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

Historical Notes

In 1900, 8,065 horses called Los Angeles home, one for every 12.7 people. Inside the city, stables, saddlers, and blacksmiths occupied prime real estate along L.A. streets. Outside the city, farmers planted countless acres with the oat and alfalfa that fueled these animal engines.

And the horse-drawn vehicle was hardly a zero-emissions machine. In fact, though Southern California's millions and millions of internal combustion engines have added up to an environmental disaster, the urban horse made the automobile look like a clean technology by comparison. A single animal produced 15-30 pounds of manure and a quart of urine each day, much of which festered on the city streets, attracting flies, soiling shoes, and mingling with dirt to form noxious mud when wet and eye-stinging dust in dry weather. And when draft animals collapsed from over-exertion, their drivers often left their carcasses to rot in the roadway -- a sight that disturbed humans and spooked other horses, occasionally triggering mad stampedes through crowded streets.

City officials struggled to keep this public health menace in check, contracting with street sweepers and dead animal removers, but ultimately it took the replacement of equine by automobile power to clean up L.A.'s streets.

Historical Notes

In 1902, the Los Angeles Railway (LARy) streetcars operating in downtown Los Angeles were painted a distinctive yellow color. This color scheme became iconic for LARy and was maintained throughout much of its existence. The yellow streetcars were a familiar sight on the streets of Los Angeles during the early 20th century, contributing to the city's vibrant and bustling atmosphere.

Historical Notes

Los Angeles Railway (1895-1945) also known as the Yellow Cars of Los Angeles, was the local streetcar transit system running down the center of city streets and connecting the city center to neighborhoods in about a six mile radius of downtown.

Historical Notes

Los Angeles Railway (1895-1945) also known as the Yellow Cars of Los Angeles, was the local streetcar transit system running down the center of city streets and connecting the city center to neighborhoods in about a six mile radius of downtown.

Historical Notes

The 1899-built Douglas Building located on the NW corner of Spring and 3rd streets still stands today.  It was designed by the Reid Brothers, architects, and developed by Thomas Douglas Stimson. In 2009 the Classical Revival style building was declared LA Historic-Cultural Monument No. 966.

Historical Notes

The Douglas Building was commissioned by T.D. Stimson, a lumber baron turned real estate mogul who fostered commercial development in Los Angeles during the 1890s. The five-story building was designed by San Francisco architects James and Merritt Reid, who gained fame for designing the remarkable Hotel del Coronado near San Diego in 1888.

The Douglas Building was one of Los Angeles’ greatest office building and commanded the highest rentals. In its early years, it housed the chief ticket office of the Southern Pacific Railroad. During that time many travelers passed through its doors to purchase a ticket.

In 2005, this former office block was renovated into 50 residential units.*

Historical Notes

The 1893-built Stimson Building, a six story Richardsonian Romanesque office building with an observation tower, stood on the NE corner of Spring and 3rd streets until 1963…today a parking lot.

Click HERE to see more Early Views of the Stimson Building.

Historical Notes

The above photograph features the following buildings: From north-west corner of Broadway and First Street: Tajo Building (1894-1938), Tally-Ho (circa 1894-1939, adjoining Tajo to north), Watauga Hotel (four-story, two buildings north of Tally-Ho), Brotherton Building, Franklin Hotel (far lower right, top of T, Broadway at Franklin Street) and Los Angeles Police Central Division (west of, and partially behind Tajo, across First Street); South of First Street: Hough Block (unknown-1956, 2nd from SW corner), Yosemite Hotel (left of the Hough Block), Newell and Rader Block (the shorter building left of Yosemite Hotel), Newell and Gammon Building (a taller building with "Smith Premier" sign), Roanoke Building (built in 1886 as Millar Building, left of Newell), C.H. Frost Building (built in 1898, north-west corner of Broadway and Second Street), California Hotel (First and Hill Streets), Hotel Lincoln (with white cupola, Hill Street at First and Second Streets), Crocker Mansion (at Bunker Hill - just above and left of Lincoln cupola, south-east of Olive Street and Third Street); South of Second Street: California Bank Building (built in 1887, south-west corner), YMCA Building (built ca.1887, left of the California Bank), B.F. Coulter Building (built ca.1888, left of YMCA Building), Bicknell Building (built in 1892, left of the Coulter Building), . H. Newmark Building (left of Bicknell), Boston Dry Goods Store (built ca. 1896, J. W. Robinson's, left of Newmark), Fred J. Byrne Building (at north-west corner with Second Street). From the left side Broadway: Second Los Angeles Times Building; South of First Street: Culver Block (at south-east corner of Broadway and First Street), Hayes Block (just east of the Culver Block), Larronde Block (at north-west corner of Spring and First Streets), Schumacher Block (just north of the Larronde Block), Nadeau Hotel (First and Spring Streets), Wilson Block (south-east corner of Spring and First Street); South of Second Street: Hellman Building (north-east corner of Broadway and Second Street), Bryson-Bonebrake Building (north-west corner of Spring and Second Streets), Hollenbeck Hotel (1884-1931, south-west corner of Second and Spring Streets), Wilcox Building (1896 - shortened in 1971, south-east corner of Spring and Second Streets), Third City Hall (1888-1928); South of Third Street: Bradbury Building (built in 1893, south-east corner of Broadway and Third Street).^^

Historical Notes

The following historical timeline lists the buildings used by City Council, also known as City Hall, since 1850, when Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality:

◆ 1850 - 1853 - used rented hotel and other buildings for City meetings

◆ 1853 - rented adobe house (aka Rocha Adobe) on Spring Street - across from current City Hall (now parking lot for Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center). The buliding was shared with the County who used it as a Court House.

◆ 1861 - moved into John Temple's Clocktower Market Building, but only stayed for less than a year before the County Court House moved-in

◆ 1861 - 1884 - relocated back to the Rocha Adobe and stayed for over 20 years

◆ 1884 - 1888 - moved to new City Hall Building at South Spring Street and West 2nd Street (site of current Los Angeles Times Building)

◆ 1888 - 1928 - moved to new Romanesque Revival Building on 226-238 South Broadway between 2nd Street and 3rd Street; demolished in 1928 and now site of parking lot between LA Times Parking structure and 240 Broadway.

◆ 1928 - moved to current City Hall Building *^

Historical Notes

The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce's first meetings were held in the old board of trade building on First and Broadway, which has since been torn down. In 1890, the Chamber moved into the Mott Building at 131 S. Main Street, where it stayed for four years. In 1894, the organization moved to new quarters at the southeast corner of Broadway and 4th, in a building designed especially for its use, the then-new three-story Mason Building - which would serve as the L.A. Chamber of Commerce for twelve years. In 1903, it moved into the Southwest Building, located at 130 S. Broadway, and stayed there until January 31, 1925. In 1925 it moved to its brand new building at 1151 S. Broadway and 12th Street. It now makes its home at 350 S. Bixel and 6th streets.*

Historical Notes

Built in 1893, the Bradbury Building was commissioned by LA mining millionaire Lewis L. Bradbury and designed by local draftsman George Wyman.

Click HERE to see more Early Views of the Bradbury Building.

Historical Notes

This exclusive residential area, most of it built during the 1880's, was at its zenith in 1900.

Historical Notes

By 1900, Los Angeles' population swelled to 102, 500. This was double the City's population of only 10 years earlier (1890).

The Van Nuys Hotel was built by Isaac Newton Van Nuys, businessman, real estate developer, banker, and agricultural entrepreneur. He founded the community of Van Nuys in the San Fernando Valley in 1911. As a major figure in regional history and development, there are schools, streets, libraries, and a Liberty Ship with the name of Van Nuys.

Historical Notes

The Van Nuys Hotel was designed in 1895 by Octavius Morgan and J. A. Walls in a Beaux-Arts style for Isaac Newton Van Nuys. Consolidated Hotels, Inc., leased the hotel in 1929, renamed it to Barclay, and renovated it to include a high-speed elevator and a remodeled lobby.

Historical Notes

When built in 1901, the Angelus Hotel was advertised as the tallest building in Los Angeles.  The Hellman Building, built in 1903, would surpass it at eight stories.

Historical Notes

The Hellman Building still stands today. In 2002 it was dedicated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 729.

Historical Notes

The Westminster Hotel was a large Victorian brick building with a six-story tower. It was designed in 1887 by Robert B. Young and was considered the grandest hotel in the city. In about 1870, this area was the site of a Chinese market. By the mid-1930s the hotel was in decline. It, however, continued to operate until 1960 when the building was razed to make room for new development.

Click HERE to see more Early Views of 4th and Main Street (1890s)

Historical Notes

This intersection was at the heart of Los Angeles' expanding central business district. The period between 1888 and 1900 was pivotal in shaping Spring Street's future as a financial center, as key structures like the Bryson-Bonebrake Block and the California Bank Building were constructed, reflecting the growing economic importance of the area. By the early 1900s, the city center began spreading south, with banks and financial institutions concentrating along South Spring Street. This shift laid the groundwork for the area to eventually earn the nickname 'Wall Street of the West,' a title solidified in the decades following 1900.

Historical Notes

Two highly influential figures in 1880s Los Angeles, John Bryson, Sr., the 19th mayor, of LA and Major George H. Bonebrake, President of the Los Angeles National Bank and the State Loan and Trust Company, commissioned Joseph Cather Newsom to erect this 126-room bank and office building. It's cost was projected to be $224,000, a staggering sum at the time. Bonebrake was one of the richest men in the city at the time, and he could afford making such an investment. He located the main headquarters of his bank in the Bryson-Bonebrake Blocks.

Historical Notes

The Columbus Day parade on October 26, 1892, in Los Angeles was a significant event that took place at the intersection of Spring and 2nd Streets. This parade was part of the nationwide celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas.

Historical Notes

The architecture of early Los Angeles around Spring and 2nd Streets from 1895 to 1905 reflected the city's rapid growth and economic ambition. This period saw the dominance of impressive structures like the Bryson-Bonebrake Block, an eight-story Romanesque edifice completed in 1888 and expanded between 1902-1904, which housed numerous offices and banks. Across the street, the Hollenbeck Block, built in 1884, remained a significant presence with its hotel and retail spaces. The area was characterized by a mix of architectural styles, including Romanesque Revival, Second Empire, and early skyscraper designs, showcasing the city's evolving urban landscape. Buildings like the California Bank Building and the YMCA Building added to the commercial vibrancy of the neighborhood.

Historical Notes

The streets were lined with multi-story structures featuring ornate facades and ground-floor retail spaces, creating a dense urban fabric that bustled with pedestrians, horse-drawn carriages, and early automobiles. This intersection was rapidly becoming the heart of Los Angeles' financial district, earning the nickname "Wall Street of the West" as banks and financial institutions concentrated along South Spring Street. The grand scale and elaborate designs of these buildings symbolized Los Angeles' transition from a small town to a major urban center, setting the foundation for the city's future growth and development. The architecture of this period around Spring and 2nd Streets not only reflected the city's growing wealth but also its aspirations to become a significant metropolitan area on the West Coast.

Historical Notes

In 1900, horses remained the dominant mode of transportation in Los Angeles, with 8,065 horses, or about one for every 12.7 people. Horse-drawn vehicles were prevalent, while electric streetcars, operated by the Los Angeles Railway (LARy), provided popular public transport in the downtown area. The transition to automobiles began in the 1910s but was gradual; by 1920, there were 161,846 registered cars in Los Angeles County, which surged to 806,264 by 1930.

Historical Notes

The Hollenbeck Hotel was constructed in 1884 at Spring and Second streets.  The hotel was named for its owner, John Hollenbeck, a prominent investor, banker, and owner of large landholdings in the Boyle Heights area.  A leading hotel in its day, it was designed by Robert Young, an architect responsible for several early downtown hotels, including the Lankershim, the Lexington, and the Westminster.

Historical Notes

In downtown Los Angeles around 1900, pedestrians followed a formal dress code reflecting the era's social norms. Men typically wore suits with jackets, waistcoats, and trousers, complemented by white collared shirts and neckties or bow ties. Headwear was common, with styles like bowler hats, fedoras, and straw boaters. Women wore long dresses or skirts that reached the ankles, paired with high-necked blouses and corsets to achieve the fashionable silhouette. Their outfits were often topped with wide-brimmed hats adorned with feathers or flowers, along with gloves. The color palette leaned towards dark or muted tones.

Historical Notes

Click HERE to see more Early Views of Hill and 4th Street.

Historical Notes

In 1900, the Burbank Theatre was leased to Oliver Morosco and became known as Morosco's Burbank Theatre.  Morosco was later involved in the Majestic Theater on Broadway (which opened in 1908) and got a house named for himself when he opened the Morosco on Broadway (now the Globe) in 1913.

Historical Notes

President McKinley, after his second inauguration on March 4, 1901, went on a six-week tour of the United States. Traveling by train, McKinley arrived in Los Angeles on May 8. On May 10, McKinley’s train headed north with stops in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.

Historical Notes

This photo was published in the Jan. 3, 1950, Los Angeles Times Mid-Winter Edition as part of a photographic history of Los Angeles. The accompanied headline announced, “Century’s Early Years Brought Trolleys, Traffic and (Ah!) Fashion.”

Historical Notes

Elysian Park is the city's oldest public park and, at 575-acres, the second largest after Griffith Park. It is home to numerous historic sites, including the Los Angeles Police Academy and Barlow Hospital, that are linked by miles of walking trails.

In 1769, Gaspar de Portola and Father Juan Crespi camped on the river bank opposite Buena Vista Hill near the North Broadway Bridge entrance to Elysian Park. Yang-Na Indian villagers from the creeks of Solano Canyon and the current location of the Los Angeles Police Academy greeted the Spaniards with native refreshments.

In 1781, the Pueblo of Los Angeles was officially established by Spanish California Governor Felipe de Neve with the Royal Grant of 4 square Spanish leagues (translated into 28 square miles or about 17,000 acres) of Pueblo Lands. Of this public land grant, the approximately 575-acre Elysian Park is the last remaining large piece. All else has been auctioned off or given away. Los Angeles even had to buy back the site of the present City Hall. One of the first American official acts was the Ord Survey of 1849 to record the boundaries of these Pueblo Lands so they could be auctioned to produce city revenue.

Elysian Park was then known as Rock Quarry Hills for the building stone mined in the area. But instead of being sold, the Rock Quarry Hills area were "reserved" for public purpose and withdrawn from public auction.**^

Historical Notes

In 1886, the Mayor and City Council of Los Angeles dedicated the Rock Quarry Hills as a city park forever, and renamed it Elysian Park (Elysian is derived from the Greek word paradise). Subsequent city charters have protected dedicated park lands and their use for park purposes in perpetuity.**^

Historical Notes

After beautification, improved access was a top priority. The extension of Buena Vista Street to the park's Fremont Gate entrance brought the park within a short carriage ride of the central city, and in 1893 a former burro trail became a trans-park road. Further improvements in 1896 -- funded by a $20,000 subscription drive and performed by an army of unemployed workers -- laced the park with footpaths and added basic facilities like restrooms.**#

Historical Notes

The park became even more colorful in 1893, when the Los Angeles Horticultural Society created the City Arboretum in Chavez Ravine. A haphazard planting of rare trees from around the world, the arboretum transformed Elysian Park's western canyon into an exotic forest. Some of the arboretum's trees, still growing today, remain the only representatives of their species in Los Angeles..**#

Historical Notes

Around 1895, Elysian Park received its most recognizable tree planting with the creation of the Avenue of the Palms, an allee of date palms (Canary Island Date Palms) along present-day Stadium Way.**#

Historical Notes

A fatal fungus – Fusarium wilt  – that has killed off Canary Island palms from Spain to Santa Monica has also spread to the Elysian Park trees. Faced with the prospect of a forest of dead palm trees, the Citizens Committee to Save Elysian Park, a nonprofit park support group, came up with a proposal to plant disease-resistant palms. The new palms and irrigation system were paid for with a fund earmarked for Elysian Park improvements.

As of May, 2014, Elysian Park has been planted with a grove of more than 100 knee-high palm trees that will one day replace the majestic Canary Island Date Palms that are slowly dying from a fatal tree fungus.

The new trees – Chilean Wine Palms, Jubaea chilensis – were planted in between the century-old palms that have risen about 50 feet high along the  Avenue of the Palms. +*

Historical Notes

Echo Park Lake didn’t start out as a man-made lake. Instead, its earliest use by the city was as a reservoir, storing water in a section sometimes known as the city’s “West End.” In those years this area was thought of as the city’s west side.^

Historical Notes

Designed in the rustic style, one of the lake's two bridges (seen above) helped pedestrians reach an island, while a second bridge passed over the lake’s northwest corner, where a ditch delivered water from the Los Angeles River (and lotus now grow).

Historical Notes

The Los Angeles Canal and Reservoir Co. formed Reservoir No. 4 in 1868. The company obtained the water by digging a ditch that sent water flowing from the Los Angeles River – in the area now known as Los Feliz – along a zigzag path that merged with the Arroyo de los Reyes and then emptied into the reservoir.*

The Arroyo de los Reyes originates near the Catholic school on Glendale Boulevard – right by the 2 off-ramp.  It flowed southward, along Glendale Boulevard, occupied the area now taken by Echo Park Lake, and continued down to 2nd Street, then crossing through downtown LA, about a block or two south of Pershing Square, where it spread and created a big muddy mess.  These flows eventually connected with the Los Angeles River, when they didn’t seep into the ground first.^

Click HERE to see more Early LA Water Reservoirs.

Historical Notes

In the late 1880s, a carriage maker turned real estate developer, by the name of Thomas Kelley, teamed up with other investors to purchase about 70 acres that included Reservoir No. 4—what is now Echo Park Lake.  Kelley and his business partners sold off pieces of what they called the Montana Tract to individuals who built the business district along Sunset Boulevard and the densely packed homes and apartments that surround Echo Park Lake.

In 1891, city leaders struck a deal with the men who owned the land around the reservoir. Kelley and his associates – including William LeMoyne Wills, who like Kelley, would later serve on the school board – gave up 33 acres of land around the reservoir so that it could be used as a park. In exchange, the city agreed not to overflow the reservoir land, making the remaining land held by Kelley and his associates – including the street that would soon become Sunset Boulevard – far more valuable. Click HERE to see more on the Grand Opening of Sunset Boulevard.

By 1920, many of the hills surrounding the lake were still untouched. Farm houses lined the northern edge of the lake, while four-unit, Craftsman-style apartment flats ran up Echo Park Avenue and Alvarado Street. Kelley died in 1906, the same year he built a house for his sister at 1467 Echo Park Ave. Within a few years, Kelley’s heirs had sold off much of his land to Henry Christian Jensen, who built the Sunset Pharmacy at Sunset and Echo Park, the motion picture house known as the Globe Theater – now Guadalupana – at 1624 Sunset Boulevard, and the Jensen's Recreation Center at Sunset and Logan Street. *

Click HERE to see more Early Views of Echo Park (1890s).

Historical Notes

The Echo Park Playground opened in 1907 between Bellevue Avenue and Temple Street, and was only the second public playground to be built in the city of Los Angeles. Prior to this, this piece of land south of the lake was a muddy lot and a nuisance to the neighbors. The land was filled in and a 4-acre playground was built upon the fill.

Echo Park was a relatively new district still sparsely settled when construction of the playground began. Its location, adjacent to but separate from an existing park, was a pattern that would be followed elsewhere, most notably with the Griffith Park Playground.

Playground Number Two in Echo Park (seen above) remains today, although in a highly altered form with the Hollywood Freeway (101) bisecting its grounds.^

Historical Notes

Los Angeles was, in 1904, the first major city in the country to establish a separate Playground Commission. As with many of the Progressive innovations of the day, it came with support of upper- and middle-class women’s organizations. The most important advocate was Mrs. Arabella Rodman, with the backing of the Ebell Club and similar groups.

The original playground plans called for a gymnasium, a club house, and a residence for the director. The club house also contained a meeting space with a raised platform. (In 1925 the club house was moved to a new location nearby and later become L.A. Historic-Cultural Monument No. 950.) Soon there followed similar playgrounds, such as the 1907 Solano Playground in Solano Canyon, the 1910 Slauson Playground in Southeast Los Angeles, and the 1911 Hazard Playground, between Boyle and Lincoln Heights.

By 1924 the existing club house was considered inadequate. Echo Park residents, whose groups used its meeting space, petitioned the City Council for a new building. In June of that year the City approved the construction of a new club house and awarded the commission to the Allied Architects’ Association, a cooperative that did a good deal of the City’s work. The architects produced a design that the Playground Commission saw as the first of a series of similar structures.^

Historical Notes

The new club house was completed in 1926 and still stands, if somewhat altered. It was described as “an attractive building” in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, and was “the first of several structures to be erected in various parts of the City.” It is constructed of brick covered in stucco and topped by a clay tile roof. Because of the sloping site, it is single story facing Bellevue Avenue and two stories in the rear. The lower level, opening to the playground, contained separate lockers and shower rooms for men and women, while the upper floor had a large meeting room, complete with stage and surrounded by supporting spaces.^

The Echo Park Clubhouse was designated Historical Cultural Monument No. 950. 

Historical Notes

As with the club house, the municipal swimming pool, or plunge as it was popularly known at that time, was a playground facility that served all ages.

A skate park is planned to be built (2019) where the now empty public swimming pool is located next to the 101 Freeway onramp at Echo Park and Bellevue avenues.

Historical Notes

Initially, the majority of vegetable selling in Los Angeles was done around the circular Olvera Street Plaza, just South of Macy Street, where Caucasian, Japanese and Chinese farmers congregated with their goods. However, the increased presence of wagons and the long hours of the makeshift vegetable market became a nuisance to the city.

Click HERE to see more Early Views of the LA Plaza.

Historical Notes

The City’s demand for fresh produce was only increasing; subsequently, it leased a vacant lot at 9th Street and Los Angeles Street to provide a more regulated space for the vegetable market. This new market, known as the Hughes Market, opened its stalls in 1901, expanding at a rapid rate until it outgrew its bounds and leased another vacant lot from the city at 3rd Street and Central in 1903, establishing the Los Angeles Market Company.^^^^#

In the upper left of the photo can be seen two buildings. The building in front (the one under construction) was the Produce Exchange Building and the one in the back has a sign which reads Towne Produce Co. These two buildings are still there and look like this today.*^^

Historical Notes

Infighting amongst the shareholders and stall vendors led to the creation of two new markets in 1909; one was the City Market of Los Angeles on 9th Street and San Pedro, established by Mr. Louis Quan, while the other remained, in name, the Los Angeles Market Company, established on 6th Street and Alameda (the Southern Pacific railroad, wanting to run track through the 3rd and Central street location, exchanged this land for the lot on 6th street). Both markets grew at a tremendous rate, and while the City Market was able to expand three blocks south to 12th street, and 1 block west from San Pedro to Wall Street, the Los Angeles Market Company soon moved to a larger space on 7th and Central Streets.

Historical Notes

Where previously the market was crowded with horses and buggies, this new site was designed to be large enough to accommodate automobile traffic.

In 1926, horses were legally prohibited on streets, making wagons an obsolete method for transporting produce.

Historical Notes

A.F. Gilmore and his son, Earl Bell (E.B.) turned their Gilmore Oil Company into the largest distributor of petroleum products in the Western U.S.

E. B. Gilmore appears to have invented the self-serve gas station. He created a “gas-a-teria” not far from Farmers Market where customers saved 5 cents per gallon by filling their own tanks. Those who preferred to have their gas pumped by “professionals” at the gas-a-teria got unusual service for a period of time when young ladies on roller skates would glide to the pumps to gas the cars up.^**

Historical Notes

In 1896, the Pacific Land Company purchased a 225-acre tract and hired S.H. Taft to develop a new town named Barrett, after Gen. A.W. Barrett, local manager of the veterans home situated in the area. When the Pacific Land Company attempted to secure a post office for the new town, the postal authorities objected to the name "Barrett" on account of its similarity to Bassett, California. In 1899, the name of the town was formally changed to Sawtelle (for W.E. Sawtelle who superseded Taft as manager of the Pacific Land Company).

Sawtelle is where the U.S. Government established the National Soldier's Home (now Veterans Administration Hospital).  Click HERE to see more.

Sawtelle existed as a separate city until 1922 when Sawtelle voters decided to join Los Angeles.*^

Historical Notes

Sawtelle existed as a separate city until 1922 when Sawtelle voters decided to join Los Angeles.

Historical Notes

Leonis Adobe, built in 1844, is one of the oldest surviving private residences in Los Angeles County and one of the oldest surviving buildings in the San Fernando Valley. Located in what is now Calabasas, the adobe was occupied by the wealthy rancher, Miguel Leonis, from 1880 until his death in 1889. Following Leonis' death, the property was the subject of a legal dispute between his common law wife (Espiritu Leonis), heirs, and a daughter born out of wedlock; the dispute lasted more than 15 years in the courts.*^

Historical Notes

In 1961, the adobe had fallen victim to vandalism, and its owner applied for a permit to raze the structure and erect a supermarket in its place. Preservationists succeeded in having the adobe declared a Historic-Cultural Landmark (the first structure in Los Angeles receiving the designation in 1962 - Click HERE to see the LA Historic-Cultural Monuments List).

Leonis Adobe is also known as one of the most haunted sites in Los Angeles County, and it was profiled in the British paranormal television series "Most Haunted" in 2005. The adobe was restored and is operated as a living museum. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.*^

Historical Notes

In 1542, Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo discovered the "Bay of Smokes". The south-facing San Pedro Bay was originally a shallow mudflat, too soft to support a wharf. Visiting ships had two choices: stay far out at anchor and have their goods and passengers ferried to shore; or beach themselves.

Phineas Banning greatly improved shipping when he dredged the channel to Wilmington in 1871 to a depth of 10 feet. The port handled 50,000 tons of shipping that year. Banning owned a stagecoach line with routes connecting San Pedro to Salt Lake City, Utah and to Yuma, Arizona, and in 1868 he built a railroad to connect San Pedro Bay to Los Angeles, the first in the area.*^

Historical Notes

San Pedro was named for St. Peter of Alexandria, a Fourth Century bishop in Alexandria, Egypt. His feast day is November 24 on the local ecclesiastical calendar of Spain, the day on which Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo discovered the bay in 1542 which would be known as San Pedro. Santa Catalina Island, named after Catherine of Alexandria, was claimed for the Spanish Empire the next day, on her feast day, November 25. In 1602–1603, Sebastián Vizcaíno (1548–1624) officially surveyed and mapped the California coastline, including San Pedro Bay, for New Spain.

The land was granted in 1784 by King Carlos III to Juan Jose Dominguez, a retired Spanish soldier who came to California with the Gaspar de Portolà expedition.

Under United States control after 1848, when the United States defeated Mexico in the Mexican-American war, the harbor was greatly improved and expanded under the guidance of Phineas Banning and John Gately Downey, the seventh governor of California.*^

Historical Notes

Most of the boulders used to construct the breakwater in San Pedro Harbor came from the mountains of west San Fernando Valley. Between 1898 and 1904, Southern Pacific was grading, cutting, and tunneling through the Santa Susana Mountains near Chatsworth Park as they establshed their new Coast Line connection from Ventura to Burbank. This provided San Pedro with an ample supply of boulders for their new breakwater. Click HERE to see more in Early Views of the San Fernando Valley.

Historical Notes

Deadman's Island was one of two islands near San Pedro in the 19th century. The land, sometimes referenced as Dead Man's Island, Isla Del Muerto, and Reservation Point, was dredged away in 1928 as part of a harbor development effort. Rattlesnake Island, the other islet in the area, became Terminal Island.*^

Historical Notes

In 1906, the City of Los Angeles annexed the Harbor Gateway, a long narrow strip of land connecting the city to the coast, and in 1909, the city annexed San Pedro and the adjacent town of Wilmington. The odd shape is still seen in the map of the city.*^

Historical Notes

In 1912 the Southern Pacific Railroad completed its first major wharf at the port. During the 1920s, the port passed San Francisco as the west coast's busiest seaport. In the early 1930s a massive expansion of the port was taken with the construction of a massive breakwater three miles out that was over 2 miles in length. In addition to the construction of this outer breakwater an inner breakwater was built off of Terminal Island with docks for sea going ships and smaller docks built at Long Beach.*^

Historical Notes

This is in Little Tokyo. The building at center left was later replaced by a Buddhist temple, later the Japanese-American Museum. The building further to the left later had a very famous restaurant/cafe within. View is to the northwest.

Historical Notes

This was a common scene on many Los Angeles streets at the turn of the century, as paved roads were still relatively rare several miles from downtown.

The street was originally named Rosedale Avenue when it was established in 1884. This name was chosen because the street led to the newly opened Rosedale Cemetery.

However, in 1898, real estate developer Edwin S. Rowley successfully petitioned the Los Angeles City Council to rename the street to Normandie Avenue. Rowley's motivation for the name change was apparently that he didn't want to sell houses on a street named after a graveyard, as that could be unappealing to potential buyers.

The exact reason why Rowley chose the name "Normandie" is unclear. The French-inspired name could indicate a desire to add a touch of European sophistication to the rapidly growing city, or it might have been chosen to honor French settlers or notable figures. This renaming coincided with a period of substantial growth in Los Angeles, as the city's population was booming and new areas were being developed. Over time, Normandie Avenue grew to become one of Los Angeles County's longest north-south streets, stretching approximately 22.5 miles.

Historical Notes

Melrose Avenue was named by ranch owner E. A. McCarthy after his hometown of Melrose, Mass. The McCarthy Ranch occupied most of the area bounded by Western to Wilton and Melrose to Santa Monica Blvd.

Historical Notes

The above farm is where the Hollywood Frwy crosses Melrose Avenue today. Just to the west and out of view is the location of the McCarthy Ranch. In 1887 E. A. McCarthy named Melrose Avenue after his hometown of Melrose, Massachusetts.

Historical Notes

In 1896 Griffith J. Griffith donated over 3000 acres of Rancho Los Felis to the City of Los Angeles to create a public park in his name. Mount Hollywood, the highest peak of the park, rises to an elevation of 1640 feet. Griffith Park was declared Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument  No. 942 in 2009 (Click HERE to see complete listing).

Historical Notes

The Hollywood area was still very rural in the turn of the century with the first substantial residences built around farmland.

Historical Notes

Click HERE to see more in Early Views of Hollywood (1850 - 1920)

Historical Notes

Click HERE to see more in Baseball in Early L.A.

Historical Notes

Hans Jevne, in the grocery business in downtown Los Angeles from 1882-1920, didn’t want to miss a sale. At some point quite early in his operations (perhaps right from the start), he determined that if customers in the vicinity couldn’t come to him—or did come but didn’t want to tote the groceries—he’d have the merchandise delivered to them.

While free home delivery by a grocery store was certainly not originated by Jevne, he eventually provided that service on an exceptionally grand scale.

He employed deliverymen at least as early as 1893. On As of 1889, when “The Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California” was published, H. Jevne Co. had 13 horses (and employed 27 men). His store, at 38 and 40 North Spring Street, had by then expanded from a single room in the building to both floors, according to the book.

In 1890, Jevne moved to a three-story building at 136 and 138 N. Spring St. (in the “Wilcox Block”), and in 1896 relocated to 208/210 S. Spring Street (in the newly opened “Wilcox Building”). Jevne continued to offer home delivery, shifting from reliance on horse-pulled wagons to motorized vehicles.

Historical Notes

La Fiesta de Los Angeles which began on April 10, 1894, was a four day festival that the city threw in its own honor celebrating its many different cultures. It continued throughout the 1890s and early 1900s. The event featured parades, floats, many flowers, athletic competitions, a costume ball, and carnival attended by masked revelers. It was conceived of by a local business man as a way to attract tourism at a time when the effects of the 1893 depression were being felt.

The City Hall building as seen above was LA's third. It was built in 1888 and stood until the current city hall was completed in 1928.

Historical Notes

Founded by abolitionist, suffragist, mother and homemaker Caroline Severance in 1891, the Friday Morning Club (FMC) was the largest single women's club in California, with membership of over 1,800 women by the 1920s. Women's clubs were a mainstay of middle-class women's social and intellectual life across America from the end of the Civil War until the middle of the 20th century, when their numbers declined as opportunities increased for women's equal participation in mainstream business, educational, and social institutions.

Historical Notes

The 1903 La Fiesta de la Flores parade was notable because President Theodore Roosevelt was in attendance and watched as it passed this reviewing stand. On each side, flanking the Presidential stand, is the Grand Stand containing the Executive Committee, sub-committees, County and City Officials, and invited guests.  After the Floral Parade, the Presidential party entered the carriages in waiting and with military escort, drove to Sixth Street Park (later Pershing Square).

Historical Notes

The Los Angeles Wheelmen, a prominent cycling club formed around 1896 during the height of the bicycle craze, were regular participants in the annual La Fiesta de Los Angeles downtown parade in April. This period marked a surge in cycling's popularity as both a sport and a mode of transportation, with the Wheelmen actively organizing and participating in events like races and century runs, including the notable Fourth of July race from Los Angeles to Santa Monica. The completion of the 18-mile Santa Monica Cycle Path in 1900, part of the broader good roads movement, provided a reliable route to the sea and highlighted the Wheelmen's advocacy for better road conditions and safer riding environments. Their legacy endured through reunions of former racers, known as the "Wheelmen of the Past Century," which continued into the mid-20th century, celebrating the lasting impact of early cycling culture in the region.

The La Fiesta de Los Angeles parades ended in 1916. 

Historical Notes

Members of Pasadena's Valley Hunt Club first staged the Tournament of Roses parade in 1890. Since then the parade has been held in Pasadena every New Year's Day, except when January 1 falls on a Sunday.

Many of the members of the Valley Hunt Club were former residents of the American East and Midwest. They wished to showcase their new California home's mild winter weather. At a club meeting, Professor Charles F. Holder announced, "In New York, people are buried in the snow. Here our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear. Let's hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise." So the club organized horse-drawn carriages covered in flowers, followed by foot races, polo matches, and a game of tug-of-war on the town lot that attracted a crowd of 2,000 to the event. Upon seeing the scores of flowers on display, the professor decided to suggest the name "Tournament of Roses."

Over the next few founding years, marching bands and motorized floats were added.

Historical Notes

Before the Rose Bowl was built, 1923, games were played in Pasadena's Tournament Park, approximately three miles southeast of the current Rose Bowl stadium near the campus of Caltech. Tournament Park was determined to be unsuitable for the larger and larger crowds gathering to watch the game and a new, permanent home for the game was commissioned.

Historical Notes

The Broadway Tunnel was a tunnel under Fort Moore Hill, built in 1901, extending North Broadway (formerly Fort Street), at Sand Street (later California Street), one block north of Temple Street, northeast to the intersection of Bellevue Avenue (later Sunset Boulevard, now Cesar Chavez Avenue), to Buena Vista Street (now North Broadway).

Buildings seen include the Hotel Aberdeen and the Women's Christian Temperance Union building with a rounded corner and a balustrade on the cornice. Signs read: "Hotel Aberdeen" "W.C.T.U, Temperance Temple, Furnished Rooms" and "Sanitarium and Health Office." Multi-story Victorian houses have half-timbering, dormers, and turrets.

Historical Notes

This was Los Angeles High School's second home, built in 1891 on Fort Moore Hill.

Los Angeles High School was founded in 1873 and is the oldest public high school in the L.A. Unified School District. The original building was at Temple and Broadway (the current site of the Los Angeles County Court House). In 1891, L.A. High School moved to its second building at a new location (seen above) on nearby Fort Moore Hill, located on north Hill Street between California (now the 101 Freeway) and Sunset Blvd (now Cesar E. Chavez Ave).^

Early buildings commissioned to house the Los Angeles High School were among the architectural jewels of the city, and were strategically placed at the summit of a hill, the easier to be pointed to with pride. One of the school's long standing mottos is "Always a hill, always a tower, always a timepiece."

In 1917, the school moved to its current location at 4650 West Olympic Boulevard (which incidentally is not on a hill).*^

Historical Notes

Discovered in 1890, and made famous by Edward Doheny's successful well in 1892, the Los Angeles Oil Field was once the top producing oil field in California, accounting for more than half of the state's oil in 1895. In its peak year of 1901, approximately 200 separate oil companies were active on the field, which is now entirely built over by dense residential and commercial development.*^

Historical Notes

The Broadway Tunnel was a tunnel under Fort Moore Hill extending North Broadway (formerly Fort Street), at Sand Street (later California Street), one block north of Temple Street, northeast to the intersection of Bellevue Avenue (later Sunset Boulevard, now Cesar Chavez Avenue), to Buena Vista Street (now North Broadway).

The tunnel was completed and opened for traffic on Saturday, August 17, 1901. The cost in its construction was $66,000.

Third Street Tunnel under Bunker Hill was also completed in 1901.*^

Historical Notes

The Broadway Tunnel was 760 feet long, 40 feet wide and 22 feet high, with a grade of 6 in 100, falling toward the east.*^

Historical Notes

On June 2, 1949, the Broadway Tunnel was demolished for the construction of the 101 Freeway. The route cut through Fort Moore Hill and made it necessary for a Broadway overpass to be built across the freeway and the old tunnel site.*^

Historical Notes

A bridge now stands where there once used to be the Broadway Tunnel. Not only was the entire hill removed, but a freeway crossing was excavated beneath the level of Broadway at exactly the point where the tunnel used to be.^#^

Historical Notes

At the end of Temple Street can be spotted one of Los Angeles' earliest streetlights. They were carbon-arc lamps mounted on 150-foot tall poles. Click HERE to see more in Early Los Angeles Streetlights.

Historical Notes

Constructed in 1891, the Los Angeles County Courthouse stood where the city’s first high school, Los Angeles High School, had been located. The high school was there from 1873 until 1886 when it was moved to North Hill Street to allow for construction of the courthouse.

Historical Notes

On July 3, 1893, residents and taxpayers presented a petition to the Los Angeles City Council asking that a tunnel be created to connect those who lived in the Crown Hill neighborhood with the business district located on this side of Bunker Hill. Their plans called for a tunnel 1080 feet long, with a twenty-six foot roadway and eight foot sidewalks. Nothing happened for five years.

In 1898 the City Council ordered the City Attorney to draw up an ordinance putting tunnel bonds in front of the public via a special election. That election was held on July 6, 1898, and funds were approved for both the Third Street and Broadway tunnels.

On January 21, 1900, a serious disaster struck. Thirteen men were "entombed" in the tunnel dig after a massive cave-in on the western end. Several were killed in the collapse, but others were trapped inside with only the air in the tunnel. Frantic efforts were made to dig into their position. Ten men were rescued, while three perished.

In March of 1901 the tunnel was opened to the public. It was unpaved and unlit. Gutters weren’t installed until 1902.

Historical Notes

The Douglas Building, seen on the right (northwest corner) with the large awnings, was constructed in 1899 and still stands today. This Classic Revival style building was declared an LA Historic-Cultural Monument in 2009. Click HERE for contemporary view.

Historical Notes

The reason the Third Street Tunnel looks different and closer in the bottom photo is that, in the late 1960s, as part of the Bunker Hill redevelopment project, the tunnel was lengthened and extended to Hill Street.

Historical Notes

Sign above tunnel entrance reads:  "Notice, $50.00 fine for riding or driving through this tunnel faster than a walk".

Historical Notes

The sight of horses racing through the streets to respond to alarms was a common and memorable scene in early Los Angeles. Powered by steam generated from burning coal, the engines used this steam to move pistons that operated water pumps, allowing them to deliver substantial amounts of water to fires. The year 1911 marked a significant transition, as it was the last year all 25 horse-drawn steam fire engines remained in service in Los Angeles.

Historical Notes

In the 1901 image, the building on the right with the awnings is the Douglas Building, constructed in 1899 and still standing today. This Classic Revival style building was declared an LA Historic-Cultural Monument in 2009.

Historical Notes

In the late 1960s, as part of the Bunker Hill redevelopment project, Angels Flight was dismantled (1969) and stored until it was relocated a block further south, where it was eventually reopened in 1996.

Historical Notes

Built in 1901 with financing from Colonel J.W. Eddy, as the Los Angeles Incline Railway, Angels Flight began at the west corner of Hill Street at Third and ran for two blocks uphill (northwestward) to its Olive Street terminus.

An observation tower and a 'Camera Obscura' were also constructed on top of the hill adjacent to the Crocker Mansion .

A Camera Obscura (Latin: "dark chamber") is an optical device that consists of a box or room with a hole in one side. Light from an external scene passes through the hole and strikes a surface inside, where it is reproduced, rotated 180 degrees (thus upside-down), but with color and perspective preserved. The image can be projected onto paper, and can then be traced to produce a highly accurate representation.

Historical Notes

Brochure reads: "It is in the heart of the city--Hill and Third Street, Los Angeles, Cal. The ride is inspiring and perfectly safe. The view from the tower--'Angel's View'--is grand beyond compare, overlooking city, sea and mountains. The Camera Obscura, the most perfect in existence, puts a beautiful living picture of Third Street and vicinity on canvas before you.

Fares 4 cents, three for 10 cents, ten for 25 cents, 100 for $1.00.  Angel’s View with Camera Obscura and Field Glasses 5 cents, 3 for 10 cents.  Best Pavilion, “Angel’s Rest,” overlooking city, Kiddy Park and Fountain Free.  Easy chairs.  Search Light at night.  Come and bring your friends and enjoy yourselves.

A Camera Obscura was also installed in Santa Monica in 1898. Click HERE to see more.

Historical Notes

Angels Flight consisted of two vermillion "boarding stations" and two cars, named Sinai and Olivet, pulled up the steep incline by metal cables powered by engines at the upper Olive Street station. As one car ascended, the other descended, carried down by gravity.

For at least 25 years after Angels Flight opened, there was an observation tower adjacent to the incline railway from which one could take in a breathtaking overlook of downtown Los Angeles.

Historical Notes

The original Battle Creek Sanitarium was a health resort in Battle Creek, Michigan, founded by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It was known for its focus on health and wellness and its strict vegetarian diet.

Historical Notes

When the construction on the Third Street tunnel began in 1900, Mrs. Crocker filed a petition claiming that the mansion was endangered by the street tunnel which was “unsafe, improperly constructed and a veritable death trap.” According to the Los Angeles Times, “the walls of her house are settling, the foundations giving way and the plaster is falling off…Unless something is done, the building is liable to topple into a hole.” The house never did topple and was alive and well in 1902 when Angels Flight began operating and dropping riders off practically on the Crocker doorstep.

The Victorian building was razed in June 1908 and the cornerstone for the Elk’s Annex was laid the following September.

Historical Notes

When Angels Flight - "the shortest railroad in the world" - first opened in 1901, there was only a small shelter at the top; in 1910, a larger and permanent depot was built.

Historical Notes

An archway labeled "Angels Flight" greeted passengers on the Hill Street entrance, and this name became the official name of the railway in 1912 when the Funding Company of California purchased the railway from its founders.

Historical Notes

In the late 1960s, as part of the Bunker Hill redevelopment project, Angels Flight was dismantled (1969) and stored until it was relocated a block further south, where it was eventually reopened in 1996.

Historical Notes

Click HERE to see more early views of Angels Flight.

Click HERE to see more early views of the Third Street Tunnel.

Historical Notes

The wide avenue in the background pointing almost straight at us is Aliso Street, which today is the alignment of the 101 freeway east of the Civic Center. It turns slightly to the viewer’s left then and becomes The Slot as it passes through the site of the Baker Block - that long building at center-left with the three large cupolas, located on the 300 block of Main Street.

Down at the lower right can be seen a portion of Temple Square - the "Times Square" of old L.A. And at the extreme right edge you can just barely see a corner of the Temple Block - one of the most important buildings in the early political and commercial life of the city.^^#

(ca. 1900)^ - View looking northeast along Aliso Street from San Pedro Street. Street cars and a gas storage tank (aka 'Gasometers') are seen in the background. On the left is a Los Angeles Fire Station. On the right, second building, is a barber shop. A few horse and buggies are waiting at the curb. Today, the 101 Freeway runs in alignment with Aliso St.

Historical Notes

A Mr. Sturdevant put in a notice calling the first meeting; only three showed up. Then Carl K. Broneer put in another notice, and ten camera enthusiasts showed up at the office of the Los Angeles and Pasadena Electric Railway, 222 West 4th Street, where he was office boy. Then Mr. Valentine, assistant to Frank Wiggins, director of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, moved the meeting to the chamber director's office. From that time on the club grew by leaps and bounds and signed a lease for the top floor of the Wright & Callender Building on Hill Street.^

Historical Notes

By the turn of the century, America was prosperous and cars, now available in steam, electric, or gasoline versions, were becoming more popular. The years 1899 and 1900 were the high point of electric cars in America, as they outsold all other types of cars. One example was the 1902 Phaeton built by the Woods Motor Vehicle Company of Chicago, which had a range of 18 miles, a top speed of 14 mph and cost $2,000. Later in 1916, Woods invented a hybrid car that had both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.#*

Historical Notes

Electric vehicles had many advantages over their competitors in the early 1900s. They did not have the vibration, smell, and noise associated with gasoline cars. Changing gears on gasoline cars was the most difficult part of driving, while electric vehicles did not require gear changes. While steam-powered cars also had no gear shifting, they suffered from long start-up times of up to 45 minutes on cold mornings. The steam cars had less range before needing water than an electric's range on a single charge.#*

Historical Notes

The Los Angeles Examiner was founded in 1903 by William Randolph Hearst as a union-friendly answer to the Los Angeles Times. At its peak in 1960, the Examiner had a circulation of 381,037. It attracted the top newspapermen and women of the day. The Examiner flourished in the 1940s under the leadership of City Editor James H. Richardson, who led his reporters to emphasize crime and Hollywood scandal coverage.*^

Historical Notes

The Herald Examiner would move into a new, larger building in 1914, located at the southwest corner of Broadway and 11th Streets. Click HERE to see the Examiner's 2nd buidling located at 1111 South Broadway.

Historical Notes

In 1967, Herald Examiner employees began a strike that lasted almost a decade and resulted in at least $15 million in losses. The paper never recovered from the strike and went out of business November 2, 1989, leaving the Los Angeles Times as the sole city-wide daily newspaper.*^

Historical Notes

The Angelus Hotel was built in 1901 by G.S. Holmes (also the proprietor of The Knutsford Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah). Advertised then as the tallest building in Los Angeles, the hotel consisted of two, seven-story buildings joined by a central structure with a lobby, dining rooms, meeting rooms and other shared facilities, including a central court yard on top.^^*^

Historical Notes

According to The American Globe, Independent Illustrated Monthly of 1909, The Angelus was sold circa 1903 to the Loomis Brothers, who were experienced hoteliers.

The Angelus had a Turkish-themed room in its early days, along with a bowling alley, billiards, a buffet and hair dressing parlor. Under the Loomis Brothers, the hotel later offered onsite "progressive tailoring" services by Eisner & Company.^^*^

Historical Notes

In 1903, Los Angeles was seeing the beginnings of informal car rallies, with several automobiles occasionally following each other through downtown streets. Though formal rallies weren’t organized yet, small caravans of cars weaving through the city offered a glimpse of the coming automotive culture. These early gatherings symbolized a growing fascination with automobiles amidst the usual traffic of horse-drawn carriages and streetcars.

Historical Notes

While automobiles were visible on the streets of downtown Los Angeles in 1903, they were still a relatively rare sight compared to other forms of transportation. Their presence was growing, but they were far from dominating the urban landscape at this point.

Historical Notes

10th Street in downtown Los Angeles was renamed Olympic Boulevard in 1932 to honor the Summer Olympics that were held in the city that year. The 1932 Olympics were the tenth modern Olympic event, which is how the street got its new name.

Some parts of the old 10th Street still exist as smaller streets in Westlake, near Hancock Park, and in the Central City East area. Tenth Street School, located at Olympic and Grattan, still has its original name. 

Historical Notes

This was Edendale, later Echo Park, with Silver Lake over the hills in the center middle distance. The photo was taken from atop the Everett St. hill, circa 1903.

* Left lower middle, Sunset Blvd. with the Hollywood Line trolly electric poles appears, continues diagonally up to the right, bears left, and bears left again.

* Very lower left, the road by the large dark house was and is Innes Ave.

* Closest left middle, the intersection closest was Elysian Park Ave. (now Vin Scully Ave.) proceeding uphill to the right.

* Center and right bottom, the road became Lilac Pl.

* Left middle, the dark path across from Elysian Park Ave. was and is Allison Ave.

* Left middle, the road crossing Allison and Sunset was and is Douglas St.

* Upper left middle, the road crossing Sunset and proceeding to the right is Echo Park Ave., with the Echo Park Ave. Line trolly electric poles.

* Left middle, Reservoir No. 4 / Echo Park Lake was behind the hill with trees.

(Above Notes: Courtesy of Mike Forster)

Historical Notes

Sunset Boulevard had its grand opening on May 14, 1904.  A parade of a dozen or so automobiles — accompanied by horse-drawn carriages, tally-hos, and electric rail cars — puttered over the freshly macadamized roadway that now connected Los Angeles with the then-independent city of Hollywood. Crowds of well-wishers gathered along the route.*

Historical Notes

Property owners in the hilly area now known as Silver Lake and Echo Park soon realized that the road would catalyze development and boost the value of their holdings. In 1892, led by the Los Angeles and Pacific Railway and a Confederate Civil War veteran named George H. Smith, they petitioned the city to open Sunset Boulevard through their land. The city council mapped out a route the following year, tracing the path of the defunct Ostrich Farm Railway. Actual work, however, didn't begin in earnest until April 18, 1903, when contractor Charles Stansbury and his workers began carving the boulevard's meandering path into the area's soft sandstone hills.*

Historical Notes

When the new boulevard finally opened in the spring of 1904, its future as one of L.A.'s iconic automobile routes might have seemed unlikely. The road surface was uneven in places, and there had been no effort to plant shade trees — an oversight that celebrants hastily remedied by fastening palm fronds to telegraph poles. Furthermore, the boulevard didn't yet extend to the sea and wouldn't until 1934, when sinuous Beverly Boulevard was remade into the westernmost stretch of Sunset.*

Historical Notes

The area around Sunset Boulevard near Occidental Boulevard and Benton Way in Echo Park has a rich history dating back to the early 20th century. In 1907, this region was experiencing significant development as Los Angeles expanded westward.

Sunset Boulevard itself had only recently opened in 1904, marking a new era in Los Angeles' urban development.

The boulevard's grand opening on May 14, 1904, was celebrated with a parade of automobiles, horse-drawn carriages, and electric rail cars. At the time, Sunset Boulevard primarily functioned as an interurban railcar route, with the Los Angeles Pacific Railway tracks running down its median. However, it was also beginning to accommodate the growing number of automobiles in the city.

Historical Notes

Sunset Boulevard's history through Echo Park is a fascinating tale of urban development and cultural evolution. Conceived in the late 19th century as a road connecting Los Angeles to the sea, the boulevard's section through Echo Park was crucial in linking downtown to Hollywood. Property owners in the area petitioned for its construction in 1892, recognizing its potential to boost development. The grand opening on May 14, 1904, marked a pivotal moment in Los Angeles' history, celebrated with a parade showcasing various modes of transportation. Initially serving as an interurban railcar route with tracks running down its median, Sunset Boulevard quickly became one of the city's first corridors designed partly for automobiles.

Historical Notes

By 1900 Los Angeles had 70 police officers, one for every 1,500 people. In 1903, with the start of the Civil Service, this force was increased to 200, although training was not introduced until 1916.^

Historical Notes

In the early 1900s, the office of Chief of Police became increasingly politicized. From 1900 to 1923 there were sixteen different chiefs. The longest-lasting was Charles E. Sebastian, who served from 1911 to 1915 before going on to become mayor.

In 1910 the department promoted the first sworn female police officer with full powers in the United States, Alice Stebbins Wells. Georgia Ann Robinson became the first African-American female police officer in the country in 1916.^

Historical Notes

Los Angeles' first patrol wagon was also used as an ambulance. It was bought in 1904, was driven by electricity and boasted 20 miles per hour.^

Historical Notes

In the early 1900s, the office of Chief of Police became increasingly politicized. From 1900 to 1923 there were sixteen different chiefs. The longest-lasting was Charles E. Sebastian, who served from 1911 to 1915 before going on to become mayor.

In 1910 the department promoted the first sworn female police officer with full powers in the United States, Alice Stebbins Wells. Georgia Ann Robinson became the first African-American female police officer in the country in 1916.^

Historical Notes

Pasadena, twelve miles northeast of Los Angeles, early became the second largest city in the county and retained that distinction for many years; in more recent times, staid Pasadena has been surpassed by other cities, but during most of PE's time, Pasadena ranked second only to Los Angeles in passenger traffic importance.

Historical Notes

The Glendale-Burbank Line was for many years PE's finest example of suburban rail service. It presented multiple unit PCC cars, considerable private way and the subway entry into downtown Los Angeles. PE brought such crowds to Glendale that in 1906 the incorporation of the city was effected.*

Historical Notes

The Edendale Cut was an unpaved road (some of which is now known as Silver Lake Ct.) and was the former route of the Glendale and Burbank interurban railway lines operated by Pacific Electric. The line crossed Fletcher Drive over a viaduct before continuing along a hillside ledge to the Monte Sano stop at Glendale Blvd. and Riverside Drive.^

Historical Notes

The Pacific Electric Glendale and Burbank interurban railway lines, including the Fletcher Viaduct, was constructed in 1904 and abandoned in 1955.*

All viaducts are a type of bridge, but not all bridges are viaducts. The key difference between a viaduct and a bridge is that a viaduct is a long, elevated structure that carries a road or railway across a valley, gorge, or other low-lying area, while a bridge is typically used to cross a body of water. What makes the Fletcher overcrossing a viaduct and not a bridge is that it is an elevated, arched structure used to carry transportation infrastructure across a gap in the terrain, rather than over a river, lake, or other body of water.

Historical Notes

In 1904, a nearly 454 foot long bridge, the Fletcher Viaduct, was built over Fletcher Drive, which ran forty feet below. The viaduct stood until 1928 when it was replaced by a steel structure bridge.*

Historical Notes

In 1928, when Fletcher was paved, the original timber bridge was replaced with a steel structure mounted on concrete footings. The newer structure soared more than 60 feet above the street.*

Historical Notes

People still fondly remember the Currie’s chain and its “mile-high cone” whose replica was often displayed billboard-style on roofs. The chain was started in 1927 by three brothers named Kuhns. After WWII they sold it to the Good Humor Company who later sold it to Lipton in the 1960s. In 1964 the chain opened its 87th store, in North Hollywood. Although Currie’s anticipated launching units in every community in Southern California, only three outlets were listed in the 1967 Los Angeles phone book and the chain had disappeared by the 1980s.*

Historical Notes

The 1928-built steel trestle remained in place until 1959, when it and the nearby Riverside Drive Viaduct at Glendale Boulevard were demolished.

Historical Notes

The viaduct, originally constructed in wood in 1904, was rebuilt as a steel trestle in 1928. It stood until 1959 when it, along with the nearby Riverside Drive Viaduct at Glendale Boulevard, was demolished

Historical Notes

Today the Fletcher Viaduct's concrete footings and pylons are still there and have been designated as LA Historic-Cultural Monument No. 770 (Click HERE to see complete listing).

Historical Notes

Edendale was the valley along Glendale Boulevard that traverses from Echo Park to the beginning of the 2 Freeway. Today the area is considered Silverlake on the west side and Elysian Park to the east. The grass median that runs along Glendale Boulevard used to be the Red Line Train that ran from downtown and would eventually be extended to Glendale along the hills behind the Red Lion Tavern.

Edendale was widely known as the home of most major movie studios on the West Coast. Among its many claims, it was home to the Keystone Kops, and the site of many movie firsts, including Charlie Chaplin's first movie, the first feature-length comedy, and the first pie-in-the-face. The Edendale movie studios were mostly concentrated in a four-block stretch of Allesandro Street, between Berkeley Avenue and Duane Street. Allesandro Street was later renamed Glendale Boulevard (and a smaller nearby street took on the name Allesandro).

The name Edendale is no longer used as a place name, and is little known today. A few remnants of the name are the local post office (officially called Edendale Station), a public library branch, an urban farm called Edendale Farm and a restaurant called Edendale. Although many of the structures from the 1910s remain and can be identified by careful comparison with old photos, this district today is located in an unremarkable commercial zone called the "Glendale Boulevard Corridor," which is known mostly for its function as a commuter thoroughfare between the southern end of the Glendale Freeway and downtown Los Angeles.*^

Click HERE to see a 1916 map showing the location of Edendale.

Historical Notes

The Los Angeles district of Edendale was one of the biggest producers of motion pictures in the entire world.  It was here that the first screen pie fight broke out.  It was also here that Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle and Mabel Normand became household names.  Ant it was also in Edendale that an unknown English music-hall performer named Charles Chaplin first picked up a cane and derby, pasted on a stage mustache, slid into some baggy pants and an unusually large pair of mismatched boots, and waddled into the hearts of movie watchers worldwide.^

The Edendale movie studios were mostly concentrated in a four-block stretch of Allesandro Street, between Berkeley Avenue and Duane Street. Allesandro Street was later renamed Glendale Boulevard (and a smaller nearby street took on the name Allesandro).

The former Mack Sennett Studio where Keystone Kops films were shot still stands behind a Jack in the Box -- although it's been repurposed as a Public Storage facility. Click HERE for contemporary view.

Historical Notes

Attracted by Southern California's mild, dry climate and varied geography for location shooting, William Selig set up his studio in Edendale in 1909 with director Francis Boggs, who began the facility in a rented bungalow and quickly expanded, designing the studio's front entrance after Mission San Gabriel.*^

Historical Notes

Selig Plyscope Company produced hundreds of early, widely distributed commercial moving pictures, including the first films starring Tom Mix, Harold Lloyd, Colleen Moore, and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle.

In 1917 Selig sold the Edendale facility to producer William Fox and moved his movie studio to his zoo located in east Los Angeles. Meanwhile, World War I cut severely into the substantial revenues Selig Polyscope had been garnering in Europe and the company shunned profitable movie industry trends, which had shifted towards dramatic (and more costly) full length feature films. Selig Polyscope became insolvent and ceased operations in 1918.*^

Click HERE to see more on the Selig Zoo.

Historical Notes

Long before there was Twentieth Century-Fox, there was the William Fox Studios at 1845 Allesandro St. in what was then called Edendale.

Historical Notes

William Fox (born as Wilhelm Fuchs) was a Hungarian-American motion picture executive, who founded the Fox Film Corporation in 1915 and the Fox West Coast Theatres chain in the 1920s.

Although he lost control of his movie empire in 1930, his name lives on in the names of various media ventures, which are currently either owned by Rupert Murdoch, such as the Fox Broadcasting Company and the Fox News Channel, or by The Walt Disney Company, such as 20th Century Fox and 21st Century Fox.*^

Historical Notes

Keystone Studios was an early movie studio founded in Edendale (which is now a part of Echo Park) on July 4, 1912 as the Keystone Pictures Studio by Mack Sennett with backing from actor-writer Adam Kessel and Charles O. Baumann, owners of the New York Motion Picture Company.  The company filmed in and around Glendale and Silver Lake for several years, and its films were distributed by the Mutual Film Corporation between 1912 and 1915.*^

The original main building, the first totally enclosed film stage and studio in history, is still standing at Glendale Blvd. between Aaron and Effie Streets in Echo Park, although it's been repurposed as a Public Storage facility.

Historical Notes

The studio is perhaps best remembered for the era under Mack Sennett when he created the slapstick antics of the Keystone Cops, from 1912, and for the Sennett Bathing Beauties, beginning in 1915. Charles Chaplin got his start at Keystone when Sennett hired him fresh from his vaudeville career to make silent films.

Other important actors worked at Keystone toward the beginning of their film careers, including Marie Dressler, Harold Lloyd, Mabel Normand, Roscoe Arbuckle, Gloria Swanson, Louise Fazenda, Raymond Griffith, Ford Sterling, Ben Turpin, Harry Langdon, Al St. John and Chester Conklin.*^

Historical Notes

Mack Sennett's slapstick comedies were noted for their wild car chases and custard pie warfare, especially in the Keystone Cops series. Additionally, Sennett's first female comedian was Mabel Normand, who became a major star under his direction and with whom he embarked on a tumultuous romantic relationship. Sennett also developed the Kid Comedies, a forerunner of the Our Gang films, and in a short time, his name became synonymous with screen comedy which were called "flickers" at the time.

Sennett departed the studio in 1917 to produce his own independent films (eventually distributed through Paramount). Keystone's business decreased after his departure, and finally closed after bankruptcy in 1935.*^

Historical Notes

The above Edendale lot, now gone, was owned by Norbig Studios. It served as a rental lot housing many early companies, including:

◆ Norbig Studios (1914-1919)
◆ Bronx Studio (1919-1924)
◆ Reaguer Productions (1922-1924)
◆ Albuquerque (1913-1918)
◆ Consolidated Film Co. (1918)
◆ Rolin Film Co. (Hal Roach) (1916)
◆ Doubleday Productions (1920)
◆ Charles A. Taylor Studios (1920)
◆ Lone Star Film Productions (not to be confused with Lone Star Corp. and Lone Star Studios)
◆ H&O Film Co. (1922)
◆ Western Arts Studios (1923-1924)
◆ Westwood Productions (1925)
◆ Monarch Pictures (1928)

Studio is long since gone.*

Edendale would eventually run out of moviemaking space and within a decade studios were moving over the hill to the dry Methodist community of Hollywood. Edendale’s final claim to fame would be the community of artists and communists that lived there right before World War II. With the construction of the Glendale Freeway cutting up the neighborhood, Edendale became Silverlake, Los Feliz, and Elysian Fields.

Historical Notes

Silver Lake is a residential and commercial neighborhood in the east-central region of Los Angeles.  Originally home to a small community called Ivanhoe in honor of Sir Walter Scott. In 1907, the Los Angeles Water Department built the Silver Lake Reservoir, named for LA Water Commissioner Herman Silver, giving the neighborhood its name. The area is now known for its architecturally significant homes, independently owned businesses, diverse restaurants, painted staircases, and a creative environment. The neighborhood is also home to several highly rated public and private schools.

Click HERE to see more on the Silver Lake Reservoir.

Historical Notes

On the reverse of the card it states: "A 67 unit Auto Court with Trailer Sites. Resort Atmosphere in the heart of the City, well known for its Hospitality and Service. Rates Most Reasonable."

Historical Notes

Glassell Park is bordered on the north by Glendale, on the northeast and east by Eagle Rock, on the southeast by Mount Washington, on the south and southwest by Elysian Valley and on the west by Atwater Village.

Historical Notes

Cypress Park is situated near the confluence of the Los Angeles River and Arroyo Seco, less than 2.5 miles north of Downtown Los Angeles. It lies within a historic alluvial floodplain shared with the Elysian Valley neighborhood, which is bounded by Elysian Park and Mt. Washington.

Historical Notes

Figueroa Street in Highland Park was once part of Route 66 during its Transitional (1932-1934) and Alternate (1936-1940) alignments. It served as the main street of Highland Park until the Arroyo Seco Parkway opened on December 30, 1940, which bypassed the area. Before being named Figueroa, the road was known as Pasadena Avenue and had sections called Dayton Avenue.

Historical Notes

Over the past decade, Figueroa Street in Highland Park has undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving from a predominantly working-class Latino area to one of northeast Los Angeles' most vibrant commercial corridors. The street has seen an influx of upscale businesses, including trendy restaurants, coffee shops, and creative enterprises, alongside rising property values and rents. Despite this rapid change, efforts have been made to preserve the area's historic character, with many older buildings being rehabilitated rather than demolished. New mixed-use developments are also emerging, aiming to increase housing and commercial space. This evolution has attracted media and tech companies, establishing Figueroa Street as a mini-design district. However, the rapid gentrification has raised concerns about displacement and affordability among long-time residents. Overall, Figueroa Street now represents a dynamic blend of old and new, balancing its historic charm with modern urban development, making it an increasingly desirable location for businesses and residents alike in Los Angeles.

Historical Notes

Figueroa Street in Highland Park is currently grappling with a complex set of challenges stemming from rapid gentrification. The area is experiencing a significant displacement of long-time residents and local businesses due to rising property values and rents, leading to an affordable housing crisis and the erosion of the neighborhood's cultural identity. This has created tension between newer, often more affluent residents and established community members, resulting in protests and increased community activism. The street faces the difficult task of balancing new development with the preservation of its historic character and architectural heritage. Additionally, the influx of new businesses and residents has exacerbated traffic and parking issues, straining local infrastructure. Economic disparities are widening, and there's growing concern about maintaining the area's racial, ethnic, and economic diversity. The overarching challenge lies in finding ways to improve the neighborhood that benefit all residents, not just newcomers, while preserving the community ties and cultural richness that have long defined Highland Park.

Historical Notes

On March 18th, 1917, the Bureau of Power and Light opened its first major hydro-electric power plant, San Francisquito Power Plant No. 1. The plant used water from the recently completed Los Angeles Aqueduct to generate electricity. The LA Bureau of Power and Light would now be able to sell its excess San Francisquito generated power to Pasadena over two newly constructed 34 kV lines between the two cities. By 1917, World War I had forced the price of fuel oil to rise making the new lower cost hydroelectric power extremely desirable.

The Los Angeles Bureau of Power and Light became part of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) in 1937. 

Click HERE to see more on Los Angeles' 1st Municipal Power Pole.

Historical Notes

The Arroyo Seco Branch Library was completed in 1914. It was the second of six branches built between 1913 and 1916 with a $210,000 Carnegie grant obtained by Los Angeles in 1911. All but one of these branches included a basement assembly room and an outdoor reading area.

In 1932, Pasadena Avenue in Highland Park was renamed to Figueroa Street as part of a larger urban planning initiative in Los Angeles. This change coincided with the completion of the Figueroa Street Tunnels, which created a more direct route between downtown Los Angeles and Highland Park. The renaming was designed to establish Figueroa Street as a continuous thoroughfare from downtown through Highland Park and up to Eagle Rock. Prior to this change, the section of what is now Figueroa Street in Highland Park above Avenue 39 was known as "Pasadena Avenue." 

Historical Notes

In the 1940s, Highland Park's streetcar service along North Figueroa Street, particularly at the intersection with Piedmont Street, was primarily provided by Line 5, operated by the Los Angeles Railway (LARy). This line connected Eagle Rock to downtown Los Angeles and was known for its frequent service, contributing to the vibrant commercial atmosphere of the neighborhood. 

Historical Notes

The decline of streetcar service along North Figueroa Street and Piedmont Street in Highland Park was part of a larger trend affecting the Los Angeles Railway (LARy) system in the mid-20th century. Operating from 1895 to 1963, LARy faced financial challenges as early as the 1920s and 1930s, leading to service cuts and the introduction of more efficient streetcars. The rise of bus services and increasing private automobile ownership further pressured the system. Despite a brief period of improved service in the 1920s, the Great Depression and subsequent decades saw a gradual shift away from streetcars. By the 1940s and 1950s, many lines were being replaced by buses. The specific line serving Highland Park, Line 5, continued operating until May 22, 1955, when it was discontinued due to Arroyo Seco Parkway construction. This marked the end of the streetcar era in Highland Park.

Historical Notes

The original Arroyo Seco Library, built in 1914 in the Classical Revival style, was replaced by a new building in 1960, and then again in 2003. Click HERE to see more.

Historical Notes

In 1884, residents gathered to form a townsite and chose the name "Glendale" (it was bounded by First Street (now Lexington Drive) on the north, Fifth Street (now Harvard Street) on the south, Central Avenue on the west, and the Childs Tract on the east). Residents to the southwest formed "Tropico" in 1887. The Pacific Electric Railway brought streetcar service in 1904.

Glendale incorporated in 1906, and annexed Tropico 12 years later.

Historical Notes

The Pacific Electric Railway brought streetcar service to Glendale in 1904.

An important civic booster of the era was Leslie Coombs Brand, who built an estate in 1904 called El Miradero featuring an eye-catching mansion whose architecture combined characteristics of Spanish, Moorish, and Indian styles (today’s Brand Library and Art Center). Brand partnered with Henry E. Huntington to bring the Pacific Electric Railway, or the "Red Cars," to the area. Today, he is memorialized by one of the city's main thoroughfares, Brand Boulevard.

Historical Notes

When incorporated in 1906, Glendale consisted of only 1,486 acres.  By 1920, the City had grown through nine annexations to over 7,000 acres. From 1920 to 1930, ten annexations brought the total area to 12,294 acres.
The period 1930 to 1950 established many small annexations culminating in the 2,160 acre Whiting Woods and Verdugo Mountains annexations. This brought the area of the City to 15,140 acres or 23.6 square miles. Two major annexations, New York Avenue (in the La Crescenta area) and Upper Chevy Chase Canyon, and several smaller annexations enlarged the City to 29.2 square miles by 1952. Since 1952, twenty-seven annexations have occurred. The largest of these was the 662.8 acre Inter-Valley Ranch, now known as the George Dukemejian Wilderness Park. Currently the City consists of 30.5 square miles with a population of over 200,000.

Click HERE to see more Early Views of Glendale

Historical Notes

Tropico was put on the map as a fertile agricultural spot in the late 1800s. Shortly thereafter, the town began distancing itself from the rest of Glendale. In 1918, the neighborhood formally succeeded in becoming an independent entity for a short time.

Historical Notes

Rancho San Rafael was granted to José María Verdugo on October 20, 1784. Don José died April 12, 1831, leaving his estate to his son Julio and his blind daughter Catalina. This adobe was built for Dona Catalina in the 1830s; she lived here until her death in 1861. Still in excellent condition, the Catalina, or Original Mud Block, Adobe is now in private ownership. Location: 2211 Bonita Dr, Glendale

The Catalina Verdugo Adobe is registered as California Historical Landmark No. 637 and the California Parlor No. 247. Click HERE to see more California HIstorical Landmarks in LA.

Historical Notes

Tropico was the name of the southern portion of Glendale, south of Windsor Road, between the late 1800s and 1918. The name "Glendale"  had originated in the 1880s and was utilized north of Windsor Road. Political factions had divided the town in two.   By the turn of the century, the commercial center of Tropico was at Central and San Fernando Road and its population was 700. ^##^

Historical Notes

Tropico was just a sleepy little village in the early 1900s. The business district included a few wooden buildings containing a general store, a blacksmith shop, meat store, livery stable, real estate offices and a few other small concerns. The buildings were all clustered near the intersection of San Fernando Road and Central Avenue. But within a few short years, the wood-frame buildings were replaced with brick, business boomed and the community became vibrant. The Tropico Art Tile Works stood just west of the railroad tracks, employing many people, and Tropico also became the shipping center for the strawberries raised in the area.

Because of its proximity to Los Angeles, the area became a popular residential spot. The Tropico Chamber of Commerce organized in 1910, along with the Bank of Tropico, and soon the community realized it needed a city government.

With so many of its residents commuting into Los Angeles, many favored annexing to Los Angeles. Others, seeing Glendale's successful example of home rule, wanted to be part of Glendale, which had incorporated in 1906. #+#+

Historical Notes

With so many of its residents commuting into Los Angeles, many favored annexing to Los Angeles. Others, seeing Glendale's successful example of home rule, wanted to be part of Glendale, which had incorporated in 1906.  They felt that since the two communities were adjacent and in the same valley, they should be affiliated. Those favoring annexation with Glendale (mainly in the northeast part of Tropico) approached Glendale officials in 1911 and asked that an election be called.

The publishers of the Tropico Sentinel vehemently opposed annexation, and the issue failed. Instead, Tropico incorporated as its own city, with Elkanah W. Richardson, son of Tropico's founder, W.C.B. Richardson, serving as a member of the board of trustees.

The new city government immediately embarked on a badly needed improvement of the roads, but the annexation issue didn't go away.  Petition after petition was filed, each one eventually failing, until finally, in 1918, the annexation proposal passed.  The upper half of Tropico voted to go with Glendale, and the lower half voted to merge with Los Angeles. Today, that portion makes up the area known as Atwater. #+#+

Historical Notes

The Tropico Post Office building was owned by WCB Richardson and was located near the corner of Central Avenue and San Fernando Road.

Historical Notes

Born in Missouri in 1859, Leslie Coombs Brand became the sole provider for his family at age 11. In 1886, Brand came to California to take advantage of its first boom period. #*#^

Brand was a major figure in the settlement and economic growth of the Glendale area. He had purchased land on the lower slopes of Mount Verdugo overlooking the city, and in 1904 built an imposing residence that became known as Brand Castle, also El Miradero (which today houses the Brand Library).*^

Historical Notes

Designed by Leslie C. Brand's brother-in-law Nathaniel Dryden, the mansion was completed in 1904 and is similar in style to that of the East Indian Pavilion built for the 1893 Columbian World Exposition held in Chicago. The architecture is considered Saracenic, with crenellated arches, bulbous domes and minars combining characteristics of Spanish, Moorish, and Indian styles.^

Historical Notes

Leslie C. Brand helped develop the city of Glendale.  Together with Henry E. Huntington, he brought Pacific Electric to the town to develop it. The 'Brand Library' section of the Glendale Public Library is named in his honor. Brand Boulevard in Glendale is also named in his honor.*^

Historical Notes

Just across the mostly dry Los Angeles River, Brand could see the Griffith Park Aerodrome's grass field, built in 1912. Just three years later he decided to build his own grass airstrip below his mansion.*^

Historical Notes

Brand established a grassy, well-manicured airfield in front of the mansion. The airfield consisted of a 1,200' rolled dirt runway, with a white hangar at one end and a putting green on the other. The hangar matched the architectural style of the mansion - with turrets atop each of the 4 corners.*#*#

Historical Notes

Only 3 aircraft are known to have been actually based at Brand Field.  However, Brand apparently bought many war surplus Jennies, some to tinker with and fly as a sport, although most languished in storage buildings.*#*#

Historical Notes

Brand built his first hangar in 1916 and put together a fleet of planes, and held fly-in parties. The only requirement was that guests had to arrive in their own planes and bring passengers.*^

Historical Notes

Brand Field was no longer depicted on a 1931 street map, but “Brand Park” was depicted, so the airfield may have ceased operation by that point.*#*#

Historical Notes

It was stated in Brand's will that El Miradero would be bequeathed to the city upon his wife's death, on the condition that the property be used exclusively for a public park and library. Mrs. Mary Louise Brand retained rights of the residence from 1925, when Mr. Brand died, until her death in 1945.^

Historical Notes

In 1956 the mansion became the Brand Library, the art and music branch of the Glendale Public Library. The address is 1601 West Mountain Street, Glendale.^

Historical Notes

The Melrose Hotel was located at 138 S. Grand Ave. on Bunker Hill.  It started as a Victorian mansion in 1881 and eventually became a hotel apartment. Click HERE to see more on the Melrose Hotel.

If still standing today, the view from the front porch of the Melrose Hotel (looking west) would be that of Disney Hall, located directly across the street, on the other side of Grand Ave.

Historical Notes

In March 1881, after heavy lobbying by Los Angeles residents, the California State Legislature authorized the creation of a southern branch of the California State Normal School (which later became San Jose State University) in downtown Los Angeles to train teachers for the growing population of Southern California. The State Normal School at Los Angeles opened on August 29, 1882, on what is now the site of the Central Library of the Los Angeles Public Library system.*^

Historical Notes

Through the years, the State Normal School was expanded and several new wings were added. In 1887, the school officially became known as the Los Angeles State Normal School.*^

Historical Notes

The California State Normal School included an elementary school where teachers-in-training could practice their teaching technique on children. That elementary school is related to the present day version, UCLA Lab School.*^

Historical Notes

By 1914 the little pueblo of Los Angeles had grown to a city of 350,000 and the school, whose enrollment far exceeded its capacity, moved to new quarters -- a Hollywood ranch off a dirt road which would later become Vermont Avenue. With a view toward expansion, Director Ernest Carroll Moore proposed in 1917 that the school become the first branch of the Berkeley-based University of California. Two years later on May 23, 1919, California Governor William D. Stephens signed the legislation that created the "Southern Branch" of the University of California -- no longer merely a teacher's college but an institution that offered two years of instruction in Letters and Science. Third- and fourth-year courses were soon added, the first class of 300 students was graduated in 1925, and by 1927 the Southern Branch had earned its new name: University of California at Los Angeles (the "at" became a comma in 1958). As the student population of the University continued to increase, the need for a new site became obvious and the search was soon under way for a permanent home for UCLA.^

Historical Notes

The Downey Block was demolished in 1904. Since then the corner has been the site of two Federal Buildings: the Federal Building and Post Office (1910 - 1937) and the Federal Courthouse and U.S. Post Office Building (1940 - Present).

The Hazard and Harpham Patent Office moved to a building on the southeast corner of Fifth and Spring streets (see next photo).

Historical Notes

In 1882, Remi Nadeau built the Nadeau Hotel on the SW corner of 1st and Spring streets. It was Los Angeles's first four-story structure and the first building with an elevator. The hotel was designed by Morgan & Walls.

The Nadeau Hotel stood on the southwest corner until 1932, when it was demolished to make room for the current Los Angeles Times Building.

Historical Notes

The original Baltimore Hotel seen above, the two-toned building with the conical tower located on the NE corner of Olive and 7th streets, would become the future site of the Los Angeles Athletic Club (built in 1911, occupied in 1912).

The new Hotel Baltimore was built at 5th and Los Angeles Streets in 1910.

Historical Notes

In 1912, the LAAC moved into its current 12-story Beaux-Arts clubhouse (seen above), designed by architects John Parkinson and George Bergstrom. This building was the first in Southern California to have an interior swimming pool on an upper floor.

Click HERE to see more early views of the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

Historical Notes

The Los Angeles Gas and Electric Corporation (LAGC) was one of the first utilities in Los Angeles. It competed with Los Angeles Bureau of Power and Light (BP&L) and SCE in the early 1900s. In 1936, BP&L (later LADWP) would buy out the electrical side of LAGC to become the sole provider of electricity in Los Angeles. The gas side of LAGC would then become Southern Californa Gas Company.

Click HERE to see more on the Los Angeles Gas and Electric Corporation.

Historical Notes

Between 1897 and 1906 the power house was in use as Edison Electric Company Steam Plant No. 1. This was Edison's first power plant located in the City of Los Angeles.

Historical Notes

At the time of this photo the brick building at the corner of 2nd and Boylston streets, once part of Edison Electric Steam Plant No. 1, was no longer being used as a power plant. It now was serving as an Edison Electrical Sub-Station.

In 1909, Los Angeles Edsion Electric changed its name to Southern California Edison (SCE).

Historical Notes

Over the years the Boylston facility has been used by the West Side Lighting Company, Los Angeles Edison Electric, Southern California Edison, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, which has occupied the site since 1940.

Click HERE to see more in Early Boylston Street Yard.

Historical Notes

The Central Oil Field above is situated just south of the largest producing oil field in the history of the Southland called the Los Angeles Oil Field.

The Los Angeles City Oil Field is a large oil field north of Downtown. Long and narrow, it extends from immediately south of Dodger Stadium west to Vermont Avenue, encompassing an area of about four miles long by a quarter mile across. Its former productive area amounts to 780 acres.

Historical Notes

Discovered in 1890, and made famous by Edward Doheny's successful well in 1892, the Los Angeles Oil Field was once the top producing oil field in California, accounting for more than half of the state's oil in 1895. In its peak year of 1901, approximately 200 separate oil companies were active on the field, which is now entirely overbuilt by dense residential and commercial development.

Historical Notes

The fortunes made during development of the Los Angeles Oil field led directly to the discovery and exploitation of other fields in the Los Angeles Basin. Of the 1,250 wells once drilled on the field, and the forest of derricks that once covered the low hills north of Los Angeles from Elysian Park west, little above-ground trace remains today.

Historical Notes

Click HERE to see more on the Los Angeles Oil Boom of the 1890s

Historical Notes

The tall tower in the distance is the Old City Hall, located at 226 Broadway. It was LA’s 3rd City Hall.  Built in 1888, it stood until the current City Hall was completed in 1928.^

Historical Notes

Ralphs Grocery Company was founded in 1873 by George Albert Ralphs with the original store being located at Sixth and Spring Streets. The company employed notable architects in designing its stores.*^

Click HERE to see an 1886 photo of George Ralphs standing in front of his original store in the Early LA Buildings (1800s) Section.

Historical Notes

Click HERE to see more on the early 5-Globe streetlights seen above.

Historical Notes

The State Normal School later evolved into UCLA. Click HERE to see more in Early Views of the Normal School and UCLA.

Historical Notes

Note the beautiful ornate streetlight seen on the NW corner. These types of five-globe streetlights were originally installed on most streets in Downtown Los Angeles in the early 1900s, (except for Broadway which had the seven-globe lights). 

This particularly ornate model (called "Winslow") seemed to be limited to Hill Street and the streets adjacent to Pershing Square: the one block segments of 5th, Olive, and 6th.

Today, the last of these poles are still being used as architectural features in the gardens and malls adjacent to City Hall. Click HERE to see more.

Historical Notes

The following is a chronology of name changes the park has seen before becoming Pershing Square:

◆ 1866 – La Plaza Abaja or "The Lower Plaza"

◆ 1867 – St. Vincent Park

◆ 1870 – Los Angeles Park

◆ 1886 – 6th Street Park

◆ 1890s- Central Park

◆ 1918 – Pershing Square

Historical Notes

The ornate theater, initially named Temple Auditorium, opened on November 7, 1906, with a performance of "Aida." Designed by Charles E. Whittlesey, it was the world's largest reinforced concrete structure at the time, featuring an Art Nouveau interior, a Spanish Gothic exterior, 2,700 seats, and the largest stage in the western U.S. In 1914, impresario William "Billy" Clune leased and transformed it into Clune's Auditorium, a pioneering movie palace known for elaborate prologues with music and dancers. Notably, it hosted the premiere of D.W. Griffith's "Birth of a Nation," with a full orchestra.

Note: The Spanish-American War Soldier's Monument is still located in Pershing Square today. The monument, also known as the 7th Regiment Monument, remains the oldest piece of public art in the city and has been designated as Cultural-Heritage Monument No. 480 by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission.

Historical Notes

The Los Angeles Railway operated an extensive network of streetcars in the downtown area, including along 5th Street near what would become Pershing Square, during the period around 1914.

Historical Notes

Note the details on the ornate streetlight on the corner, also known as the 'Winslow' electrolier. It was manufactured by the Llewellyn Iron Works, founded in 1889, which was one of the largest metalworking facilities in Los Angeles at the time. Click HERE to see more early views of 5-globe Llewellyn 'Winslow' Electroliers.

Historical Notes

The California Club is a private social club established in 1888 in downtown Los Angeles, the oldest such club in Southern California.

The club's first location was in the second-floor rooms over the Tally-Ho Stables on the northwest corner of First and Fort (Broadway) streets, where the Los Angeles County Law Library now stands. It moved to the Wilcox Building on the southeast corner of Second and Spring streets in 1895, occupying the two top floors, the fourth and fifth. The building was distinguished as the first in Los Angeles to have two elevators — one for the public and the other for members. The men's dining room, reading room, bar and lounge were on the top floor. On the floor below was the ladies' dining room.

The club remained at the Wilcox Building for ten years, Increased membership impelled the club to seek a new location in the southward and westward direction of the expansion of the city. In 1904 the club's headquarters were moved to a new five-story building with a basement and a roof garden on the northwest corner of Fifth and Hill streets.

Beginning in the 1920s, blacks, Jews and women were barred from membership. Finally in 1987 the city of Los Angeles made discriminatory clubs illegal. Some members of the California Club then sought to maintain discriminatory membership policies, but their efforts were defeated by a majority of the members. Indeed, in the vote taken in June 1987, 90 percent of the voting members favored admitting women.*