This shot of 1st and Spring Streets in downtown Los Angeles was probably taken in the 1890s. We can see one of the early electric streetcars rolling up Spring Street at it curves to the right (Spring Street no longer does that) toward Hamburger’s department store (started in 1881.) The only other vehicles we can see are horse-drawn—it won’t be long until that situation changes on the streets of L.A.

Tony V says: “The first of Asher Hamburger’s stores, The People’s Store opened in 1881, but one block east on Main and a few blocks north on Requena Street. The store on Spring was his second one.”