520PM.bmp.jpgUSCDL

Since we've been in the neighborhood recently.... According to the USCDL, the house was Nathan Jacoby's restaurant ca. 1890; apparently the librarians think "res" in city directories refers to 'restaurant'. According to the 1886-1887 CD, this was the residence of "N Jacoby" of Jacoby Brothers, who appear to have had a number of clothing and shoe stores. N Jacoby is listed at "318 S Fort"--which of course became Broadway. There were renumberings as well as street-name changes in the '90s, so I'll have to investigate to see if early Sanborns reveal what Jacoby's house may have become...perhaps 418...although much of the "old" in these blocks was swept away for commercialism and Jacoby's house may have been demolished soon after the photo was taken.


I'm sure we've noted that change before, but here's what the Times had to say in a story on July 5, 1989:

In 1890 Part of [Broadway] was first called Calle Fortin--Fort Street--because it passed through the hilltop Ft. Moore. Another section was known as Eternity Street, because it led to a cemetery; Downey Avenue, after Gov. John G. Downey, and Buena Vista Street, whose "good view," as legend has it, was the view from the hillside of the women's bathing pools (where the senoritas wore bathing dresses). City officials eventually decided to rename Fort Street because the area's many German citizens had trouble with the pronunciation--it would come out "Fourth Street," causing confusion with a thoroughfare by that name. By 1910, all sections were dedicated under the one name, Broadway.