Across Wilshire Blvd from the Ambassador Hotel and across Alexandria Ave from the original Brown Derby was the Chapman Park Hotel, which stood on the northwest corner from 1936 to late 1960s on a 5-acre site with a tower and bungalows. This photo was taken in 1947 and features its public bar, the Zephyr Room. Those two towers in the background belonged to radio station KFAC who, starting in the mid-1930s, broadcast classical music from the Packard Bell building at 3457 Wilshire that had once been a showroom for Auburn and Cord automobiles.
For more information and images of the Chapman Park Hotel, go HERE.
In 1969, the Chapman Park Hotel was replaced with the Equitable Plaza office building. (I know which one I prefer.) This image is from November 2021.
What a magical location this once was, with the Ambassador, the Brown Derby, and the Chapman all together.
Wish i had lived in those days
Join the club!
As a kid my aunt was the maid for the Chapman family in Fullerton. I was young but remember them getting lots of furniture from the closing hotels. My mother took a few pieces. I always thought it was the Alexandria hotel but it was Alexandria and Wilshire. It makes sense now. The Vhapman family was so caring for my aunt built a studio home for her on the mansion in Fullerton. The Chapman’s had so much property and buildings in Los Angeles and Fullerton.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing that with us, Monique. I have no knowledge of the Chapman family – I didn’t even know the hotel was named after the family! – so this was all so very interesting.