In the early days of Los Angeles, the rich built their fancy mansions on or near the top of the Bunker Hill neighborhood of (what we now call) downtown L.A. Not only because of the views, but the tops of the hills caught the best breezes, and in the age before air conditioning (and corsets for women) Angelenos took advantage of every breeze blowing their way. This photo, taken circa 1880s at Hill St near Fourth St, shows the wealthier homes looming on Bunker Hill over the more modest ones down below. It looks like Hill St wasn’t even paved yet.
Mansions and regular homes seen at Hill St near Fourth St in the Bunker Hill neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles, circa 1880s
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My friends and I would sometimes take the Red Car downtown to the underground station then take Angeles Flight up to Bunker Hill to walk around the area. Your photos bring back those memories as I’m writing memoirs at the age of 83
I’m glad to hear you’re writing your memoirs, James. All of us need to know what life was like before we came along.
The house to the right on top of the hill is, of course, the Crocker Mansion! I have a photo dated 1886 from the same angle on Hill St, maybe 50 feet north that looks like it was taken the same time. I love that beautiful house. It can be seen in all of the early photos of Angel’s Flight, until it was torn down to build the Elk’s Lodge!
Thanks, Gary!