Snow doesn’t fall on Los Angeles very often, so when it does, it’s worth venturing outdoors and taking a photo of it. This shot was taken in January 1932 when LA saw two inches of snow. I don’t know for sure, but I suspect this young woman was standing in the Cahuenga Pass which connects Hollywood with the San Fernando Valley. Interestingly, the sign seems to have been mounted by the Automobile Club of Southern California. I’d have thought that signage like that would be a city or state government thing.
David G says: “The Automobile Club of Southern California was principally responsible for erecting local directional signage in the state’s 13 southern counties from 1906 until 1956.”
Ronster on Twitter says: “Maybe Laurel Canyon and Mulholland. Sign at 90 degrees to photographer says Beverly Glen in direction photograger is looking, Cahuenga Pass in direction woman is looking.“
Not sure I’ve ever seen someone in the snow wearing high heels!
I was trying to read the locations on the top sign. The first is Cahuenga Pass. The middle is Beverly Glen. The third I’m having trouble with.
The third is Topanga Canyon.
And it would have been the “Automobile Club of Southern California”, not AAA. I was recently corrected on this very point by a poster here recently.
https://cal170.library.ca.gov/december-13-1900-before-paved-roads-there-is-the-auto-club/
Hey PDQ, I’ve always tended to see both entities as versions of each other, but you make a good point, so I’ll change the text of this post.
Thanks Martin. All I could make out was “Beverly” so you did better than I!
In its early tears, the Automobile Club of Southern California (ACSC) was dedicated to promoting the needs of auto enthusiasts. After forming they became affiliated with AAA. One of the unmet needs and an outgrowth of their promotion was the posting of directional guide signs along the many unfinished highway links in Southern California. Starting in 1905 the signs were wooden and were posted between Santa Monica and Downtown Los Angeles. They showed community names, mileage and directional arrows. The County contributed funds for the manufacture of the signs. The initial signing effort was very popular.
Soon after, they began placing signs throughout the entire Southern California region to guide motorists throughout Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Buenaventura, Santa Ana and San Diego. In
1913 porcelain enameled steel signs became the norm.
During the 1920’s and 1930’s ACSC’s efforts expanded to include parking
signs, Stop signs, warning signs and U.S. Highway and State Highway route shields. By 1930 almost all cities except Los Angeles used the services of ACSC for sign fabrication and posting, but, in time, the traffic control capabilities of governmental agencies developed to the point where this private, but publicly spirited, organization had to re-evaluate its sign posting practices.
When the California Division of Highways (now Caltrans) began opening the first links of freeways it was soon realized that the small black and white signs, with all upper case letters, would not be sufficiently readable at freeway speeds. Thus, the State assumed all signing functions on State Highways and in 1947 and by1956 the cities did likewise on city streets.
I am told that a State law was passed making it illegal to have advertising on traffic control signs, and the ACSC emblem was considered advertising by a private firm. In the courtyard of ACSC (2601 S. Figueroa Street) one can see some of the very early porcelain enameled signs.
A few pre-1956 ACSC parking signs still remain posted in some of the smaller cities today!
Thanks for all that useful and interesting info, John.