These days I think of Eagle Rock as a landmark to look for while driving east on the Ventura Freeway which alerts me to the fact that I’m heading into Pasadena. It’s surrounded by freeways and bridges and overpasses so it can be easy to miss. That wasn’t the case when these two Thoroughly Modern Millies stopped at the intersection of Colorado Blvd and Annandale Rd to take in the view in the 1920s, when Eagle Rock really stood out.
** UPDATE ** – It’s actually the current intersection of Figueroa St and Eagle View Dr. Then, it was the corner of Annandale Blvd and Colorado Blvd.
“1920s” is just a guess. Can anyone ID the vehicle to help narrow down the date?
Here’s another one taken the same day. There must have been a third Thoroughly Modern Millie behind the camera!
This is the north-facing view of the intersection of Colorado and Annandale. Past those trees is the 134 freeway and past the freeway is Eagle Rock — not that you can see any of it here.
Martin – Do you know if Annandale used to go through what is now the 134 Freeway? The intersection shown in the second (contemporary) photo is indeed Colorado and Annandale, but it is significantly east of the southwest facing Eagle-side face of the boulder. I could be wrong but I don’t believe that ever, at any time, one could see the rock from the vantage point in the second photo due to the hills; and if you could you’d be seeing the back of it. I wonder if the photo was actually taken from what is today called Eagle Rock View Drive. Possibly when the first photo was taken it was the northwest end of Annandale, before the 134 Freeway was built and cutting it off. Just a theory…
It is now the alignment of Eagle Vista. Colorado was shifted to the less winding route of today. Annandale Blvd. is now Figueroa, and the other Annandale (Rd.) of today is somewhat east. Still basically the same general area, and chopped up by the freeway nearly overlaying the old Glendale-W. Pasadena-E. Pasadena connecting-highway line. At one point, electric rail tracks had apparently been extended up into this canyon for the power related projects. I’m guessing it must have been from the Avenue 64/Annandale lines (Garvanza/Highland Park routes) tied to “old P.E.” (the early system before the Great Merger of 1911). It would not be L.A. Railway into Eagle Rock (the Glassell Park route). There is a photo of that rail beneath The Rock. {If there is a map showing that line, it would probably have been made by Raymond E. Younghans for Ira Swett’s Inter-urbans publications in the ’50’s. Special 16 for the Northern District would be likely. Metro could be a source.}
1926 Nash. https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/1926-nash
Thanks MMM!
Follows here the MetroArchives link for Northern District with map on page 33 covering the Avenue 64 line to Annandale and proposed 1903 extension that would have reached hoity-toity PasahDenah via a bridge route about where Colorado & 134 are now: http://libraryarchives.metro.net/DPGTL/pacificelectric/1981-caltrans-inventory-of-routes.pdf