Photograph of a view of students posing in front of the La Dow School in Los Angeles, ca.1885. A large number of young children can be seen lined up along a wooden picket fence in the foreground. Several adults are visible as well, standing behind the group at left. The two-story schoolhouse is in the background. It is a clapboard building with a tall bell tower at center. Two large trees are visible, one of which partially blocks the view of the school.
Photoprint reads: "The La Dow School. District formed in the late 60's. Named in honor of S.W. La Dow who gave the first site for a schoolhouse. Boundaries -- east, Figueroa Street, north Jefferson, south Manchester, west Pacific Ocean.
[Wow, just going to school every day was a field trip!] About 1873 acre purchased across street, southeast corner of Vernon and Normandie and two story building erected. Lower part classroom, upper hall for meetings, dances, etc. When two teachers were needed, a room was added about 1884. Also, as pupils increased new districts were formed in the old one to take care of them. In 1906, the district was within territory annexed by Los Angeles and it became a part of the L.A. City School system. In 1908 the old buildings were sold and moved away and a new building erected. This is now the Normandie [...] schools, 4416 S. Normandie Ave.
The old school house is now located on Vernon just east of Vermont and looks about the same as this photo shows it. Bell tower removed". [my emphasis]
[Text and picture from USC Digital Library:
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/search...1353738219214]
# # #
With the above italicized text in mind, here's 970 W. Vernon Avenue, just east of Vermont and about a half mile from Vernon and Normandie:
- Photo by me
The LA County Assessor website says 970 W. Vernon was built in 1899/1900, which doesn't match the info with the old picture, but it's listed as a commercial/industrial building, which could be consistent with the reuse of a former school building.
Obviously there are differences between the buildings in the two photos (e.g., the rear half looks bigger now -- enlarged when the bell tower was removed? -- and the windows on the front half are closer to the roof in the old photo). But unless the info for the 1885 photo is wrong, or other similar-looking buildings were built in the area back then (and there's nothing else like it on either side of that block of Vernon), it seems like it would be a coincidence if 970 W. Vernon isn't the former c. 1873 La Dow School.
Prev
Linear Mode
