Back when this aerial photograph was taken in 1937, the tallest building in Los Angeles was, by law, City Hall, which had opened in 1928. It’s the tall, white building in the top right corner. No wonder it became an instant icon for LA—it really sticks out, doesn’t it? All the other buildings seem rather flat and squat by comparison.
In this satellite image from September 2022, we can see that downtown LA is now so thick with skyscrapers that we can barely even make out City Hall.
I can actually tell that Chavez Ravine is a ravine! Aerial views can be quite helpful.
Looking downward from city hall one can see the elevated structure that served the rear platforms of the Pacific Electric station at 6th & Main. And crossing under it is the 7th Street Surface Yard. The abandonments of many lines would soon begin before anyone realized that a major war would make tires and gasoline a bit hard to get.