It’s hard to imagine that downtown Los Angeles ever had as much character as this. As a city grows—especially one that expanded as quickly as L.A. did in the first half of the 20^th century—so does the demand for space, so it can be unrealistic to wish that things never changed. But gosh oh my, wouldn’t it be lovely if Main Street in downtown L.A., seen here looking north from Fifth Street, still had those lovely trees, stately homes, and interesting Victorian architecture? Oh yes, and room for those horses and carriages, too.

Roughly the same view in May 2019: