Quote:
Originally Posted by HossC
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tovangar2
As C.C. Pierce took the photo from an upper-north window, or the roof, of the Vickrey-Brunswig building, it cannot be earlier than 1888.
I wish I could confirm the date of the Plaza design shown in the USC photo, as that might help. It looks very new. The Plaza was first cleaned up, rounded and landscaped in stages starting in 1871(after demolishing the reservoir, of course), probably in response to the Chinese Massacre (I'm sure Pio Pico had something to do with it too, as Pico House was very new). The fountain was elevated then; one had to access it with steps.
The Plaza became very overgrown and was again redone. Two Morton Bay figs were saved from the old landscaping, and another pair added (they're still there BTW) to the lovely Wheel-of-the-Year design of the park, but what year this happened, I don't know. I was hoping Nathan Masters would know, but he didn't say on his blog.
Here's a second C.C. Pierce photo to compliment the one HossC posted. Time to play spot-the difference (hint: they were not taken on the same day):
usc digital library zoomable version |
I was trying to figure out when the top photo was taken when I came across your photo,
T2. The plants and trees tell us your photo was taken a little before
HossC's. Based on the size of the plants, pruning of and growth on trees, and lack of benches in the Plaza, I'd guess that your photo is 1892 and the other is 1893 or perhaps just later in 1892.
Consider these points from the LA Times and LA Herald . . .
Nov 9 1889: The Plaza is described as having "four large caoutchouc [rubber] trees, some shrubbery, a dry fountain and no seats, the whole surrounded by an iron fence."
Perhaps the fountain was broken?
Aug 15 1890 [LAH]: The Plaza is described as being "without seats or shade, except the four large caoutchouc trees . . ."
May 17 1892: "The motion by [Mr. Summerland] for benches in the plaza square met with ill success . . . ."
Oct 21 1892: "Two of the large rubber trees had to be topped, owing to damage sustained in last winter's windstorm."
That storm was on December 11, 1891. The trees on the east and west side of the Plaza certainly look like they've been topped.
Dec 8 1893: Installing some settees in the Plaza was considered, because some property owners said "the benches there at present were entirely inadequate." After some discussion of concern that undesirables might sleep on them, "At the suggestion of the mayor, six of the seats were ordered placed at the plaza . . . ."
Does "entirely inadequate" mean there were
some seats in the Plaza? There are no seats in either photo above.
Jan 1 1894 [LAH]: Plaza park needs are described as "pruning two of the four large ficus macrophylla . . ."
The Plaza is consistently described in these articles as having four large trees; I can't explain why they're called both caoutchouc and ficus. I don't see any other tree there I'd call "large."
Jan 1 1896: "In this park there is a very pretty fountain, cement walks and numerous seats . . . ."
I too arrived at a no-earlier-than-1888 date for both photos above, but via the LA City Water Company building at Alameda and Marchessault, which opened on May 26, 1888 (per 5/27/88 LAT):
Here's that building being torn down in 1939:
USC Digital Library --
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...d/90010/rec/11
Quote:
Originally Posted by JScott
One curiosity I found in the details of the image above was the presence of one of those electric arc light masts in what appears to be the backyard of someone's mansion atop Brooklyn Heights. Whose house was this, I wonder?
U.S.C. Digital Library |
At the risk of going out on a soon-to-be-pruned caoutchouc or ficus limb, I'm saying that the house on the hill in the distance is 527 Prospect Place, shown here (with a 0 address) closeup on the 1894 Sanborn Map:
LAPL
Here it is on the 1906 Map as 527 Prospect:
LAPL
527 Prospect is in the upper right corner of this wider 1894 view. The bridge over the creek (between "Street" and "Pleasant") is on Macy Street, which today with Brooklyn Avenue is all the same street: Cesar Chavez Avenue. The area between Gallardo Street on the left and Prospect Place -- now Progress Place -- on the right is where the San Bernardino Freeway is today:
LAPL
The same area today on GoogleMaps:
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0535...2541,18z?hl=en
From 1892 until at least 1899, 527 Prospect Place (not Avenue) was the home of Richard Molony (not Moloney):
1893 LA City Directory @ Fold3.com
Richard Molony lived to be 99 and has his own Wikipedia page!:
http://dbase1.lapl.org/webpics/calin.../07/517865.pdf
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, and MGM picked it up and replaced Mr. Roig with silent film star Ramon Navarro. 
Joe Roig.
poor Lupe in her casket. 
Museum of the San Fernando Valley
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