The moment I saw this photo, a song started up in my head. “Clang, clang, clang went the trolley…” That song is, of course, from MGM’s “Meet Me in St. Louis” which is set in 1904. This photo was taken on July 4th, 1902, so I was close. What’s going on here is that Angelenos are boarding Pacific Electric’s streetcar #219 on its first day of service from Los Angeles to Long Beach. Maybe their Julys weren’t like our Julys, but I still pity the two women boarding the streetcar in floor-length dresses.
You can learn more about this streetcar line here.
…and everyone except the one boy is wearing a hat. Could be “clang, clang, clang went the trolley” or could be “Get out your feathers / Your patent leathers / Your beads and buckles and bows / For there’s no blue Monday in your Sunday clothes!” ;o)