Water and Power Associates Informing the Public about Critical Water and Energy Issues facing Los Angeles and California

Los Angeles Historical Photos

 

Early City Views (1800s) Historical Bldgs (1800s) Early Hollywood (1850 - 1920) Early San Fernando Mission Early Los Angeles Plaza Water in Early Los Angeles Early Amusement Parks Baseball in Early Los Angeles Aviation in Early Los Angeles Early San Pedro and Wilmington Mystery History: Q & A

Early City Views (1900 - 1925) Historical Bldgs (1900 - 1925) Early Views of Hollywood (1920 +) Early Views of the San Fernando Valley California Historical Landmarks in LA Electricity in Early Los Angeles Historical Timeline of Los Angeles Los Angeles River - The Unpredictable Early Views of Mt. Lowe Railway Early Views of Santa Catalina Island Early Views of the Miracle Mile

Early City Views (1925 +) Historical Bldgs (1925 +) Early Views of Hollywood Bowl Early Views of Pasadena Early Views of Santa Monica Early Views of Glendale Early Views of UCLA / Westwood Early Views of USC Early Views of Historic Main Street Early Los Angeles Streetlights 'Miracle Mile' (1920s & 1930s)

Newest Additions

How much has air quality improved in Los Angeles since the 1940s? See our newest section titled: Smog in Early Los Angeles

 

To supplement our Early Views of the San Fernando Valley Section, we've added two new sections titled: SFV Street Name Origins and SFV Communities Name Origins

 

See Early Views of North Main Street, once considered the uptown commercial heart of the old city.

 

Finally, check out six of our more recent additions:

Early Views of Beverly Hills	Ealy LA Drive-in Restaurants	Early Views of West Hollywood
Early Views of LA Gas Stations	Early LA Programmatic-Style Buildings	Early Views of Cahuenga Pass

 

New Search Index

A new SEARCH INDEX has been added to help navigate through the thousands of topics and images found in our collection. Try it out for a test run.

 

Click HERE for Search Index

 

 

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Virtual Museum Photos – Public Benefit & Fair Use Notice

The Water and Power Associates Virtual Museum presents a curated archive of early photographs of Los Angeles and surrounding areas, documenting the city’s infrastructure, transportation, and evolving urban landscape. This project exists solely for the purposes of education, preservation, and public scholarship.

Fair Use Statement:
In accordance with Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act (1976), we assert that the use of these materials qualifies as fair use for nonprofit educational purposes, including research, teaching, commentary, and historical preservation. No images are used for commercial purposes, and we do not sell prints or offer high-resolution downloads.

Attribution & Accuracy:
We strive to credit all sources when known. Where available, links to original sources are provided adjacent to image dates or at the bottom of each section. If you are a copyright holder and believe your image has been used without appropriate credit or permission, please contact us. We will gladly provide attribution or remove the image if necessary.

For Commercial Use:
If you wish to obtain a print or license an image for commercial purposes, we respectfully ask that you contact the original source listed beneath the photo, or refer to the hosting institution cited in the section references.

This digital museum is created in the spirit of public service and cultural stewardship. We welcome collaboration and correction as part of our shared commitment to historical accuracy.

 

 

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Please Support Our Cause

Water and Power Associates, Inc. is a non-profit, public service organization devoted to preserving and sharing the rich history of Los Angeles through photographs, documents, and research.

Your support helps us continue our work —
to educate the public, celebrate the city’s multicultural heritage, serve as a trusted historical resource, and safeguard vital records for future generations.

Every contribution, no matter the size, helps sustain this volunteer-driven project and keeps our digital museum freely accessible to all.