This rather stunning nighttime view was taken during WWII dim outs in 1943. That building in the foreground was the Hall of Records, which gathered together most LA county offices under one roof and lasted until 1973. (The land on which it stood is now the easternmost section of Grand Park.) Although prowling the streets of LA during a dim out was probably frowned upon (in the post-Pearl Harbor era, Angelenos didn’t know if there might be another surprise attack from the Japanese) it would have been thrilling to roam the deserted and shadowy cityscape.
I remember the first weeks of the blackout, and from our Hollywood hillside back yard, I remember how eerie it was to look down along Cahuenga Pass and see the unlit roads and late in the night, hearing the old semaphore traffic signals going “ka-long” out of the darkness. I was 10 years old when Pearl Harbor happened…therefore, the blackout memory would have been a year or two later. It stuck with me!
This rather stunning nighttime view was taken during WWII dim outs in 1943. That building in the foreground was the Hall of Records, which gathered together most LA county offices under one roof and lasted until 1973. (The land on which it stood is now the easternmost section of Grand Park.) Although prowling the streets of LA during a dim out was probably frowned upon (in the post-Pearl Harbor era, Angelenos didn’t know if there might be another surprise attack from the Japanese) it would have been thrilling to roam the deserted and shadowy cityscape.
Thank you for this picture. I have seen many similar photos taken from City Hall looking west toward Bunker Hill but not night-time views.
It seems like a whole different city, doesn’t it?
It was a whole different city then as you well know, and I lived there. Thanks again.
I remember the first weeks of the blackout, and from our Hollywood hillside back yard, I remember how eerie it was to look down along Cahuenga Pass and see the unlit roads and late in the night, hearing the old semaphore traffic signals going “ka-long” out of the darkness. I was 10 years old when Pearl Harbor happened…therefore, the blackout memory would have been a year or two later. It stuck with me!
I can imagine those memories would have stuck with you! I also never knew what sound the semaphore sounded like, so thanks for that!
You can see light jetting out from Hill Street Tunnel #1 east face just beyond the upper right corner (below it) of the Hall of Records.