[CaliNative]

L

Originally Posted by MartinTurnbull

On my website, there is a page on which I have a collection of views of the Richfield Tower during the all-too-brief time it stood at 555 South Flower Street in downtown Los Angeles from 1929 to 1969. You can see that collection here: http://bit.ly/RichfieldBuilding


I suppose it was for this reason that I was recently contacted by someone who said that he had the entry plaque into the Richfield Tower building and would I like to see a photo of it? WOULD I EVER?!?! So he sent me this photo and said: “This came to me from a friend of many years. It was given to the foreman of the demolition crew when the demo started in 1967. He had it set in the entry way of his home. After his passing, it was removed and given to my friend and now to me.”

The words “ERECTED 1929” is surrounded by eight discs. Richfield was an oil company (now part of ARCO) so I’m guessing these eight discs represent fields of endeavor in which oil has played a central role. They are: oil wells, airplanes, skyscrapers, small boats, trains, ships, factories, and automobiles. I'm not sure why sea craft are there twice, unless the "small boats” is something else. I am SO glad that someone thought to save something from the jewel in the crown of Los Angeles architecture aside from the two bronze doors.

^^^
As I have said before, I sure miss that building! A more creative plan in 1969 could have saved it by tweaking the zoning laws or used height transfers, and probably erected a neighboring taller tower(s) in a smaller plaza. In 1968/69 it was not appreciated enough to save. So we have 2 almost identical half empty dominos/Space Odyssey slabs (ARCO & BAm long departed) instead of the original art deco masterpiece and a 65-70 story newer tower nearby.