This mansion is striking in a black-and-white 130-year-old photo; imagine how impressive it must have been to see it in real life. Built in 1886, it was known as the Bradbury mansion, named after Lewis L. Bradbury, who was hugely successful real estate developer, and who built the famous Bradbury building in downtown L.A. His home stood at 147 N. Hill St, just south of Court St, which I don’t think exists anymore. After a stretch as the headquarters of the Rolin Film Company, founded by Hal Roach, the mansion was torn down in 1929. If it were still around, it’d overlook Grand Park, not far from Los Angeles City Hall.
Mike S says: “The site of this house is about 40 feet up in the air above Hill Street in the Grand Park Plaza. Hill St was a tunnel that ran through Court Hill. Sadly, they bulldozed the entire huge hill and hauled it away.”
I don’t know the date of this photo, but it looks like it was taken much later. The area surrounding it looks more well established and gives us a better idea of what it looked like in situ:
And here’s one from 1899 which gives us an even broader perspective. You’ll find the Bradbury mansion in the top right-and corner:
How wonderful it would be if that home was still there, exactly where built, surrounded by high rises, etc, and well cared for.
Wouldn’t it? I’d like to think it would be a museum piece with a foundation for its upkeep and volunteer docents to show people through it.
A page to track this…photographer seems to be looking from an angle that points toward tower of the courthouse (unless he could levitate)…author indicates Court Flight was constructed up to landing in lower left of this photo: https://home.csulb.edu/~odinthor/socal8.html
Page flows toward Angels’ Flight along Clay. We sell hills being torn out, and then arrive at a view looking back at this area in the distance. Thanks Martin, for making me look at this closer.
An older discussion (w/diagrams) of this hill relating to the tunnels, court flight, and use of locations in film which sheds light on this amazing place: https://silentlocations.com/2013/10/31/las-early-hills-tunnels-preserved-in-noir-silent-comedies/