I read somewhere that in 1924, the downtown L.A. intersection of 7th St and Broadway was the busiest in the world with 504,000 people crossing those streets each day. I knew it was a busy intersection, but “busiest in the world”? I found that hard to believe. Until, that is, I came across this photo, from 1916, but if this is what it truly was like on any given day, you’d do anything to avoid it, wouldn’t you? I pity everybody in this photo, but most of all I pity that poor white horse on the right.
What a difference nearly 100 years makes. This is that same intersection in January 2022.
The photo is from 1916, before the first traffic signal in the west was installed at that intersection in 1922.
In terms of persons travelling by foot, motor vehicle or street cars, it was the busiest intersection in the world in 1924 with 504,000 presons. This intersection was compared with 5th Avenue/42nd Street in New York, Hyde Park Corner in London and Place de l’ Opera in Paris. By 1930, it accommodated an astonishing 750,000 persons.
Thanks, John. I”ll correct the date. And good lord, 750,000 people??? That really is astonishing!