Angelenos got all dressed up in their Sunday-best finery to be among the first citizens to ride two of Los Angeles’ first electric streetcars on Pico St, which I believe is now Pico Blvd, in 1887. The sign on the side of the streetcar reads: “Electric RR – Maple Ave – Pico St” so this may have been taken where Pico meets Maple Ave, which runs all the way into downtown LA and ends at 5th St. I’ve never before seen those four-wheeled engines that are pulling the open-air carriages, so I’m guessing they didn’t last long. At any rate, what we’re seeing is the start of what would become LA’s vast public transportation network.

John Whitney says: “Portrait of passengers, conductors and engineers posing near Pico Boulevard Electric Railroad cars, Los Angeles, 1887. The cars stand on two tracks the leftmost car is pictured on the back track, while the car on the front track is farther back to the right. Each car features a windowed control cabin that stands separate of the longer, open-air passenger car, which stands hitched to it. Passengers, a few of whom are full grown men in suits and top hats, some of whom are children and one of whom is a woman, stand inside or to the side of the leftmost passenger car. The conductor stands with his watch in hand at the front. Farther back, two men stand to either side of young boys who are sitting on the front of the control-cabin of the second car. Other individuals hang out from the side of its passenger car. Streetcar cables and a tree are visible in the background.”