This photo gives us an idea of what Third Street in downtown Los Angeles looked like in around 1890. That prominent hill in the background is Bunker Hill, which got flattened in the 1960s. We can see that the street wasn’t sealed yet, which must have made it very hard going for the horses to negotiate that steep hill during the wet season. And look how wide that sidewalk is. Where that made on the right is walking with the two kids, it doesn’t look sealed either. But ahead of them, in front of the 2-story mansion it looks like it’s been nicely paved over. And that makes me wonder if homeowners were responsible for their stretch of sidewalk back then…?

Neil B. says: “As far as I know at least into the 1970’s home owners or apartment house owners were responsible to maintain their bit of side walk. If someone is injured for example due to cracks, raised pavement or something than the owner or their insurance is responsible. How strictly adhered to this is I no longer know as the infrastructure has so greatly deteriorated during past decades. In any case back then I might imagine that if you had money you showed your affluence by paving in front of your dwelling. The city probably did not have the money or organisation to pave the varied and growing areas. It must have been a bit chaotic but an interesting time. Leveling Bunker Hill was a bit of a fools errand actually. Every hill and valley in LA were created by Earthquakes. One doesn’t notice when driving an auto how steep some streets are unless you are cycling as I did along Wilshire between the Hilton Hotel and Westwood Village.”

Tony V. says: “Bunker Hill was not “flattened”. A visit to The Music Center, The Broad or The Disney Concert Hall can prove that. Bunker Hill today is not as high as it was originally by about 60 feet. All the other Downtown Los Angeles hill tops have been lowered over the years in the belief that it made them more appealing for development.“