noirish Los Angeles

[odinthor]

I always like to cast an eye over newspaper stories about the various buildings. The 1/1/1897 L.A. Times story that had the above pix also has a long long story with architectural and contractor information aplenty. But here are some other stories involving the Henne Bldg., all from the L.A. Times (via ProQuest via the CSULB Library):

May 21, 1898: “For the past two or three days workmen have been making alterations in the Henne Block near the entrance on Third street. Yesterday morning about 10 o’clock they were putting in place a heavy oak window casing about fifteen feet high by eight feet wide, and just as it had been raised into place it slipped from the carpenters’ hands and feel outward to the sidewalk. As it started to fall Horace Hiller, president of the Los Angeles Lumber Company, corner of San Pedro and Seventh streets, was passing toward Spring street. The workingmen shouted to him to ‘look out,’ and Mr. Hiller jumped forward to escape the falling frame. Just as he cleared the danger spot, the carpenter says he slipped and fell heavily to the sidewalk, his left temple striking the curb with terrific force. Bystanders rushed to assist him, and it was found that the injured man was unconscious. […Hiller’s home was at 147 W. 23rd St….] After reaching home Mr. Hiller appeared to rally for a short time, but afterward relapsed into unconsciousness, sinking rapidly and dying between 3 and 4 o’clock in the afternoon […]. Mr. Hiller had lived in Los Angeles for thirty years [working in various capacities for the various incarnations of the W.H. Perry Lumber Co.].”

12/7/1898: “What might have been a most serious accident happened yesterday afternoon shortly before 3 o’clock in the Henne building on Third street near Spring. As it was the accident gave two men a scare from which they did not recover soon. While ascending to the second floor the passenger elevator suddenly dropped to the bottom of the shaft, and, striking the bumpers, rebounded almost to a level with the ground floor, when the safety clutches caught and held it. George Barber was at the lever in the cage and an unknown man entered to go to the second floor. Barber turned on the current and the cage began to rise. It had gone but a short distance when it seemed that the cables broke and the car dashed to the bottom of the shaft. When it rebounded, it began jumping up and down, the clutches barely holding it from again falling. While it was thus jumping Barber opened the door and told his passenger to jump, which he did[,] and Barber followed. Neither was injured. Subsequent examination showed that the gearing of the electric motor which runs the elevator had been broken, two cogs having been knocked out. When in the revolution of the wheels these broken cogs came to where they should engage other cogs, the wheels of course slipped, allowing the elevator to fall. […]”

3/22/1899: “HENNE BLOCK. The new Sprague electric elevator purchased by Mr. Henne in New York and recently installed in this building is giving entire satisfaction in carrying the heavy traffic of the block. The other elevator in the building has been remodeled with the latest improvements, giving this block unsurpassed elevator service.”

2/1/1907: Flooding caused by an overflowing water tank. “The damage was almost entirely to plastering in the halls, where most of the water found its way. […] Like all other big buildings, the Henne block has a tank for fire protection and general use on the roof, holding more than 1000 gallons. The automatic valve that controls the filling pipe jammed and could not be shut, causing the overflow.”

11/27/1907: “FIRE IN THE HENNE BLOCK. Fire which started from an electric iron in Carl R. West’s tailor shop in room 309 Henne building about 12:30 o’clock this morning resulted in a loss of $10,000. […] The fire was discovered by J.P. Quinn, night manager of the A.D.T., which has offices on the ground floor of the building at No. 118 West Third street. A window in the tailor shop, which is on the light shaft, broke and dropped down on the skylight over the offices. He saw a tongue of flame shoot out [word or words illegible] the shaft. He turned in an alarm. […]”

7/24/1908: “COMES FAR TO SLAP HIS FACE. Mrs. J.M Davis, who says she is the grand-daughter of a French count, reached Los Angeles yesterday morning from San Francisco. After luncheon, she called at the office of F.G. Huddleston in the Henne building, slapped his face, and half an hour later was arrested. At 2:30 o’clock she was fined $10 in Justice Rose’s court, paying promptly. Mrs. Davis said she came here to ‘have it out’ with Huddleston, and now declared she will ‘get even’ by having him arrested. She said she will slap him again. […] Huddleston sells panoramic pictures and photographs. Mrs. Davis said he has a collection of films and pictures of the San Francisco fire, worth, according to her estimate, more than $1000, which are owned jointly by B.S. Garrison of Santa Monica and herself. She wants the films and asked Huddleston for them. He refused to deliver, and the slapping occurred. Mrs. Davis told the court that Huddleston had slandered her. Huddleston was content to press the charge of battery, and went away flushed with victory.”

These are just a few of the stories of the naked city . . .

[FredH]

ER posted this photo recently and I noticed that it gave a nice view of the Hollywood Freeway crossing Figueroa Street just north of the Temple Street
overpass discussed recently.


LIFE (Detail)



In this earlier photo, we see traffic heading south on Figueroa, approaching the Temple Street overpass. On the left, is a gas station, California Street,
and some residential buildings. These were all eliminated when the freeway came through.



LAPL

p.s. - Looks like the nice TWA billboard fell victim too.

[Tourmaline]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

http://mattsko.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/dollop.jpg

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

I don't see those Postal scooters anymore. They probably were shipped off to Mexico or elsewhere..

Probably don't see phone booths like that either.


1957 Cushman Mailster (Three wheel not-so-smart car?)
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...37fdae868d.jpg


http://nebraskahistory.org/images/si.../ammon/054.jpg



http://nebraskahistory.org/images/si.../ammon/065.jpg

hotograph caption dated June 17, 1959 reads, "Ray Hyers, 12-year-veteran mailman on North Hollywood delivery route, learns new tricks of modern mechanized postal operation as he backs Mailster to simulated loading dock. Three-wheel vehicles will eliminate need for distribution trucks and transportation for postmen, Postmaster E.T. Carpenter said." Mr. Hyers is practicing his parking skills in the May Co. Department Store parking lot in North Hollywood.

http://jpg1.lapl.org/00118/00118435.jpg

[ethereal_reality]

Excellent find FredM!

Here's your photograph a bit larger.


LAPL





I don't know the location of this particular TWA 'Constellation' billboard, but it's mighty fine.


Getty

Especially that Constellation model on top!

_

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by Tourmaline

http://jpg1.lapl.org/00118/00118435.jpg

My guess is that these were eliminated for safety reasons. Can you imagine being in a automobile collision accident in one of these doohickeys?

[Those Who Squirm!]

My apologies if this has already been mentioned, but the picture below is the opposite side of the building from where the old one was taken. The smaller buildings you mentioned may very well still be there, although if so their facades have been simplified or otherwise changed.

The Washington Building occupies the point of a very narrow triangular block in which several of the adjacent buildings extend from Washington to Culver and have entrances on both streets. The small building you can see just to the right of the Washington Building in the current photo is probably the same one seen to its left in the historic photo.

ETA: County Assessor records show that the two buildings to the west of the Starbucks/Washington building were built in the late 1940s. Unless I'm very much mistaken the parked station wagon visible in the photo can't be any older than the late 1950s, which would mean the buildings are still definitely there.

Originally Posted by HossC

That's the Washington Building at 9724 Washington Boulevard, Culver City. The smaller buildings on the left seem to have gone.


GSV

[Those Who Squirm!]

I take great pleasure in announcing the publication of the latest post in my L.A.-themed blog, Wandering In L.A. Here you'll find more than you ever wanted to know--nay, more than you ever even imagined it would be possible for you to know--about the former Capitol Milling Company site in Chinatown. To whet your appetites I'll add a few pictures here.

Just How Old Is The Capitol Milling Facility on North Spring Street? Well, It's Complicated...


CMC Building seen from stairs to Chinatown Station platform (Own work)


CMC, late 1880s. (Downloaded from www.waterandpower.org)



1856 Survey including mill site. North is to the right. (Downloaded from Huntington Library Digital Collection)


1856 Survey compared to and then superimposed on present day site. (Present day image downloaded from the L.A. County Assessor's website -- link not portable)

[HossC]

Originally Posted by Those Who Squirm

My apologies if this has already been mentioned, but the picture below is the opposite side of the building from where the old one was taken. The smaller buildings you mentioned may very well still be there, although if so their facades have been simplified or otherwise changed.

The Washington Building occupies the point of a very narrow triangular block in which several of the adjacent buildings extend from Washington to Culver and have entrances on both streets. The small building you can see just to the right of the Washington Building in the current photo is probably the same one seen to its left in the historic photo.

Thanks, Those Who Squirm. I never thought to look at the Culver Boulevard side of the building, although the width of the end wall should've been a giveaway. The view in e_r's photo is now obscured by trees, so I went with an aerial. You're probably right about the small building on the west side, although the front now looks very different.


Google Maps

[ethereal_reality]

I was looking at the Baist map Hoss posted yesterday.

I didn't realize there was both a Lankershim Bldg. and a Lankershim 'Block' a few doors down.


detail

_

[HossC]

I don't think there's anything connecting the two buildings in today's Julius Shulman post. That probably explains the title: "Job 4734: Miscellaneous, 1971". I was going to post the black & white version of this first image, but then I saw the color of the Thunderbird in the foreground and my decision was made. There are several other images in the set showing other angles.



Getty Research Institute

The post office still looks pretty much the same today, standing at 1075 N Tustin Street in Orange.


GSV

The other building I picked is the Loew's Valley Circle, a two-screen theater.



I assume these are lights, but they look like a pair of figures to me.



Getty Research Institute

The page at cinematreasures.org lists the address as 23305 Mulholland Drive, and notes that it's no longer there. It doesn't give a demo date, but I checked out Historic Aerials, and it seems to have gone between 1989 and 1994. One commenter, bpatrick666, says "I remember this theaters demise. ... It was purchased by the company that at the time ran CHUCKY CHEESE. It was in the process of becoming a Chucky cheese when the company fell ojn [sic] hard times. The conversion was never completed and the theater sat for quite some time as a freakish abandoned theater with odd chucky cheese gear half installed. It was a sad way to see a theater die."

Seeing as the theater was showing Michael Caine's 'Get Carter' in the picture above, I'll toast its memory with "A pint of bitter ... in a thin glass!" .

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by Blaster

Where's Cecil?

ktla/history






https://beanyandcecil.com/rip-stan-f...omedy-nirvana/

Doye O'Dell's tiny town Park in Compton? -is anyone familiar with this place?



http://www.cartoonbrew.com/rip/stan-...88-111276.html

Stan Freberg obituary from 2015. (he was so much more than 'Cecil')
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/08/ar...ies-at-88.html

One of his most popular comedy records was a 1951 soap-opera parody in which characters named John and Marsha say only each other’s names
— sometimes shouting, sometimes pouting, always fervently emoting. "Johhhhhhn.......Marrrrrshaaaa"

__

[HossC]

As soon as you mentioned Stan Freberg, I immediately thought of his version of Harry Belafonte's "Banana Boat (Day-O)".

• Video Link

Don't play it too loud, man .

[Earl Boebert]

Noted without comment:



[from burleskateer.tumblr.com]

Cheers,

Earl

[ethereal_reality]

That Stan Freberg rendition of Banana Boat is hilarious Hoss!

He also created a parody of the popular police series “Dragnet” set in the Middle Ages.
Stan played the detective hero (imitating Jack Webb) rescuing a maiden from a fire-breathing dragon.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUdFLyNCeI4
click on link to listen.

_

[Those Who Squirm!]

Originally Posted by HossC

Thanks, Those Who Squirm. I never thought to look at the Culver Boulevard side of the building, although the width of the end wall should've been a giveaway. The view in e_r's photo is now obscured by trees, so I went with an aerial. You're probably right about the small building on the west side, although the front now looks very different.


Google Maps

I used to love the Starbucks there when I lived about a mile away. Once I realized it wasn't worth the bother of bringing a computer, because I never stayed there long enough to accomplish any useful work on it, I went old school and brought a book to read instead. The outdoor seating area was great.

[ethereal_reality]

Remember this mystery location?


eBay



clue: the 'golden key'

Originally Posted by Jungmann

I believe the building with the gold key is the former site of the Jewish Federation at 590 North Vermont Avenue.

I recently found this illustration of the Jewish Federation/ Community Center.


lapl / 1950 illustration




The mid-century building looked like this in 2013. (now it's West Coast University)


http://westcoastuniversity.edu/wcu6/...WtgaAvjx8P8HAQ

Originally Posted by Jungmann

"The U-shape, three-story building built in 1950/51 was once known as the Jewish Pentagon. It housed the federation until 1976."-L.A. Times

"was once known as the Jewish Pentagon."

hmmmm....it's not shaped like the pentagon....& it's not as large as the pentagon


google_earth

...so why was it known as the Jewish pentagon?
__
(I believe the answer is given below)





It turns out, the Jewish Federation Building was built on the ruins of this beautiful old mansion.


http://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2015...ame-house.html




This is the Bergstrom estate at 590 N. Vermont on the SE corner of Vermont and Clinton in East Hollywood.

Built in 1906, it was the home of architect George Edwin Bergstrom (who designed the Pentagon) and was considered "one of the showplaces of Southern California."
It was also praised for using modern construction materials that would help make it more resistant to earthquakes."

....and here's a description of the grounds from 1915.

"The grounds comprise nearly five acres, having a frontage on the east side of Vermont Avenue by a depth of 300 feet on Clinton Street. The landscaping effects are elaborate, including a wide sweep of lawn, numerous shaded walks and drives and gardens, both formal and informal. The entire property is surrounded by an ornamental brick wall that is the height of a man's head and which is declared to have cost a small fortune in itself."


Sadly, the Bergstrom Estate and it's beautiful grounds were demolished in 1950 to build the Jewish Community Center.

So it seems rather odd that the new building was known as the "Jewish Pentagon".....since they tore down the guy's mansion!
_______________________________________________________


On a brighter note:

There are brief glimpses of Bergstrom's mansion on celluloid.


Here's Buster Keaton standing in front of the Bergstrom Estate gate from"Cops" [1922]


https://silentlocations.wordpress.co...rim-game-cops/

The gate scene from "Cops" was 'inter-cut' with scenes filmed 4 miles away at Sunset and Detroit. -John Bentson




In this opening shot from "The Grim Game" [1919] (starring Houdini) you can see the Bergstrom mansion towering above the gate.


http://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2015...ame-house.html


"The Grim Game" also gives you a rare look inside the gate.
https://silentlocations.files.wordpr...im-game-21.jpg


Lastly, here's Snub Pollard trapped by the mechanized sliding gate in "Fresh Paint" [1920]
https://silentlocations.files.wordpr...h-paint-19.jpg
___________________________________



A select list of other notable buildings by George Edwin Bergstom:

Ansonia Apartments, Los Angeles California (1916)

Anthony, Earle C. Incorporated Building #1, Los Angeles, California (1911)

Brownstone Hotel, Los Angeles, California (1905)

Citizens Bank Building, Pasadena, California (1914)

Ford Motor Company Factory, Los Angeles, California (1912)

Grauman's Metropolitan Theatre, Los Angeles, California (1921–1923)

Johnson, O.T., Commercial Building #3, Downtown, Los Angeles, California (1906)

Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged, Los Angeles, California (1906)

Pasadena Municipal Auditorium, Pasadena, California (1925–1932)

The Pentagon, Headquarters of U.S. Department of Defense (Sep 1941- Jan 1943), Washington, DC

Rowan Building, Downtown, Los Angeles, California ( 1911–1912)

Security First National Bank, Office Building, Downtown, Los Angeles, California (1915–1916)

Spreckels Brothers Warehouse, Los Angeles, California (1909)

Trustee Company of Los Angeles, Office Building, Downtown, Los Angeles, California (1906)

Union Oil Company Office Building, Downtown, Los Angeles, California (1911)

Washington Building, Los Angeles, California (1912)

____________________________________________________________
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Bergstrom

[BDiH]

The mid-century building looked like this in 2013. (now it's West Coast University)


http://westcoastuniversity.edu/wcu6/...WtgaAvjx8P8HAQ



This looks like the old Los Angeles Press Club building. Am I wrong?

[ProphetM]

Since I know a lot of people here use Google Maps for their aerial views, I thought I would give you all a heads-up about something I have discovered. If, like me, you are annoyed and/or disgusted by the wretched "3-D modeled" surface that Google Maps now plasters across the actual aerial photos that we're trying to examine, I have a solution for you:

http://www.supercharge.info

This site's primary purpose is to map the Supercharger stations built by Tesla Motors, that Tesla car owners use to fast-charge their vehicles when traveling. Tesla does that job themselves on their own site and in their cars, but this fan site also maps stations that are under construction or not yet built, that have been discovered by enthusiasts.

The base map used is Google Maps, but when you switch to satellite view you get the old Google Maps aerial photo views, without the horrid 3-D overlay that distorts and obscures what you're trying to look at! It's a simpler interface than the old Google Maps used to be, but the rotate-able 45-degree angle views are there as well, for areas where there is photography (large cities). If I remember correctly the old Google Maps 45-degree views had one extra zoom level compared to the straight overhead, and that's the only thing missing from this, as far as I can tell.

So, if you're sick of distorted 3-D modeled trees and mis-rendered buildings getting in your way, check it out!

[wilberfan]

Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson

Ate at this Coffee Dan's many times, Reseda being my post childhood home (having lived in Hollywood until my 9-10th birthday). Although if truth be told, I was more likely found down the street at Biff's. Coffee Dan's was more upscale, Biff's made more sense for us rowdies. BTW, yes SW corner. Also, when I reached an age to buy my own clothes Greene's was my joint.

Could you help me identify where the Biff's would have been? And whether it was still there in the Summer of 1996?

[Flyingwedge]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

It turns out, the Jewish Federation Building was built on the ruins of this beautiful old mansion.


http://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2015...ame-house.html

This is the Bergstrom estate at 590 N. Vermont on the SE corner of Vermont and Clinton in East Hollywood.

....and here's a description of the grounds from 1915.

"The grounds comprise nearly five acres, having a frontage on the east side of Vermont Avenue by a depth of 300 feet on Clinton Street. The landscaping effects are elaborate, including a wide sweep of lawn, numerous shaded walks and drives and gardens, both formal and informal. The entire property is surrounded by an ornamental brick wall that is the height of a man's head and which is declared to have cost a small fortune in itself."


Sadly, the Bergstrom Estate and it's beautiful grounds were demolished in 1950 to build the Jewish Community Center.

Thanks, e_r, I never knew about the Bergstrom estate; I'm glad it can be seen in some films. The mansion
is at top center in this 1948 aerial (Vermont runs from top to bottom to the left of center and Clinton runs left
to right across the top):


Historic Aerials.com


BDiH, I also thought that was the site of the old LA Press Club! However, it was across the street on the NE
corner of Vermont and Clinton; this is the Clinton Street side in 1937. The LAPL says the building opened in 1928,
hosted a production of The Drunkard from 1933-59, and was the LA Press Club from 1960 to 1988. It's still there,
apparently now a nightclub:


00098254 @ LAPL