In this photo, we’re looking at a building that no longer exists on a street corner that no longer exists. It’s the Amestoy Building (on the left) which stood at what is now approximately 260 N. Main St in downtown Los Angeles on the corner of Market Street, which isn’t around anymore. Look at the attention to detail that went into this building (constructed 1887, demolished 1958, this photo taken 1939) – that elaborate turret, the decorative motifs around the edges and windows. They sure don’t make ’em like that anymore. And you go next door to the U.S. Hotel for a dairy lunch.
Roughly the same view in December 2020:
You COULD, however, hang out and keep an eye out for Joe Mannix… 😉
ALWAYS keep an eye out for Joe Mannix.
I worked in City Hall for 26 years, so I walked past this location thousands of times. I didn’t know that this building, or in fact this street, had once been there.
I bought some old enlarged postcard views of the City Hall area years ago to frame and hang on our office walls. One of them showed an aerial view of the side of the street where City Hall East is now. (That’s the building at the right edge of the current photo.) Our janitor, who’d worked in City Hall for decades, looked at this image and immediately pointed to each individual building while explaining what business had been there. I’ve always regretted not grabbing a pen and paper and writing down that information.
It is start contrasts like this that make me laugh when I have been questioned about why I go to Europe so often. Because, well, this! I get to see buildings that have been around for hundreds of years. Here, we tear down works of art like the original two, all in the name of progress. What a damn shame. Those were gorgeous. We still have some like that around Chicago, but here too, there is very little respect for older structures.
I love going to Europe for exact that reason.