noirish Los Angeles - Page 1391

MichaelRyerson · #**27801** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 2:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HossC

I had to go back to 2012 to get the Googlemobile in the right-hand lane for this "now" image of N Figueroa from Boston. I think that the lamp post on the right is one of the only details that remains from the photo above.

GSV

When all else fails, it seems our lamp posts abide. Although I believe the bright, white building on the horizon-line may be a survivor (then again maybe not).

ethereal_reality · #**27802** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 2:57 PM**

originally posted by MichaelRyerson

Figueroa looking toward Sunset, 1950

Where's the railroad?
__

MichaelRyerson · #**27803** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 3:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

originally posted by MichaelRyerson

Figueroa looking toward Sunset, 1950

Where's the railroad?
__

I had the same thought and only the tracks on Sunset come to mind.

ethereal_reality · #**27804** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 3:53 PM**

On September 6, 1951, construction was officially started on the new $69,000,000 Valley Steam Plant.

eBay

eBay

I really like this simplistic little map on the back cover of the brochure.

eBay

Here is the steam plant today at 11805 Sheldon Street, San Fernando Valley.

gsv

While I was driving the google-mobile up and down Sheldon Street I came across this intriguing sight.

gsv

gsv

And in the opposite direction on Sheldon I came across the 'Flying Bumper Monster' at Planet of Bumper. lol

gsv

__

CityBoyDoug · #**27805** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 4:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HossC

The screengrab above is from a fraction of a second earlier, and I think there could be small fins. The ends of the rear bumper certainly look like they merge into fins like on the 1949 Cadillac Coupe below. I realize that the three-piece rear window isn't unique to Cadillacs of this era, but it's another detail that matches.

hooniverse.com

The Capitol Records Building looks complete, so I'm going for 1956.

I admit Hoss that you could well be correct about the fins and the bumper shape. Therefore, it could be a '49 Cadillac Coupe.!!

ethereal_reality · #**27806** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 4:24 PM**

I don't believe we've seen this particular photograph. (there's a similar one on waterandpower, but this one is much better)

"Sunset at Broadway. Downtown Los Angeles. June 4th, 1948."

Metro Library Archive, Flickr

I don't recognize the building at far left. The other three are icons.

I just noticed the two streetcars passing each other on the curve.
______

below: Here is a view of the tunnel 22 years prior.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Broadway Tunnel, 1926

There appears to be a small building hidden behind the John T. Dye billboards (notice the smoking flue).

one of a kind snapshot found on eBay. rare!
__

HossC · #**27807** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 5:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

BrerHair at http://www.jalopyjournal.com/

Back in 1930, the Swanfeldt Tent and Awning Co was on the corner of N Figueroa and Boston Streets. I think it's just visible on the left of the picture above.

USC Digital Library

I like the little swan design on the awning.

Detail of picture above.

Here is the company's listing from the 1932 CD.

LAPL

I've had a look at Historic Aerials, and it looks like the building survived the construction of the nearby freeways, although the Swanfeldt Awning Co had moved to 7706 Melrose Avenue by 1956, and 501 N Figueroa had been taken over by the Transparent Shade Co. The site is now part of the Orsini Apartments.

GSV

HossC · #**27808** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 5:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

While I was driving the google-mobile up and down Sheldon Street I came across this intriguing sight.

gsv

That looks like the remains of Captain Nemo's car from the 2003 movie 'The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen'.

www.whaleoil.co.nz

ethereal_reality · #**27809** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 7:38 PM**

"Sunset Boulevard, 1912, showing joint pole construction. [when it was a dirt road with tracks down the center.]"

http://hdl.huntington.org/cdm/single...id/12748/rec/2

It looks like two lovers in that wagon down the street.

I enlarged this segment to see if I could read the ad, and lo-and behold, there's a woman I hadn't noticed before. (she's staring, like people stare when the Google-mobile goes by)

detail

__

HossC · #**27810** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 8:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

originally posted by MichaelRyerson

Figueroa looking toward Sunset, 1950

Where's the railroad?

This intersection used to be served by streetcars, so I'm guessing that the tracks had been removed by the time the picture above was taken, but not the sign. I've highlighted the route on the 1921 Baist map below. You can just see the curved tracks in the corner of the first Swanfeldt photo I posted earlier.

www.historicmapworks.com

Boston Street isn't named on the 1934 streetcar map, but is was obviously part of the A Line.

HossC · #**27811** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 8:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I don't believe we've seen this particular photograph. (there's a similar one on waterandpower, but this one is much better)

"Sunset at Broadway. Downtown Los Angeles. June 4th, 1948."

Metro Library Archive, Flickr

I don't recognize the building at far left. The other three are icons.

That's the Brunswig Annex. I don't think I can add much to 3940dxer's description:

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3940dxer

Number 6 is another Brunswig buiding, the 5 story "Annex". This structure was on the west side of the New High St. extension, slightly east of Spring St. and about midway between Sunset and the 101. In this photo from 1953 we see it on the right, sandwiched below Spring St. and above New High, the narrow angled alley. The 101, under construction, dominates the left side of the image. South of New High we see the Vickrey-Brunswig building, still standing and now fully restored. (There were many Brunswig buildings downtown, and making sense of them and their confusing nicknames was rather tricky. Thanks again to Michael Ryerson for helping with this.) The Brunswig Annex was built in about 1910, and demolished in 2007. (EDIT: Per ProphetM, the building was demolished in 2001, per to an article in the L.A. Times.)

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si.../id/3424/rec/1

MichaelRyerson · #**27812** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 9:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I don't believe we've seen this particular photograph. (there's a similar one on waterandpower, but this one is much better)

"Sunset at Broadway. Downtown Los Angeles. June 4th, 1948."

Metro Library Archive, Flickr

I don't recognize the building at far left. The other three are icons.

I just noticed the two streetcars passing each other on the curve.
______

below: Here is a view of the tunnel 22 years prior.

First I feel a little uneasy with the date on your image. I feel like it's perhaps a year too early. Be that as it may, the building is one of the Brunswig Drug Co. annexes although by this time
it's actually been pressed into service as a temporary address for some of the Municipal/Superior courtrooms displaced by the loss of the County Courthouse (in '33-35) and the subsequent wholly
inadequate 'temporary' buildings on Poundcake Hill.

Looking east across Spring Street from Fort Moore Hill, 1949

Looking east across Spring Street and New High Street (partially hidden behind this stand of trees near the bottom)toward Union Station from the Broadway tunnel, on August 4, 1949,
just before the tunnel was demolished. Looking at the rear of the Plaza Church (left foreground), the Brunswig Drug Co. annex building (five-story, white building, right foreground)
L.A. Gas Company gas holders (gasometers), La Plaza Methodist Church and Conference Center, the Plaza (trees), the southern entrance to Olvera Street,
the Pacific Hotel (red brick building on the left) and the Atlantic Hotel (tan brick building next door to the Pacific Hotel).

LAPL, L. Mildred Harris Slide Collection

ethereal_reality · #**27813** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 9:02 PM**

Thanks for the information HossC and MichaelRyerson. It's much appreciated.

"Long Beach Water Storage Tanks"

http://livingnewdeal.org/

There have been many aerial photographs of the Long Beach area posted on NLA, but I don't recall seeing these rather unique water tanks.
(perhaps I was too busy looking at he oil wells)

If I had noticed them, I would have thought they were oil tanks.

That said, the "Living New Deal" site is searching for more information on them. (see below)

Here's the link if you have any answers for them.
http://livingnewdeal.org/projects/lo...os-angeles-ca/

__

ethereal_reality · #**27814** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 9:36 PM**

Euclid Avenue, Garden Grove CA. 1950s.

eBay

I tried to figure out what intersection this is....but I don't see any street signs.
__

Martin Pal · #**27815** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 10:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HossC

eBay

The Hour Glass Room sounds interesting...

MichaelRyerson · #**27816** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 10:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Euclid Avenue, Garden Grove CA. 1950s.

eBay

I tried to figure out what intersection this is....but I don't see any street signs.
__

We're looking north on Main Street with Garden Grove Boulevard crossing here in the foreground. Zlaket's Market (and earlier general store) is on the left side of the street at 12921 Main Street. It is the second of the two red tile roofs. It has a little covered balcony showing on this (the south) side. The family lived in an apartment on the second floor. Zlaket's was a local institution for 87 years and just closed last year.

here's a current shot showing the market building and apartment...

12000 block of Main Street, Garden Grove, Ca, 2015

GSV

Martin Pal · #**27817** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 10:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

The "first" Trader Joe's... "Looking west along 5th Street from Central Avenue at 1:45 a.m. on April 7, 1955."

I really like this noirish photograph GW.

I was surprised to see that everything on the left side of the street is gone.

I was surprised to see the store (and other places) open at 1:45 a.m.?

HossC · #**27818** Posted **Apr 18, 2015, 10:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Euclid Avenue, Garden Grove CA. 1950s.

eBay

I tried to figure out what intersection this is....but I don't see any street signs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson

We're looking north on Main Street with Garden Grove Boulevard crossing here in the foreground. Zlaket's Market (and earlier general store) is on the left side of the street at 12921 Main Street. It is the second of the two red tile roofs. It has a little covered balcony showing on this (the south) side. The family lived in an apartment on the second floor. Zlaket's was a local institution for 87 years and just closed last year.

You beat me to it, MichaelRyerson.

Here's a 1953 aerial view of Garden Grove. The yellow overlay shows the current route of Euclid Street, but that didn't exist until somewhen between 1963 and 1972.

Historic Aerials

Euclid Street originally continued due south from the top-left corner along what-is-now Main Street (as pointed out by MichaelRyerson). I found this picture labeled "Main St., Garden Grove, May 1975". The building just right of center is the same one that can be seen between the "Ben's Shoes" and "Paint" signs in e_r's picture.

Orange County Archives on Flickr

This is the same building today.

GSV

Main Street is now "Historic Main Street". Here's my "now" version of e_r's picture. BTW. There's a larger version of the 1950s picture here.

GSV

ethereal_reality · #**27819** Posted **Apr 19, 2015, 12:12 AM**

Wow, excellent sleuthing you two!

Just for fun...here's another.

http://wkklawyers.com/garden-grove-p...njury-lawyers/
__

ethereal_reality · #**27820** Posted **Apr 19, 2015, 1:48 AM**

"Anatomy of an Accident", 1962.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6Erp_kUjKA

I made a nifty little discovery while watching this short film earlier this afternoon.

Here's the family.

Towards the beginning of their Sunday drive, they pull into Ray York's service station.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6Erp_kUjKA

The 6'4" strapping blonde attendant comes out to lend a hand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6Erp_kUjKA

"Everything looks fine Mr. Family Man."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6Erp_kUjKA

As the family pulls out, you see the batteries and lubrication bays.

There are even more bays as the family turns to exit on Fair Oaks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6Erp_kUjKA

At this point I decided to check out the address....1055 South Fair Oaks.

Much to my surprise, I found a L-shaped building.....could this be Ray York's service station!?

gsv

After a closer inspection, I'm pretty sure this is the same building that appears in the vintage film.

gsv

Here is the service station area (behind the shrub) from W. Glenarm Street. You can see the garage bays as well.

gsv

The place was looking rather down and out back in 2007.

gsv
__

Eventually the family's Sunday drive turns into a nightmare.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6Erp_kUjKA

You can watch the 25:59 minute film here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6Erp_kUjKA

Don't expect a happy ending.

__