Originally Posted by ethereal_reality
[QUOTE=ethereal_reality;6112475]
MR,
thanks for the information on the Sunset Hotel & San Fernando Hotel. The two postcards are much more interesting with your help.
Also...I now know the two buildings that are looming in the background of these China City photographs.
The Sunset/Hill Hotel
detail
The San Fernando Hotel
detail
-note the back porch that we saw in
MR's photograph looking west on Ord Street.
the complete postcard
http://www.lmu.edu/
one more
ebay
It looks like the huge CHINA CITY sign is on the roof of the San Fernando Hotel. (is it?)
I've always been a bit perplexed by the parameters of China City. Was it directly across the street from these two aging hotels, or are the photographs misleading? It would be great if someone could outline China City on this aerial.
google aerial
ER - Here you go! (a few months late) I have outlined the borders of China City in red (above). It took up the entire block of Main, Ord, Spring, and Macy. Philippe's is outlined in blue. The San Fernando and Sunset Hotels were behind Philippe's on Ord. You can see these hotels in several of the photos above and below.
China City had four entrances. The main entrance was near the corner
of Macy and Main.
lapl
Another entrance was north of this on Main street.
lapl
A third entrance was on Ord Street, across from Philippe's.
(In this picture, I have also outlined the first two entrances)
lapl
The last entrance was over on Spring Street.
lapl
And yes, it does appear that the large China City sign was
attached to the top of the San Fernando Hotel - good eye!
lapl