noirish Los Angeles

[Flyingwedge]

GW told the story of 925 Haverford Avenue here; it was built c. 1911 as 629 S. Harvard Blvd., then moved to Pacific Palisades in 1928.

After being decommissioned as a Methodist retreat center in 2021, it seems to have been home to a private elementary school.

Anyway, here's a photo of 925 Haverford taken on the afternoon of January 9:



Los Angeles County


And here's 925 Haverford was when it was 629 S. Harvard:



UCLA

[Those Who Squirm!]

I see that the first photo is the east side of the Plaza, so those buildings had about another twenty years left.

Originally Posted by Snix

An incredible group of Chinatown photos is currently on eBay.
Marked 1929 but I think I see a "beer" sign in one window, so maybe post 1933?

Other signs include

"Chinatown's Big Removal Sale"

Chew Fun & Co. Chinese Herbs
Man Jen Low Cafe
F. See On Co.
Soochow Cafe Soo Chow Cafe?






Seller: Up All Day https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ssn=upallday&store_name=upallday

[Those Who Squirm!]

In an era when only a very small percentage of HS graduates went on to college, it seems that the general public was hugely fascinated by the colleges, and especially by the Ivies. Not long before this (or perhaps still) there were two Pacific coastal steamers christened the Harvard and the Yale.

Originally Posted by odinthor

There was as well a Yale Apt. Hotel at 975 Wilshire in the 1930s:


Los Angeles Times, 6/17/1935


Los Angeles Times, 10/16/1938

[Mackerm]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

.
MYSTERY HOLE.

I just happened upn this odd photograph on eBay.

The seller's description is "Bottom of Mine ODD Weird Vintage Photo Los Angeles CA"


eBay

I initially thought the people at the bottom were workers but on closer inspection they appear to be tourists!

Obviously the 'hole' isn't in L.A. proper. .. I imagine it's . .um. .somewhere else.

Does anyone know what we're looking at?


.

https://www.sevenfalls.com/discover/about-the-park

Seven Falls near Denver. There is a near identical view on the site, but this one has burros.

[Noir_Noir]

Originally Posted by knapford

First time poster here; long time reader of this great forum...please excuse errors in posting etiquette.

I was reading about some seedy characters over at the Homestead Blog from this post:

https://homesteadmuseum.blog/2025/01/17/...eriff-william-i-traeger-17-january-1927/


Any images of the Bon Ton Dance Hall in Venice?

Thx.

Hey there knapford and welcome to the thread.

There's not that many images of the Bon Ton Dance Hall that I could find. This detail from a larger 1929 image is about the best.



hdl.huntington.org


End of the pier in this postcard view from 1923.



flickr.com


An interior view from 1926.



westland.net

The Bon Ton became the Aragon Ballroom in 1942 and was the Cheetah Club in 1967 for a year or two.

The building burned down in a May 1970 pier fire.

[ethereal_reality]

.
Thanks for the clarification on my mystery hole, Mackerm. ..*blush*

Originally Posted by ScottyB

No, but there's more donkeys!

Are you sure they're not burros?







So is a burro a mule or a donkey?...(I'm Team Mule)
.

[ethereal_reality]

.
Mystery building... / Garage or Auditorium?


This green(ish) building cuaght my eye in a photograph taken from Windsor Hills.



detail

If you look closely there appears to be writing on it. (the larger lettering on the left appears. .um . .Halloweenish, like it's dripping blood) ..brown blood


The complete (and amazing) photograph is on skyscraperpage, HERE.

.

[ScottyB]

OK pop quiz, donkey or mule? (too easy) This is tagged Eagle Rock, but it's hard to say, especially with the odd business of the skyline on the left (double exposure?).

[Noir_Noir]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

.
Mystery building... / Garage or Auditorium?


This green(ish) building cuaght my eye in a photograph taken from Windsor Hills.



detail

If you look closely there appears to be writing on it. (the larger lettering on the left appears. .um . .Halloweenish, like it's dripping blood) ..brown blood


The complete (and amazing) photograph is on skyscraperpage, HERE.

.

It's the Fernando Pullum Community Art Center at 3351 W 43rd Street.



Google Street View

[ethereal_reality]

.
Thanks Noir Noir.

It appears to have built as a . . um . . .a drugstore (?) or supermarket (?).... I'm thinking OWL or a Ralph's, perhaps.

Sorry about the fragmented sentence. I haven't had my morning cup of Joe.
.

[ethereal_reality]

Here's an interesting video from LAFD about the 1961 Bel Air Fire.

• Video Link

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Here's an interesting video from LAFD about the 1961 Bel Air Fire.
_______________________________________________________________

Thanks for that, E_R. One could pretty much use the same footage and just narrate the same thing, practically, for the current fires. I recognized Robert -- oops! -- William Conrad's voice immediately; the narrator.

[Martin Pal]

I happened to see this video last night and thought this guy was amusing. And also found the video interesting. Anyone else think so, too?

• Video Link

[quickstop]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

Thanks for that, E_R. One could pretty much use the same footage and just narrate the same thing, practically, for the current fires. I recognized Robert Conrad's voice immediately; the narrator.

William Conrad

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by quickstop

William Conrad

Duh! Of course you are correct!

[ethereal_reality]

.
I watched the video, Martin Pal. ..The dude is funny, especially his asides.
FYI: If you haven't watched it yet he begins discussing L.A. at the 5 minute mark.

This snapshot just showed up on eBay.
I believe it's the Hamburger Hamlet that was located on Sunset Blvd.


eBay

. . .note the father taking his kids to HH. /

.

[ethereal_reality]

.
Mystery location.

I happened upon this group of photographs on eBay back in July 2023.



I intended to figure out how ...Cliff's + Densky's = Kirk Douglas(?) but I never got around to it so now I'm asking for YOUR help.

Here's how I have them filed in my documents. (some are redundant)



I don't know if Cliff's is the same place as Demsky's. (I think the name was just changed) I also don't have the dates.

OK, I decided to begin with . .

this one. . .because I think it's the oldest.



I'm baffled by, "This will be six stories high in 1 year from today."



Next:

This one- because I'm pretty sure it's the same building.



As you can see, the sign above the entrance has changed from Cliff's Auto Wrecking to M. Densky Pacific Auto Wrecking....(but what about the six story building?)

I'll post the others this afternoon.



Oh, I almost forgot. ..
.

[Ossrae]

Does anyone recognize the cabin seen quickly in this 1914 movie (video cued).

• Video Link

If the embedded link doesn't work (it's been problematic), here's a regular link: https://youtu.be/dYlblSvPaOo?si=y-l_2TRZ4BLE0Ku_&t=118

(This is a public domain movie.)

A close-up of it in a preceding shot reveals the house to be shingled. It's somewhat similar to the Bungalow Inn that was in Laurel Canyon, but those structures were a little different.

Sorry if the embedded link still isn't working. There's been some kind of technical problem. I've tried posting it from two different sources.

Thank you!

[HenryHuntington]

After some sleuthing, the 1927 Santa Monica City Directory lists the real name of the business as "Pacific Auto Wrecking & Junk Co." at 2723 Lincoln Blvd., Ocean Park. The site is presently occupied by a one-story furniture retailer. I'm afraid that nothing approaching six stories was ever built here. The 1933 Directory, the most recent showing this business, lists it at 2931 Lincoln Blvd. This address doesn't exist today, rather it's been subsumed into 2929, a sprawling, three-story office complex.

Conveniently the (Morris and Sadie) Demsky residence was around the corner and a few doors west at 714 Hill St. The 1947-48 Directory (most recent available via LAPL) shows them remaining at that address. Today this location is a two-story dingbat apartment building. Morris is listed as a "salvage worker" by occupation, so apparently he closed or sold the business but remained active in the field.

[knapford]

Thanks for so much for locating these pics!

Originally Posted by Noir_Noir

Hey there knapford and welcome to the thread.

There's not that many images of the Bon Ton Dance Hall that I could find. This detail from a larger 1929 image is about the best.



hdl.huntington.org


End of the pier in this postcard view from 1923.



flickr.com


An interior view from 1926.



westland.net

The Bon Ton became the Aragon Ballroom in 1942 and was the Cheetah Club in 1967 for a year or two.

The building burned down in a May 1970 pier fire.