noirish Los Angeles

[BifRayRock]

Raymond Theater - Circa '22 - 129 North Raymond Avenue, Pasadena.

Not as lucky as the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Preservation Limbo

http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...84Q7F8SYQQ.jpg

http://hometown-pasadena.com/wp-cont...0-Interior.jpg


http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/5...eatrepasad.jpg

[BifRayRock]

Originally Posted by Mstimc

Has anyone else noticed the clock faces are showing two different times?

For years the building itself was more accurate as a sundial.

Like many of the properties in downtown Santa Monica, the Bay Cities Guaranty building suffered notable damage in the Northridge Earthquake. As the property was being qualified for landmark status, it underwent a $1.6 million seismic retrofit. Additionally, the four clocks adorning the clock tower, which had been broken since the Northridge earthquake, went through a $75,000 repair job. The 1929 clocks are now linked to a satellite system that keeps the time accurate. http://www.santamonicalandmarks.com/landmk64.html

http://www.smconservancy.org/wp-cont...esGuaranty.jpg

[ethereal_reality]

originally posted by BifRayRock


I am usually saddened when we lose architectural details, but those two churrigueresque columns on each side
of the entrance were truly over-the-top.


entrance sans (without) the columns

gsv

As a side note, I got my first hair-cut in Los Angeles on the second floor of this building. If I remember correctly, there was a side entrance
on Whitley Avenue. (that I've outlined in red)
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[Blaster]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I don't think that is Sonja, but that could be Herman Brix/Bruce Bennett. Didn't he win a silver in the 1928 games?
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Not sure if that's Sonja either but she did participate in the '28, '32 and '35 Olympics. And yes, Brix won silver in '28.

[BifRayRock]

Originally Posted by Blaster

Could that be Olympic stars Sonja Henie and Herman (Bruce Bennett) Brix flanking the sign?

Interesting observation. Bruce is a given. Sonja?
Bruce, was reputed to stand at 6'3." Sonja a foot shorter and diminutive. Yes, Sonja could have been wearing her skates (obscured by tire). She would have been about 19 when the picture was taken ('31) Over the years, she underwent a dramatic glamorization that makes it difficult (for me) to place her with Bruce. But I am just a lowly noir'er.*


1930
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...onja_Henie.jpg


http://blog.allanellenberger.com/wp-...a-olympics.jpg

http://www.hok.no/getfile.php/145921...ett%C2%A04.jpg


http://blog.allanellenberger.com/wp-...ix-herman1.jpg




Cody, née Bruce or Herman, was too stubborn for his own good. He just couldn't accept the explanation: "tracking tiger cats and anything of commercial value."


http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2...8mqvo1_500.gif



___________________________________



*Gosh, could the female pictured with Bruce be '32 Swimming Gold Medalist, Helen Madison or Georgia Coleman? At the time, '31, both would have had public acclaim comparable with Sonja. Helen was much taller/bigger than Sonja at 5'11" and seemed to be a brunette. Georgia's blonde hair seems to fit.

Madison had only warmed up. No one defeated her in 1930. No one came close to defeating her in 1931, the year the Associated Press named her its Female Athlete of the Year. Records tumbled in virtually every meet she entered, from distances ranging from 50 yards to a mile. http://sportspressnw.com/2124620/201...helene-madison

Gold Medal Diver, Georgia Coleman, on left. Helene on right.


http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l1...5q5oo1_500.jpg

Olympic swimmers Eleanor Holm, Georgia Coleman, Jane Fauntz, Agnes Geraghty, and Helene Madison, circa 1930
http://content.lib.washington.edu/cg...B=0&DMROTATE=0

Helene Madison, 'the wonder girl of Seattle,' who won 3 gold medals in swimming; sports writer Grantland Rice; Babe Didrikson, who won two gold medals and one silver medal in track and field events and later became a champion golfer; Will Rogers, vaudeville entertainer, political humorist, actor and radio personality; Georgia Coleman, who gold and silver medals in diving events; Braven Dyer, Los Angeles Times sports writer and radio sportscaster, who reported on the Summer Games for KHJ radio in 1932. http://jeff560.tripod.com/olympics.html

http://jeff560.tripod.com/olympics2.jpg

[BifRayRock]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

entrance sans (without) the columns

gsv

As a side note, I got my first hair-cut in Los Angeles on the second floor of this building. If I remember correctly, there was a side entrance
on Whitley Avenue. (that I've outlined in red)
__

Too bad about the missing columns. Big loss. The gingerbread exterior on the upper floor was well done too, as was the decorated sidewalk.

You may remember a different barber shop/hair salon entrance. Look closely and you will spot a barber pole on Hollywood Blvd. entrance. It could have still been there when you visited. (Original post re Dobbs was weak attempt to transition from one grooming establishment image - to another.)

http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...RG79EPH34X.jpg

http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...DMLC4GTXJ3.jpg

[ethereal_reality]

posted by BifRayRock


I believe Sonja's doppelganger is indeed Georgia Coleman.
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[Flyingwedge]

Let's set the Wayback Machine to 1888 Los Angeles. Attorney John Robarts (1843-1894) has his office at 40 N. Spring Street with law partner and future California Governor (1899-1903) Henry T. Gage. Robarts lives at 550 S. Main Street:

1888 LA City Directory @ Fold3.com

Forty N. Spring is in the Wilcox Block, just south of Court Street. It's the three-story building on the left in this c. 1903 photo:

USC Digital Library -- http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...d/7096/rec/154

Because in 1888 Los Angeles had not yet done away with 0-99 street addresses, 550 S. Main is at the NE corner of Main and 7th (north is at the bottom):


1888 Sanborn Map at LAPL

Although the 1888 Sanborn Map shows a home at the NE corner of 7th and Main, the Robarts Block was clearly built during 1888, because Dr. C. Edgar Smith advertised in the January 2, 1889, LA Herald that he had moved there:

Library of Congress -- http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lc...arRange&page=1

BTW, was Dr. Brinkerhoff's "sure and painless system" really painless, efficacious and fatality-free? Well, if his achievements before turning his talents to anal concerns are any indication . . . perhaps. He previously patented an inkwell, a fruit jar, and a cornhusker: http://www.fohbc.org/PDF_Files/Brinkerhoff_Sp2006.pdf

Anyway, here's the Robarts Block, NE corner of 7th and Main, on the 1894 Sanborn Map (north is on the right):

LAPL

Now let's move forward to July 16, 1894. Instead of going home to his family at 143 W. 24th Street, Robarts decides to spend the night at the Hammam Baths, 228 S. Main Street:

1894 Sanborn Map at LAPL

This 1888 photo looking north on Main shows the front of the two-story Hammam Baths building, just south of St. Vibiana's:

Huntington Digital Library -- http://cdm16003.contentdm.oclc.org/c...d/3582/rec/101

On the morning of July 17, 1894, Robarts went from the Hammam Baths to his office, still in the Wilcox Block but now at 138-1/2 North Spring . . .

1894 LA City Directory @ Fold3.com

. . . got a glass of water, sat down, and died. The janitor found him at 7:30 a.m., still warm, but quite dead. "Fatty degeneration of the heart," as it turned out.

His remains were removed from the Wilcox Block to the Orr and Bird undertaking parlor, which, conveniently for those involved, was just across the street at 147 N. Spring:

1894 LA City Directory @ Fold3.com

100 Block of N. Spring Street:


1894 Sanborn Map at LAPL

In this c. 1890-99 photo looking north on Spring, Phillips Block No. 1 is the tall building on the corner (NW corner of Spring and Franklin); the three-story building to the right housed Orr and Bird undertakers, whose parlor was on the ground floor under the third (far right) bay window:

USC Digital Library -- http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/2279/rec/16

This is a c. 1892-96 photo looking south on Spring. The Wilcox Block is on the left with "GROCER. COFFEES AND TEAS." on the wall. The undertakers are on the right, just past the short utility pole that has paddle-shaped signs on either side of it:

USC Digital Library -- http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/7098/rec/42

Backing up a few years, here is a similar view from c. 1881-88. See the "Central Market" sign at right? That's the meat market next to the undertakers on the 1894 Sanborn Map:

USC Digital Library -- http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/7092/rec/40

And who owned the meat market? Simon Maier, brother of Joseph Maier, of the Maier and Zobelein Brewery, which we have discussed here previously:

1894 LA City Directory @ Fold3.com / Info from CemetaryGuide.com -- http://www.cemeteryguide.com/gotw-maier.html

Although John Robarts was dead, the Robarts Block lived on. It was on the route of the 1895 La Fiesta de Los Angeles parade:

CA State Library -- http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...UPXNVAHV79.jpg


CA State Library -- http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...B2AV3TUFUD.jpg

And other parades, too:

CA State Library -- http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...5LIPL5JMCM.jpg

Looking south on Main, January 1, 1907. In the lower left corner is the Robarts' roof. The Robarts/St. Lawrence is now the Robarts/Faremont:

USC Digital Library -- http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co...5/id/929/rec/3

1920:

LAPL -- http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics18/00018967.jpg

This undated photo is looking west on 7th:

LAPL -- http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics09/00014156.jpg

Looking east on 7th, 1939:

USC Digital Library -- http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/21130/rec/1

c. 1950:

CA State Library -- http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...Y6E4THJ8RS.jpg

This is the 1906 Sanborn Map, updated to 1950. Note the little building with two storefronts on the north side of the Robarts Block:

LAPL

This aerial view from January 22, 1958 (the fire is at the Solnit Shoe Company, 817 S. Los Angeles St.) appears to show the Robarts Block (red circle) roofless and being demolished:

LAPL -- http://jpg1.lapl.org/00101/00101706.jpg

The LA County Assessor says the current building at the NE corner of 7th and Main (at the top center of the photo, to the right of the E-shaped Hotel Cecil) dates to 1958, and the small building to its immediate north -- from the 1906/1950 Sanborn Map -- dates to 1940. This is a 1960 aerial view:

USC Digital Library -- http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...d/21896/rec/47

And this is a June 2013 street view looking east across Main Street, with the Hotel Cecil at the far left. Those two storefronts on the left don't quite match the rest of the building, although they've been made a part of it:

Photo by me

The difference in back is quite stark:

Photo by me

That set me to thinking . . . if someone decided to retain that little 1940 building and incorporate it into the new 1958 building, maybe the 1958 building with its cinderblock outer walls wasn't entirely all new construction? Maybe the Robarts Block was another old building chopped down to one floor, and then added onto? I asked one of the guys who was renovating one of the storefronts (two photos up, third storefront from the right), but he put the kibosh on that notion. He said that although there was old brickwork in the basement, the interior ground floor walls were all plaster.

So although John Robarts' monument at 7th and Main is gone, his monument at Rosedale Cemetary is still very much extant:

FindaGrave.com --http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=84641718&PIpi=55385564

Most info from FindaGrave.com -- http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...&GRid=84641718

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

...and what the heck is that multi-colored ice cream cone thingy?
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That's a trash can but I have no idea the point of it being an ice cream cone.

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by Flyingwedge

This aerial view from January 22, 1958 (the fire is at the Solnit Shoe Company, 817 S. Los Angeles St.) appears to show the Robarts Block (red circle) roofless and being demolished:

LAPL -- http://jpg1.lapl.org/00101/00101706.jpg

Here are some additional views of the Solnit fire.


http://www.lafire.com/famous_fires/1...-0122-Fire.htm






http://www.lafire.com/famous_fires/1...-0122-Fire.htm







http://www.lafire.com/famous_fires/1...-0122-Fire.htm
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Great post by the way FlyingWedge!

[ethereal_reality]

...more from the 1958 Solnit Shoe Company fire. all from http://www.lafire.com/famous_fires/1...-0122-Fire.htm

















gawkers

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[ethereal_reality]

Last week, we discussed the viaduct that connected the new L.A. County Hospital with the older hospital buildings.
I found a few photographs of these older buildings. (all three photos are dated 1939)

County Hospital Osteopathic Unit

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/2668/rec/13





County Hospital Psychiactric Ward

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/se...l/order/nosort




County Hospital Intern's Quarters

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/se...l/order/nosort

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[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

When I first saw this building I thought castle..a huge fortified castle.


gsv
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I finally located a vintage photograph of the Los Angeles Ice & Cold Storage Company. -circa 1900



http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/1946/rec/53

Compare the two photos and you can see that the building was doubled in size (to the east) at some point in time.
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If you look closely you can see the 'two' buildings joined as one.

google earth

I had no idea about the addition until I found that 1900 photograph. -kind of a fun discovery
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[Wig-Wag]

Originally Posted by Chuckaluck

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=10291





Just a guess, the "6" may refer to an advertised interest rate, i.e., "6%." Modernly, it could be advertising the number of available parking spaces, or the average wait time (in hours) to obtain a parking space.

Chuckaluck, I would go with your hypothesis that the 6 sign on the Bay Cites Guaranty Building refers to the interest rate at the time. In the Interurbans' publication Lines of Pacific Electric - Wetern District, Volume 15, Number 6 - 1957, there is a picture of Hollywood Boulevard in 1929. In the background is a sign advertising Mutual of Omaha Pays 6%.





No date or location. (Pea gravel or worn macadam?)
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics46/00057619.jpg

I would argue for pea gravel as the surface seems to be below the level of the concrete the pump is on.

Now here's a question for any of you folks out there that ever worked as gas station attendants in your youth. Did you ever use this method of cleaning oil off the surface of the islands at closing time? 1. start the pump and shoot gasoline on the surface of the island. 2. Scrub heavy spots with a stiff push broom. 3. Put you finger over the radiator water replenishment hose to create a high pressure directional spray to push the oil now floating on the surface of the gasoline towards the driveway and into the gutter. 4. Hope no one rolled into the station with a lighted cigarette in their lips.

Cheers,
Jack

[ethereal_reality]

Offices of Hoffman-Schlager Inc. and David C. Werner Inc. 8776-8782 Sunset Blvd. in 1935.


http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/3910/rec/56



today.

gsv

The two buildings are located on a triangular lot where Holloway Drive merges with Sunset Blvd.



-rear view from Holloway Drive

gsv

Because of the sloped lot, there is more to the buildings than meets the eye. Both buildings appear much smaller when viewed on Sunset.
I lived just down the block on Hancock and would often walk up to the restaurant in the corner building.
Back then it was the Old World (or was it New World?) Cafe with plenty of outdoor seating.



Here's a wider view showing the whole corner, with Holloway Drive on the right.

gsv

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[BifRayRock]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Offices of Hoffman-Schlager Inc. and David C. Werner Inc. 8776-8782 Sunset Blvd. in 1935.


http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/3910/rec/56



today.

gsv

The two buildings are located on a triangular lot where Holloway Drive merges with Sunset Blvd.



-rear view from Holloway Drive

gsv

Because of the sloped lot, there is more to the buildings than meets the eye. Both buildings appear much smaller when viewed on Sunset.
I lived just down the block on Hancock and would often walk up to the restaurant in the corner building.
Back then it was the Old World (or was it New World?) Cafe with plenty of outdoor seating.



Here's a wider view showing the whole corner, with Holloway Drive on the right.

gsv

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Fondly remembered and formerly known as the Old World Restaurant. If only that standalone mailbox could talk!

1988
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics40/00039557.jpg

1991
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics16/00007761.jpg


1940 - Where Sunset forks with Holloway
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics40/00039538.jpg http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=6046


http://www.uwec.edu/Geography/Ivogeler/w188/h6.gif

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z7qgTPMsC0...-old-world.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LoTJhrNKqa...8/s1600/45.jpg




Anyone remember the easy-to-miss "Butterfield's?" 8426 Sunset Blvd? (Slightly east of "Blue's House") A place which John Barrymore may have been quite familiar.

1985
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics40/00039547.jpg


July 29, 1949 - West on Sunset
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics26/00047568.jpg



West of La Cienega on Sunset.
Circa '39
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics19/00009355.jpg



9000 West Sunset - circa '38 The Norma Talmadge Building. (Gone in '63)


http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics45/00072135.jpg


9018-9022 on the Strip in 1938 - dig the stained glass accents.
http://jpg1.lapl.org/00101/00101239.jpg


9023 Sunset Blvd. - The Crosby Building.
Circa '38
http://jpg1.lapl.org/00101/00101245.jpg

And further west - at the corner of Doheny and Sunset (9112 Sunset) Gates' Nut Kettle!
Circa '38
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics47/00058479.jpg

[Blaster]

I was watching a DVD of the first season of ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN and was startled to see that the Daily Planet Building wasn't the the familiar LA City Hall of later seasons but the Wilson Building at Wilshire and La Brea (before it donned its eventual Mutual of Omaha, Asahi and Samsung crowns).

[GaylordWilshire]

Blaster-- Here are a couple of old posts explaining the change from the Wilson Building to City Hall:


http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=2047


http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=2060

[Blaster]

Thanks, Gaylord.

In reference to your name and avatar, I've been a frequent customer at the Bounty for many years. They recently made some "improvements" to the decor but fortunately didn't do enough to wreck its ambience.

[ethereal_reality]

Wonderful photographs of Sunset Boulevard BifRayRock. -thank you for posting them-

I've often wondered why so many of the buildings on Sunset have the same architectural style (peaked roofs, shutters, bay windows etc.)? Was there a grand scheme that the builders (and architects) were following, or were they simply following the precedent set by the Sunset Plaza development?


http://laurelcanyonassoc.com/Canyon1920.html
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