noirish Los Angeles

[odinthor]

Just some stray thoughts from a longtime map lover. It makes for some very interesting reflections to ponder the birds-eye maps. Obviously their intent was not that of a cartographer; and yet, I suspect that someone new in town who was not interested in linear feet and the precise degree of angles--in other words, the vast majority of people--would gain a more memorable and thus useful impression, and one with a sufficiency of accuracy, not only of particular neighborhoods but also of the city as a whole, from the birds-eye map than from a detailed cartographer's map.

Their faults are obvious. As an example, here's the detail of one we've been looking at:


LOC

Structures are very largely conventionalized. (I immediately looked at the Avila place on Olvera St., which if it ever looked like that I would be much surprised.) Open spaces are grassy green and often forested with conventionalized fir trees, which is an un-Angeleno look. And yet . . . attention--if hasty and sketchy--is paid to distinctive features of buildings, their number of floors, how they relate to one another, their facades and roofs, their cupolas, steeples, and towers and how they looked at a glance, which is surely all the time those employed in producing the sketches for the project had.

It would be interesting to read what the instructions were for these sketchers, how much time they had to accomplish their feat, and the adventures they had in the doing of it all. A certain amount of further research was done, as I seem to recall that, when we looked into this previously some time ago, a few buildings still in the construction or planning phase in 1909 were showing up on the map, and that it was extremely up-to-date.

I'd guess that the companies and buildings named on the map were largely those who paid an extra fee "up front" to be included that way; and that further income from it was what one might expect, from those attracted to the map enough to purchase a copy. This is the kind of map an Angeleno would send to the folks back in Omaha, with a big red circle around a little structure: "Look, Ma, this is where I live now! I'm the third window on the left!"

[Those Who Squirm!]

Originally Posted by odinthor

Just some stray thoughts from a longtime map lover. It makes for some very interesting reflections to ponder the birds-eye maps. Obviously their intent was not that of a cartographer; and yet, I suspect that someone new in town who was not interested in linear feet and the precise degree of angles--in other words, the vast majority of people--would gain a more memorable and thus useful impression, and one with a sufficiency of accuracy, not only of particular neighborhoods but also of the city as a whole, from the birds-eye map than from a detailed cartographer's map.

Their faults are obvious. As an example, here's the detail of one we've been looking at:


LOC

Structures are very largely conventionalized. (I immediately looked at the Avila place on Olvera St., which if it ever looked like that I would be much surprised.) Open spaces are grassy green and often forested with conventionalized fir trees, which is an un-Angeleno look. And yet . . . attention--if hasty and sketchy--is paid to distinctive features of buildings, their number of floors, how they relate to one another, their facades and roofs, their cupolas, steeples, and towers and how they looked at a glance, which is surely all the time those employed in producing the sketches for the project had.

It would be interesting to read what the instructions were for these sketchers, how much time they had to accomplish their feat, and the adventures they had in the doing of it all. A certain amount of further research was done, as I seem to recall that, when we looked into this previously some time ago, a few buildings still in the construction or planning phase in 1909 were showing up on the map, and that it was extremely up-to-date.

I'd guess that the companies and buildings named on the map were largely those who paid an extra fee "up front" to be included that way; and that further income from it was what one might expect, from those attracted to the map enough to purchase a copy. This is the kind of map an Angeleno would send to the folks back in Omaha, with a big red circle around a little structure: "Look, Ma, this is where I live now! I'm the third window on the left!"

Interesting questions here. I suspect there was a local association of business owners, a chamber of commerce perhaps, which funded these maps, ultimately.from the members' dues. As a cartographic resource this map isn't much good, but as a kind of geographic precursor to the Yellow Pages it must have been useful. The focus seems to be more B2B than on ordinary consumers.

The Avila house seems to be the third building up from the Plaza, and appears to be a small one-story structure, so not too far from the truth. Were you thinking of the next one south, i.e. the Plaza substation? We see that this too has been conventionalized, with its stepped quasi-Dutch style roof line barely acknowledged. And don't get me started on the block bounded by N. Spring, Sunset, New High, and Belkevue. If it ever remotely resembled that I will eat every hat I own.

Fun fact: When I first visited Olvera Street as a youngster, I thought the substation was some kind of Spanish mission, because the facade looked to me vaguely like a church.

[ethereal_reality]

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Interesting discussion odinthor and Those Who Squirm!




Here's a nice snapshot that recently appeared on eBay.


eBay

So. .um. . where was the photographer standing to get this particular view? (I honestly don't know)



reverse
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[ethereal_reality]

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Here's another one-of-a-kind snapshot.

The beautiful Arcadia Hotel in Santa Monica in 1903.


eBay

It would burn to the ground six years after this photograph was taken.



More on the Arcadia here

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[HossC]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Here's a nice snapshot that recently appeared on eBay.


eBay

So. .um. . where was the photographer standing to get this particular view? (I honestly don't know)

The photographer was somewhere near the intersection of Temple and Hill Streets, seen here around 1940.


LAPL

[ethereal_reality]

Thanks, Hoss. I appreciate it.

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[unihikid]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Here's another interesting photograph currently on eBay

"Boy Scouts America Parade Float Master Campfire Inglewood CA 1920s"



eBay

This certainly doesn't look like Inglewood to me. ..It looks so spare. . . .and the fir trees made me think it might be some place up north)




Here's the hand written information on the back.



I haven't had a chance to see if the building is still there. (although I highly doubt it)


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So i decided to dig a little more at least to pinpoint a date of the picture. I found out John Hill was Scoutmaster of Troop 263 starting in Feb of 1933. In 1932 H.R Crum was the scoutmaster. Mr. Hill went on to become the Committee Member in the unit after 1938. Also they would meet at the Scout Cabin on Freeman and Lennox every Tuesday( each city had a building that would be used by youth). The unit stayed around until 1987 having started in 1926.

Below you can see Mr. Hill listed as SM. Also Mr Alfred Strain who is mentioned on the back of the picture is listed as "TC" which might stand for training chairmen?

[GaylordWilshire]

I've been asked to identify this LA house, which appears in an episode of Mannix. The sloping location next to an apartment building looks familiar--could we have seen it here before on NLA? Anyone recognize it?

NEVERMIND! Almost as soon as I posted that, I found it...it still stands at 767 Garland Ave. Built in 1900.

[ethereal_reality]

obviously haunted.


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[ethereal_reality]

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Does anyone know if Kay Frances owned rental properties?

"1959 Los Angeles Frances Kay House 35mm Kodachrome slide photo California"


eBay


There is an address and date (Aug. 31, 1959) written on the slide.






"I'm Kay Francis with an "i", not Kay Frances with an "e", stupid."

[ethereal_reality]

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I happened upon this cool image during our recent discussion about the Igloo Ice Cream Stand.

"Festive days are all over at Pico Rivera's Mount Baldy Inn, a dance hall built in 1927 to resemble a mountain." ..- Los Angeles Herald Examiner


Calisphere

As stated above it shows the Mt. Baldy Inn in Pico Rivera, circa 1984. The restaurant / nightclub was originally built by Gar and Lily McOmber in 1927, on a 6.6 acre property
on the 9600 block of Whittier Blvd. During the depression it became world famous for its freshly squeezed orange juice." (oh, and barbeque sandwiches)

Scott McDaniel



Post-script.
..It was briefly called Shangri La around 1961.

There was a Shrangri La Motel attached to it / or on the same property.

"It was a fire trap inside with a maze of tunnels." (where'd they dance?)

Gleaned from these comments
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[Snix]

Pueblo Motor Hotel (1946, Don Nardizzi) 1750 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock
Then and now

Eagle Rock Sentinel Jan 30, 1947

Postcard via eBay

Today via GSV

[ethereal_reality]

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.. Interesting then and now, Snix. ..Good job.


It's frustrating that skyscraperpage is unavailable every third time I go to post something. ..Does anyone know what's going on?

I believe another member mentioned the problem a few weeks ago.
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[ethereal_reality]

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A mystery location for a dreary Saturday afternoon. (well it's dreary where I am)

This gem mine might be a bit far-afield (from Los Angeles) but it was (is?) located somewhere in Southern California.


eBay snapshot.................................................................................................................................................................................Is that tree trunk supposed to be some kind of a prehistoric monster?



Luckily there is writing on the reverse.


I just noticed it says "Pala Chief" above Gem Mine. (see close-up below)



Has anyone heard of the Pala Chief Gem Mine?

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[Bristolian]

Any connection to the Pala Casino/resort?

[HossC]

It appears to be about 3 miles northeast of the Pala Resort:

https://www.palachiefmine.com/

[ethereal_reality]

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Well that was fast!! ..Thanks Bristolian and HossC.


Miners at Pala Chief Mine in 1903.



And it appears the mine is still open. How fun is that.
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[Mackerm]

The mine itself is at Pala, but this attraction was at the Panama-California Exhibition 1915-1916 in San Diego.




San Diego History Center (Gem Mine on The "Isthmus")

[ethereal_reality]

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I see that there's a building attached to it on the right that isn't in the eBay snapshot. That said, I'm sure this is the same place. Good sleuthing, Mackerm.



Here's a slide of a theater that we haven't seen (often) on NLA. ..(I had actually forgotten all about it)

"Original Slide, Boulevard Theatre Cinema on Washington Blvd. Los Angeles, 1956"


eBay

The theater was located at 1615 W. Washington Boulevard and had 2,300 seats. ...It was torn down in the mid 1980s.

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[ethereal_reality]

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Here's an amazing snapshot of what appears to be streetcar accident.

Seller's description:.."1906 Original Photo Trolly Cars Inter-Urban Los Angeles Caption Back 3.5X5.5"


eBay

But the seller also adds:

Year of Production...1920s..(so where did the 1906 date come from?)

Original photo 8th and Olive, Los Angeles.

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