noirish Los Angeles

[nadeau]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

The chainlink fence around the old motel tells me it's about to be torn down.




There's another possible clue in the distance. It's a red sign with white letters by the speed limit sign [35].

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Looks like a Smog Test site.

[ProphetM]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I just saw this photograph on eBay and I believe the location could possibly be L.A.

As you can see, the seller's description doesn't mention a location:...

Vintage Photo 4x6 Abandoned Run Down LIME MOTEL Neon Sign Vernacular


eBay

And unless I'm mistaken, it's the TIME Motel. . .not the LIME Motel.




Here's a close-up.



Does anyone know if there was ever a Time Motel in the Los Angeles area?



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I located this place.

Time Motel, La Mesa, CA, near San Diego.
https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/p...ia-CA-TIME.jpg

The site where I found the image is a link to a link, to a dead eBay listing, but the postcard photo shows a building with matching features - two-tone (probably metal) awning, tower with railing on the upper part. Once I had the city, further searches turned up an address of 7682 El Cajon Blvd. The site is now a fenced-off empty lot, and has been since at least the early 2000s. Earlier aerials I found were inconclusive - the slab floor of the building was left in place, and with low-res aerials it's very difficult to tell the difference between the slab and the roof of the old building.

Google Street View confirms. You can see the large modern building in the background with the big row of windows; it is now painted brown. There is still an Italian bakery/deli next door to the motel site, now called BMH Italian.
The biggest confirmation is that the pole which held the neon sign, with cross piece as seen in the old photo, is still on site. https://goo.gl/maps/zLB2KL7QEp8E8KSh7

[ethereal_reality]

You solved it! Thanks ProphetM.



7682 El Cajon Blvd.

Originally Posted by ProphetM

The biggest confirmation is that the pole which held the neon sign, with cross piece as seen in the old photo, is still on site.

And there it is. (the pole)




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[Scott Charles]

Originally Posted by ProphetM

I located this place.

Time Motel, La Mesa, CA, near San Diego.
https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/p...ia-CA-TIME.jpg

Nicely done!

[Noir_Noir]

Someone saved and refurbished the old motel sign.


ladylibertyevents.com

[CityBoyDoug]

vintageLife

LA - 1953

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

The chainlink fence around the old motel tells me it's about to be torn down.




I keep wanting to say it's a Hot Dog sign. . .but it's not.


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GSV

Kind of a slightly distressed area. To the left is an Italian restaurant and further down is an abandoned gas station. To the right is St. Martin Church, which has a school.

The GSV link below will take you to the street so you can look around>>>click on it:

https://goo.gl/maps/hMxxoPAJDBJSzHMq8

[ethereal_reality]

I recently posted views looking north and northwest from the Statler Hotel.

Here's a slide looking south from the Statler in 1962.

The seller describes it as. . .

VINTAGE SLIDE SL88 ☆ 1962 LOS ANGELES SKYLINE SMOG.


eBay

At first glance this looks much older than 1962. (to me)

If I remember correctly, the large building across the street, and down below, was a. . .ummm. . .Levi manufacturers. . .or. .had something to do with overalls.

The Hotel Figueroa is advertising their new pool, no doubt to entice the guests of the Statler to switch to a cheaper hotel.




A CLOSER LOOK.

detail

At left we see the Playhouse [GSV]. . . and on the right we catch a glimpse of the Clifton Apartments. (or was it a hotel at the time?)




The old Standard Oil Building [GSV], far left in the top photo, appears to be testing some of its product.





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[ethereal_reality]

Remember this mystery location?

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

eBay

So is this the command center for CHiPs?

Hoss is an expert on the TV show CHiPs so I'm hoping he'll recognize this place.

Originally Posted by HossC

Although they used the real CHP building (now replaced) at 777 W Washington Boulevard in 'CHiPs', I don't recognize this location.
The current CHP Communications Center is at 2901 W Broadway, and that's not the building in the photo either.

I briefly thought I finally found the location

this shuttered building (that used to be a communications center) down in San Pedro.



Note the large communication tower.



I even tried to get a glimpse at the back.






I happened upon this building

. . .because I searched the words "conmunications center" in the city directories. This, and only this, showed up.


lapl

But if you look at the gsv photos, the building on Mesa simply doesn't match the building 9in the slide) from any angle.
Also, the building would have looked more 'fire fighty' in the slide since it was a fire dept. bldg.


Here are some other suggestions:

CityBoyDoug says it might be the Motorcycle Command Center for Funerals but didn't give an address.
I would agree that the black and white awning and dismal logo in the 1977 slide, suggest..umm.. something.... morbid.


Mstimc says it looks like a CB Radio Shop in Anaheim that was south of La Palma on Magnolia. -but we don't have an address for that location either.
(I took a quick spin in the google-mobile & didn't see anything that matched Mstimc's description.

Click on their names to read their complete posts.

What was your handle, Mstimc? Mine was Snapshot.


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[ScottyB]

came across this photo from the 700 block of S Hill.


https://digital.hagley.org/PC20110308_509

This block has been visited here at least a few times
post 34340
post 25702
post 25687

thanks to HossC and Martin Turnbull

Lots of interesting details, including a window washer upstairs above Sanfords Cafeteria (listed in CD at 720 S Hill); glass block fans take note! Also, a billiards sign (behind those two wise guys- I believe that's Karl Malden on the right), a woman wearing a nose visor (I hope), glimpses of the Bankers Building, Subway Terminal, and a sign prohibiting turning left into alley.

[ethereal_reality]

Good eye, ScottyB.


The shadows tell me it's around noon time. The two "wise guys" might have just finished lunch. . .the one on the left appears to be using a toothpick. (maybe)

The bike left at the curb tells me bicycle thefts were rare.

The lady's nose reminds me of Witchie-Poo on H. R. PufnStuf. (I'm sure it's optical illusion)

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[Bristolian]

She reminds me of Spy vs. Spy from Mad Magazine.

[ethereal_reality]

There was a recent discussion about "old school" Chinese food.
Although this tiny cafe isn't Chinese, I believe it warrants an "old school" shout out.

It's the first [1956], and one of the last, Japanese restaurants in Boyle Heights.

The Otomisan at 2506 E. 1st. Street.


yelp




A glimpse inside.


yelp

...The restaurant seats a grand total of 17 people. (3 booths and 5 bar stools)


yelp

Believe it or not, there are 548 photographs! uploaded on Yelp. ...(looking through them is like a trip back to 1956)


P.S.If I have already posted about Otomisan on NLA just pretend that I haven't.

[Noir_Noir]

Originally Posted by ScottyB

came across this photo from the 700 block of S Hill.


https://digital.hagley.org/PC20110308_509

Just me ... or is there a gang of them with something attached to their noses?





Maybe those merry pranksters The Order of the Snout on a day out.

[oldstuff]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I thought we might have seen this real estate office on NLA....(I tripled checked. We haven't)


eBay

My kingdom for anyone who can figure out where this little hut of a real estate office was located.


The reverse isn't much help.

for search purposes: January 10, 1911




Back in 2012 I posted this Miramonte Park advertisement but there's no mention of an on-site office.



sopas_ej and Gaylordwilshire followed up with. . .





See GW's comparison photo Here


I would still like to know where that hut was located.

I find Arthur O. Leatart: Born on November 5, 1881 in Ohio. Died in Pasadena, CA in December of 1966.His wife was Goldie. They had at least two children, daughters, Clarion and Janis.

The directory for 1913 which includes him, lists a work address in real estate at Florence Avenue on the Northwest Corner at Long Beach Avenue. This may be the location of the little building in the photo
The 1920 Census indicates that he is living with his in-laws and working as a “representative” for “various factories” on his own account. This was at 1144 48th street in Long Beach and that house is still there.
When his family appears in the 1930 census they are living at 1861 Foothill Blvd, Pasadena. This area is now a Honda dealership. In 1930 his occupation is listed as a maker of table pads. He had an income listed at that time of $40,000

[ethereal_reality]

Thanks for the information, oldstuff. I really appreciate it.....I'll check out the nw corner of Florence Ave. & Long Beach Blvd.




A mystery location. ...Construction site, Los Angeles [1955]


old file /

Look at the profusion of weeds!






But WAIT, there's more!


This second photograph gives us two invaluable clues.


old file /.................................................................................................... More weeds!


#1....The street sign clearly says Sunset Blvd. but the side street where the photographer is standing is still a mystery.....I can't read the sign)

#2....The building under construction is for the Blue Cross Company.






Does anyone know what this thing is?


detail

It appears to be attached to the trunk of the tree.



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[Scott Charles]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

A mystery location. ...Construction site, Los Angeles [1950s] I think.


old file /

But WAIT, there's more!

This second photograph gives us two invaluable clues.


old file /

#1....The street sign clearly says Sunset Blvd. but the side street is still a mystery.

#2....The building under construction is for the Blue Cross Co.

The cross street is New Hampshire. We are looking at (what is now) the Kaiser Center for Medical Education and Research.

Google Maps

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

& while I have your attention:

Does anyone know what this thing is that appears to be attached to the tree?


detail

It looks like a siren.

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Isn't that just part of the street light?

[ethereal_reality]

You're right, Scott Charles.

I thought the mystery thingy was attached to one of the palm trees. ....(I was too busy looking at all the weeds)


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[HossC]

Here's how the Blue Cross building looked when Julius Shulman photographed it in 1956. My full post is here.

Originally Posted by HossC

This is "Job 2136: Allison and Rible, Blue Cross Building, 1956".

NB. Photobucket seems to have recently downsized all my larger images to 720px high, and I haven't had a chance to email them yet and ask why.

[Mstimc]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

What was your handle, Mstimc? Mine was Snapshot.

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LOL! I can't remember, but I'm sure it was something horrendous and disco-related!