These will mostly be photos of 221 through 251 South Bunker Hill Avenue.
The 1884 LA City Directory was the first to show addresses on this block of Bunker Hill Avenue. Before, the
listing was something like, "Bunker Hill Avenue between 2nd and 3rd." The 1884 LACD shows George M. Holton
(1845-1919) at at 123 S. Bunker Hill. He was an attorney; he was also Los Angeles County District Attorney
from 1885-86 and Chief Deputy District Attorney from 1895-99. His first wife, Corneliae, died in
1892, and
by 1901 so had three of their four children, including 17-year-old
Dane Mortimer. The 1920 City Directory
still lists Holton at the same house on S. Bunker Hill Avenue, by then renumbered 227.
Newspaper articles place Holton on S. Bunker Hill Avenue (presumably in the same house) in 1882. Holton
was the only person I could locate in limited searching on this block of SBH in the "pre-address era" and
in 1884 or later. [UPDATE: Frederick W. Sparr is listed at 117/221 SBH in the 1888 LA City Directory and
at "SBH near 3rd" as early as 1883].
Here's the 1888 Sanborn Map, showing 123 S. Bunker Hill Avenue and some of its neighbors. I wonder if 131
was really between 127 and 129? The writing on the unique shape at left says, "BR [brick] Foundation for D
[Dwelling] Work Abandoned at Present." The rectangle behind the foundation is a shed, and the empty lot to
the left/south is on the NW corner of South Bunker Hill Avenue and 3rd Street:
LA Public Library
This is the 1950 Sanborn Map. Like its neighbors, 123 SBH has been remodeled and renumbered:
LA Public Library
This c. 1890 photo looks SW at what would eventually become (from left to right) 245 (partial), 241, and
237-39 SBH. The porch over the front door of 241 isn't on the 1888 Sanborn, nor is the addition in the rear
of 237-39. However, both are on the 1894 Sanborn, so perhaps this photo really is c. 1890-94. Can anyone
identify the structure in the distance to the right of 237-239 SBH? It almost looks like a trestle. Also, there
appears to be a street above the mystery structure, but I cannot identify that either:
00060250 @ LA Public Library
This photo of 237-39 SBH is undated, but it may be c. 1956:
00026497 @ LA Public Library
Here are 237-39 (nice woodwork on the front porch!) and next door at 231 the Earlcliff Hotel in July 1957.
The Earlcliff went up sometime between 1894 and 1906:
00026635 @ LA Public Library
Here's a better look at the Earlcliff c. 1955:
00091465 @ LA Public Library
North of the Earlcliff was the old Holton house, 123/227 SBH. This is how it appeared on June 12, 1961,
with a bit of the Earlcliff on the left:
411271 @ Huntington Digital Library
Looking at the houses north of 227, we see 221 and its brownish roof, just a tiny bit of 211-217, followed by
209 with its dark green roof, then 203 SBH. The yellow fire hydrant is on the SW corner of South Bunker Hill
and 2nd Street; we can see just a little of 145 SBH beyond that. Thanks to
GW for including the caption,
which jogged my memory about having seen Frederick W. Sparr in the city directories at 117/221 SBH:
Quote:
Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire
HDL
Great photo caption: "This is 221 South Bunker Hill Avenue. Built between 1888 and 1894. Attributed to Frederick Sparr or Judge Halton. The Mattachine Society was in part born here in 1953; it was where Tony Reyes and Don Slater lived. Demolished circa 1963." Also love the "Coming or Going" Studebaker and the gold bathtub Packard. Just a great picture--dated Apr 20, 1957.
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This is a c. 1950 view of the rear half of the south side of 221 SBH:
00026491 @ LA Public Library
Here are, from left to right, 251, 245, and 241 SBH in 1962 or 1964. I believe the gray car at left is a
1955 Austin:
408099 @ Huntington Digital Library
Here's a closer shot of 251 SBH, c. 1956:
00026482 @ LA Public Library
Looking north on Hope Street on February 1, 1959, we see in the center the large, beige south side of
255-59 South Bunker Hill, on the NW corner of 3rd Street. The white, multi-storied structure behind it
is the Earlcliff, 231 SBH:
411340 @ Huntington Digital Library
This 1965 photo looks up at the rear of homes on South Bunker Hill Avenue. From left to right that's
237-39, 241, 245 (white), and 251:
00026528 @ LA Public Library
This c. 1966 photo looks north on South Bunker Hill Avenue, with 251 SBH the first house on the left and the
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in the distance:
00026609 @ LA Public Library
By the time this photo was taken on June 10, 1966, 245 South Bunker Hill was the only house remaining on the
west side of the street:
408136 @ Huntington Digital Library