A few months ago, I posted a circa late 1800s photo of the grand (and lamentably long-gone) Bradbury mansion near the corner of Court and Hill Streets in downtown Los Angeles. This one was taken 30 years(ish) later, and we can see how all the greenery around it made it look like a much more established and lived-in place. Plus, the world now had automobiles for the people who lived in this incredible home to get around a rapidly growing Los Angeles.
I think the auto-colorizer did a pretty good job bringing this photo to life:
Another example of how we can fail to protect our heritage.
Wouldn’t that look nice on the Griffith Park acropolis?
Wonder what the original paint colors were?
Probably muted and unexciting. Those Victorians didn’t go in for vivid decor too much.
Hardly! The Victorians clipping coupons (bonds, not Ralph’s) were meticulous decorators. Each house was a display of aquired taste and refinement. Woodwork may have been highly varnished, or painted either white or in bright colors of yellow, green, or blue and perhaps even with complementary trim. Stonework was kept clean to show natural color. Brickwork stood out. Roofs would also have color, perhaps even green or red. (Not sure if blue of Europe was seen in SoCal.) Aging is what made so many of these houses begin to look boring to younger generations. But they were well built and lasted as long as the maintenance held up..something later folks weren’t to interested in doing. Clipping a lawn edge with hand held shears just ain’t easy peasy. And what happened to the original coach port on the right? The automocontraption did it in?
I don’t see a “coach port” on the right. Just what looks like a wrap-around porch. A porte cochere would off to the side — attached, but not part of the main house.
It’s seen in the very early shots that Martin posted in the past.
Thanks! I’ll have to look for them.