noirish Los Angeles v2.0

[ethereal_reality]

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2nd mystery location for today.


Seller's description:..."MEN STANDING IN FRONT OF AL'S CAFE, FOX HILLS, CULVER CITY, CA, 1940's PHOTO"



Currently on..eBay

. . .but where in Culver City?


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[Martin Pal]

Just an observation that AL'S on the blade sign above might perhaps be the last letters in a longer word/name.

[Martin Pal]

Looking at all the freeway construction photos from the '50s and the massive amount of land this construction occupied, coupled with the rising smog problem at the time and not having capped oil wells properly which were causing environmental issues, it doesn't seem to have been a particularly good time to live there. Unless optimism was keeping people satisfied.

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

Just an observation that AL'S on the blade sign above might perhaps be the last letters in a longer word/name.
_______________________________________________________________

Or maybe not...

There's a matchbook on eBay, LINK, with this address:

Fox Hills Cafe
10271 W. Pico Blvd.
Located Just West of 20th Century Fox
Phone: CRestview 59377


Doesn't say AL'S though.

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But this ashtray does, link HERE.

AL'S
Fox Hills Cafe
COCKTAILS
FINE FOOD
(same address & phone # as matchbook)

Current GSV: LINK

[ethereal_reality]

This is so cool... ... Thanks for the link, M P.

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[Noir_Noir]

Blondie and the Swarthy Gang turn over the Fox Hills Cafe.



cdnc.ucr.edu - Independent (Los Angeles), 24 October 1941


Barney Oldfield, the famous racing driver, opened the Fox Hills Cafe sometime around 1940/41 but sold up after seven months.

At other times in the Forties it was Harrold's Fox Hills Cafe and also Al's Fox Hills Cafe. Al Feldman the Al in question.

In 1951 it was Earle Scribner's Fox Hills Cafe.

1957 saw a new owner, one Lou Bass.

In the 1970s 10271 Pico housed the LA Rams football team's offices.

In 2022 the Fox Corporation purchased the building.

[odinthor]

In re: "Passenger card of the SS Lusitania":

Here's one sort, from the Huntington Library collection (both "SS" and "RMS" were apparently used for the ship):


https://www.huntington.org/watch-read-listen/verso/lusitanias-anchor-past

[Lorendoc]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

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How about a mystery location, folks


Vintage East Los Angeles Photo Mexican-American Bar Lunch Counter 1940s



eBay - asking $164.76




This is by far the best clue.


detail

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The 1962 CD puts the Mednik Cafe at 329 N Mednik. The name and the photo evoke the transition of Boyle Heights from Jewish to Latino ethnicities.

[HossC]

Originally Posted by odinthor

In re: "Passenger card of the SS Lusitania":

Here's one sort, from the Huntington Library collection (both "SS" and "RMS" were apparently used for the ship):


https://www.huntington.org/watch-read-listen/verso/lusitanias-anchor-past

Both "SS" and "RMS" are correct depending on the ship's use. "SS" is the generic designation meaning it's a "Steam Ship" propelled by steam rather than sail. "RMS", standing for "Royal Mail Ship", is a more prestigious designation which can be applied where the British government has contracted the ship to be an official carrier of the Royal Mail. This was usually due to the ship's speed and reliability. With the widespread use of air mail, the "RMS" designation has almost died out, and there are now only three ships which still use the title.

[ethereal_reality]

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Photo Culver City Boxing Arena on Fire 05/29/1936

I wasn't aware that Culver City had a boxing arena!

Here it is burning down.


eBay


. . and info:



I'm hoping one of us YOU can locate a photograph of it or find some information on it.


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[ethereal_reality]

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A mystery location.


Mattoon Service Gulf, Culver City, California


eBay

First time on NLA.

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[ethereal_reality]

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Yet another mystery location.


"Vintage Burbank Los Angeles Photo Toluca-Valley Real Estate Office"



eBay

Fancy schmancy looking building.


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[HossC]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Photo Culver City Boxing Arena on Fire 05/29/1936

I wasn't aware that Culver City had a boxing arena!

Here it is burning down.


eBay

The information on the reverse says "Only a block from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. An article on page 3 of the Culver Historical Highlights newsletter mentions a couple living above Culver City Boxing Arena in 1932, and says it was where the Culver Center is today.

Here's a 1934 aerial showing the back lots at the bottom. I've arrowed the only substantial building on the current site of the Culver Center.


mil.library.ucsb.edu

Here's the full-size detail view with the building in the center. That's my best guess.

[ethereal_reality]

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If that's it, and I think it is, it was HUGE.

Good sleuthing, Hoss.

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[HossC]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

A mystery location.

Mattoon Service Gulf, Culver City, California


eBay

First time on NLA.

Another John Margolies Roadside America photograph. The alternate view below is dated 1977. The title is given as "Mattoon Service Station (pre-fabricated), angle view, National & Washington Boulevards, Culver City". The number 8801 is visible over the door. In the photo above, Benhar Products is visible on the right with the number 8825. I found sources placing this at both 8825 National Boulevard and 8825 W Washington Boulevard.


www.loc.gov - larger image available at link

[HossC]

No sign of the service station today, but the buildings across the street seem to have survived until around 2017.


GSV

[HossC]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Yet another mystery location.

"Vintage Burbank Los Angeles Photo Toluca-Valley Real Estate Office"


eBay

Fancy schmancy looking building.

I found this listing in the 1952 Burbank Classified Business Directory:


wesclark.com (PDF)

[odinthor]

In re: Culver City Boxing Arena

It had a beginning:


LA Times, 6/19/1924

It had an ending:


LA Times, 5/30/1936


LA Times, 5/30/1936

But wait! There's more! In a later discussion of football stars, we read:


LA Times, 9/23/1942

And on looking into the matter a bit deeper, we come to facts of interest to L.A. historians (below from indicated pages of Latinos in American Football, by Mario Longoria and Jorge Iber, 2020):


page 85


page 86

For those wishing to trace things further: Cy Saenz was actually Manuel Edward Saenz. Here is his Find a Grave site: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/238400988/manuel-e-saenz

[Lwize]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

This is so cool... ... Thanks for the link, M P.

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Strange that Fox Hills would be on W Pico (Rancho Park)

Fox Hills, itself is near Westchester / Culver City.

[HossC]

Originally Posted by Lwize

Strange that Fox Hills would be on W Pico (Rancho Park)

Fox Hills, itself is near Westchester / Culver City.

It's close to the intersection of Fox Hills Drive, so I'm guessing the cafe took its name from that.