“The Mission Play” was a was a three-hour pageant portraying the history of the California missions and was performed at the San Gabriel Mission, starting in 1912. This photo shows a bright electric sign atop the modest Eldon Hotel at 550 S. Broadway. This photo was taken in 1915 and I love how all that nighttime lighting from the clothing store and jeweler silhouettes the mid-1910s convertibles parked out front. At the time, The Mission Play was a famous tourist attraction. People would travel by rail to San Gabriel (roughly 10 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles) to experience the outdoor spectacle.
Miraculously, the building is still there and looks to be in pretty good shape. This image is from January 2017:
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: I would sell my soul to Ol’ Beelzebub hisself if I could just go back in time to be plopped down to live for one ONE MERE week in ANY ONE of Martin’s dreamy anachronistic L.A. photos. But this photo really fleshes out a fantasy; can just imagine pulling up in your Model A with your date for this interesting play that details the history of California? I can.
Whatever that “SILV”er-thing is, they’ve sure got a neat crest on the left of the name. Not something a lone independent normally does…more like a major retail chain. I’m willing to go the longshot here and bet, given the era, at least one of those vehicles is a Maxwell. And an Overland might not be too surprising either.
“The Mission Play” was a was a three-hour pageant portraying the history of the California missions and was performed at the San Gabriel Mission, starting in 1912. This photo shows a bright electric sign atop the modest Eldon Hotel at 550 S. Broadway. This photo was taken in 1915 and I love how all that nighttime lighting from the clothing store and jeweler silhouettes the mid-1910s convertibles parked out front. At the time, The Mission Play was a famous tourist attraction. People would travel by rail to San Gabriel (roughly 10 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles) to experience the outdoor spectacle.
Is that Silverwood’s men’s store next door?
No, but Silverwoods was close by.
Another stunner!
Tell me again why digital photography is better? I keep forgetting.
Ummm…errrrrr…because it’s Instagramable…?
Silly me.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: I would sell my soul to Ol’ Beelzebub hisself if I could just go back in time to be plopped down to live for one ONE MERE week in ANY ONE of Martin’s dreamy anachronistic L.A. photos. But this photo really fleshes out a fantasy; can just imagine pulling up in your Model A with your date for this interesting play that details the history of California? I can.
Join the club, Rich!
Whatever that “SILV”er-thing is, they’ve sure got a neat crest on the left of the name. Not something a lone independent normally does…more like a major retail chain. I’m willing to go the longshot here and bet, given the era, at least one of those vehicles is a Maxwell. And an Overland might not be too surprising either.