^^^Wow, the sepia photos are wonderful GaylordWilshire. I imagine they are very rare.
Good find, and thanks for sharing.

Urban remnant
 

I've found an interesting urban artifact from Orange Street--apparently an original piece leftover from the ca. 1892 Shatto house on the nw corner of Orange/Wilshire and Lucas, where Good Samaritan now stands (FULL STORY HERE: http://losangeleshistory.blogspot.co...o-see-our.html):

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics37/00068341.jpgLAPL

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_zXN_GwdMYMo/TQ...62245%20PM.jpgGoogle Street View

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_zXN_GwdMYMo/TQ...62435%20PM.jpgGoogle Street View

Note the slightly raised block on the curb, between the pole at left and the hydrant--could this possibly be the detail in the corresponding place in the b&w shot? Can the original curbs still be in place, folded into the modern paving? I think I might be tipping into obsession here....

I'm convinced! That looks like the same wall to me, too. Awesome! :tup:

:previous:
I'm convinced too. That's really awesome!

i wonder why they left the retaining wall on the north side, and removed it entirely on the east side?

that's quite an elevation grade angle. you would think run off in the annual winter heavy rains would be a concern..............hmmmmmmm

here's another image from 1905

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics35/00067294.jpg
LAPL

Beverly Hills in signs
 

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics19/00019404.jpgLAPL

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics20/00019517.jpgLAPL

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics19/00019494.jpgLAPL


http://dlproj.library.ucla.edu/deriv...0178536a_j.jpgLAT
Members of 17th District American Legion Un-American Activities Committee picket the premiere of the film Moulin Rouge in front of the Fox Wilshire Theater in Beverly Hills, December 1952.

Roosevelt Highway, later PCH.

http://a.imageshack.us/img266/8209/l...lthighwayl.jpg
D. Endico





below: Malibu Inn Cafe

http://a.imageshack.us/img80/6608/la...buinncafe2.jpg
old postcard/ebay

Before the highway.





Ninety-Nine Steps at Pacific Palisades in 1889.


http://a.imageshack.us/img153/2688/l...nicaco2nin.jpg
usc






below: Looking south from Ninety Nine Steps (1889).

http://a.imageshack.us/img153/6164/l...nicacoastl.jpg
usc





below: Looking south toward the Ninety Nine Steps and Santa Monica in 1898


http://a.imageshack.us/img153/9209/l...nicawithpa.jpg
usc







below: Same view, more or less, in the 1930s.

I believe the large building with the numerous chimneys is Marion Davies' famous beach house.
The guest house closest to the camera still exists. The main house (with a 110 rooms) was torn down in 1956.


http://a.imageshack.us/img137/3136/l...nicamarion.jpg
usc

The longest wharf in the world located off Pacific Palisades (1892).


http://a.imageshack.us/img101/2322/l...nicamilelo.jpg
postcard/ebay





below: The Santa Monica Railroad leading to the Big Wharf, March 3rd, 1894.

http://a.imageshack.us/img810/8120/l...nicarrlead.jpg
usc





below: Pacific Palisades mile long wharf in 1893.

http://a.imageshack.us/img261/1985/l...ficpalisad.jpg
usc

Notice the RR turntable in the lower right corner.







below: An excellant view of the mile long wharf in 1916.

http://a.imageshack.us/img576/3531/l...npacificwh.jpg
usc







below: This 1912 view really illustrates the extreme length of the wharf. It's just amazing.
To be honest, I didn't know this wharf existed until a few months ago.


http://a.imageshack.us/img90/8828/la...gwharfin19.jpg







below: Pacific Palisades in the 1920s.
The description on the photo didn't say, but I'm guessing this is where the mile long wharf used to be.

http://a.imageshack.us/img225/3631/l...cificpalis.jpg
usc

Santa Monica arch rock in 1878.


http://a.imageshack.us/img185/8007/l...nicaarchro.jpg
usc





below: The Santa Monica arch along the old stage road in 1893.


http://a.imageshack.us/img185/5127/l...nicaarchol.jpg
usc






below: Construction of Santa Monica Pier in 1890.



http://a.imageshack.us/img227/8696/l...nicapierco.jpg
usc

Great Santa Monica shots, ethereal. Apparently the arch eventually collapsed. Here are a couple of other pics, one from the north, one from the south, post-wharf:

http://jpg1.lapl.org/00076/00076113.jpgLAPL


http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics27/00033027.jpgLAPL


And pre-wharf, ca. 1877:
http://beachhouse.smgov.net/beachsto.../CHS-10229.jpgSanta Monica Historical Society


Notice the "Huntington Palisades" sign at top center of the second pic. It gives a clue to the development of the Long Wharf--when Collis Huntington brought the Southern Pacific to L.A., a competition began over the location of the major L.A. port. Huntington aimed for Santa Monica, while Harrison Gray Otis and his cronies preferred San Pedro. Huntington went ahead and built the Long Wharf in 1893 and called the spot Port Los Angeles. Four years later Congress chose the southern bay. At some point the pier was abandoned and the railroad along the coast to it was sold to the Pacific Electric. The Malibu town website has an interesting history of the coast north of the Long Wharf--here's a link to a chapter of it that mentions the pier and the Rindge's efforts to successfully steer the coast railroad--but not the Roosevelt Highway/PCH--away from their ranch: http://www.ci.malibu.ca.us/index.cfm...vid/9/cid/428/

^^^ Very interesting history about the Long Wharf GaylordWilshire. Thanks for posting the info.

The destruction of the Vanderbilt Apartments at 334 S. Figueroa (1959).


http://a.imageshack.us/img294/6516/l...iltbldgdem.jpg
usc






http://a.imageshack.us/img176/6516/l...iltbldgdem.jpg
usc





http://a.imageshack.us/img176/5443/l...ltbldgdemp.jpg
usc

I'll start off by saying that this has more or less continuously been my favorite thread on the forum.

I just moved from Philadelphia to LA in early August, and I'm eager to get down to exploring the city and its history. For the past few years, my blog has been mostly dedicated to "Then and Now" photos of various places (mostly around Philly), and I'd really love to continue doing so in LA. Thankfully, there doesn't seem to be any shortage of high quality historic photographs here.

I was wondering if anyone could recommend a few resources online or in print (preferably online) where I can search for information related to specific buildings and architects. Is there anything like a local equivalent of Philadelphia Architects and Buildings? Otherwise I would also appreciate recommendations for good, comprehensive books or other readings on the city's general architectural history. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Keep up the great work!

:previous:
Welcome to the thread, Muji, and welcome to Los Angeles!

Regarding some architectural books on LA, there are a couple that I've always considered to be pretty good; they may be out of print now, but you can probably find them in public libraries. One is called "Los Angeles: An Architectural Guide," by David Gebhard and Robert Winter. Another one is "Los Angeles: The City Observed," by Charles Moore, Peter Becker and Regula Campbell. This one was first published in 1984, went out of print, and then was reprinted in 1998. I read this book religiously when I was a teen back in the 80s. What's great about these books is that they don't limit themselves to just the City of Los Angeles, but they also include significant architecture around Los Angeles County, and in the latter book, it even includes Orange County and the Inland Empire, which makes sense to me, being that "the Southland" all runs together anyway.

I also have a newer book on LA architecture called "Landmark L.A.: Historic-Cultural Monuments of Los Angeles," edited by Jeffrey Herr, copyright 2002. It claims to be "the most complete, documented list of officially designated Los Angeles monuments ever available in book form."

"L.A. Lost & Found: An Architectural History of Los Angeles" by Sam Hall Kapalan, is also a good book. It was first published in the mid-1980s but it's been reprinted in the last few years, I'm not sure if it's still available. I regret not having bought this one when I had the chance. It might still be available, though. I think I saw it some time ago at the Hennessey & Ingalls bookstore in Santa Monica. I would recommend checking that bookstore out.

I've thought about this again, and now I'm wondering if that curb is not original. I'm thinking, being that these old houses/the current hospital building is on a rise, that maybe the bump in the curb might be due to some kind of geological activity or fault line. If the curb was replaced, I'm thinking the same kind of cracks and bumps would develop if it was over an active fault line.

Welcome Muji
Your 'Brian Goes To Town' blog is very interesting and well done.
__






http://a.imageshack.us/img101/558/la...eradracula.jpg


The Mason Opera House
http://imageshack.us/a/img703/1674/ofly.jpg
http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/
__

SORRY these images are missing. I'm working on replacing them.


Two Los Angeles Railway 'yellow cars' on San Pedro Street in 1957.


http://a.imageshack.us/img529/6927/l...ostreet195.jpg
railpictures.net




below: A Pacific Electric Railway 'red car' and bus on San Pedro Street in 1957.

Question about the bus:
Is this a Los Angeles Railway trolley bus? It has the same green & yellow color scheme.



http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/6...ostreet195.jpg
railpictures.net




below: Inglewood 1951.



http://a.imageshack.us/img227/7841/l...odamusemen.jpg
Cory / Pbase

ethereal-- those Yellow Cars and the bus are not actually not L.A. Railway equipment by 1957--"LARy" was sold to National City Lines in the mid '40s and the company became Los Angeles Transit Lines. (National City Lines was financed by GM, Phillips, SOCAL/Chevron, Goodyear etc, and there are of course all the stories about a conspiracy to get rid of rail transit all over the country to sell buses, gas, and tires.) LATL lasted until '58 or so when the state took it over it and combined it with PE's bus system, and this became the MTA (not the same MTA L.A. now has). Btw the bus looks like a regular bus to me, don't see a trolley pole, although LATL ran both along with streetcars.

sopas--re that Lucas St curb--a closer looks shows that one end of the block is actually just one of those askew seams in street view shots. But even if the curb isn't original--at least we still have the wall.

I want this as "Dracula" poster as a print in my house!! Are they available somewhere? Every Halloween I host a "dracula's castle" costume poker party (my house is relatively old - built in 1925, so it kind of fits).

That Mason Opera House itself is really cool. BTW, how the hell did those people park their cars? Did they go in single file one after the other? How could the middle car get out if he wants to leave first? Do old historic vehicles somehow have incredibly tight turning radii?