In this circa 1930s photo, we’re looking east along Wilshire Blvd from Masselin Ave. On the left, with the canopy extending across the sidewalk is the Wilshire Bowl, which was a nightclub popular with the Hollywood crowd. In 1942 it became The Louisiana before transforming into Slapsy Maxie’s. On the right, that white tower was Desmond’s department store and in front of it Silverwoods, an upscale menswear store. Those streetlights were exclusive to the boulevard and were called “the Wilshire Lantern.” I wish they were still around today.
I call the street lights the “Wilshire Lady”, as each of the four edges of the decorative lamp is a nude bust of a flapper with a bobbed haircut. These 1927 cast-bronze masterpieces were removed from most of Wilshire Boulevard, but still exist between Park View Street and Figueroa Street.
I think I’ll call them Wilshire Ladies from now on, too. I didn’t know any of them were still around – I’ll keep an eye out for them. Thanks for the heads up.
What is the moderne building at extreme right?
I think that was Coulter’s department store.
I call the street lights the “Wilshire Lady”, as each of the four edges of the decorative lamp is a nude bust of a flapper with a bobbed haircut. These 1927 cast-bronze masterpieces were removed from most of Wilshire Boulevard, but still exist between Park View Street and Figueroa Street.
I think I’ll call them Wilshire Ladies from now on, too. I didn’t know any of them were still around – I’ll keep an eye out for them. Thanks for the heads up.