In this one, we’re looking east down 4th Street from Hill St toward the U.S. Grant Hotel on the corner of Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. The photo was taken circa 1890, and as we can see the three modes of transport is the streetcar, horses, and human legs. The sounds (and smells) of this 4th Street would have been a world away from what you’d encounter if you walked down 4th today.
Here’s another view probably taken around the same time:
Along with the vintage image, I also found this one that had been colorized and enhanced by Richard Holoff who used AI in some way. It does a pretty good job of bringing this scene to life.
This is how that same view looked in February 2023.
This, of course, will soon become the starting point for your journey to places west like Hollywood, Colgrove, Sherman, Beverly, Santa Monica, and Venice when the Los Angeles-Pacific (ex-Pasadena & Pacific) locates their terminal offices on this street with access out Hill. [The major fire which started in the basement will force the switch to the Hill Street station, which itself will soon become cramped and need rebuilding for expansion.] At this time, it was very much a place to hold property rights to a site big enough for a hotel or store where that rising tourist trade could be tapped. But it won’t be long before it becomes necessary to find a larger footprint.
BTW…you can see the left edge of the Los Angeles-Pacific signage on the roof at right, so this photo probably dates somewhat later. The Angelus is down the road too.
Why does the “Los Angeles-Pacific signage” date it to later?
That particular company (or “unit” in documentation of corporate chain history) was not composed until 1898. The office building was added around 1900.
Nice to see the two shots for comparison…there are new lights on South Hill which might explain the dirt mounds in the road.
How boring and soul-less the “today” picture looks!
When I see current photos of places pictured in past photos, I understand that the past photos were taken for a reason and often for a specific purpose, other than what the GSV (Google Street View) photos are taken for, as location references only. So they often are crowd/people averse as such.
I could also look at the past photo and think, “look at all the mud/dirt in the streets and what it must have smelled like with all those horses around.” 🙂
Yes! Walking those streets must have been a daily obstacle course!
Imagine doing it with floor length skirts!
No thanks!