Looking south down Alvarado St at Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, circa late 1930s

Looking south down Alvarado St at Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, circa late 1930sThis circa late 1930s photo proves that modern-day Angelenos haven’t been the only ones who had to put up with heavy traffic. In this circa late 1930s shot, we’re seeing an Alvarado St clogged with automobiles and streetcars. According to the caption, this was taken at Wilshire Blvd, which means those palm trees on the right line what was then known as Westlake Park, but was later renamed MacArthur Park, where someone famously left the cake out in the rain.

Shockingly, the traffic in the vintage photo is way worse that it was in that day in January 2023, when this image was captured.

 

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6 responses to “Looking south down Alvarado St at Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, circa late 1930s”

  1. Bill Wolfe says:

    For several decades, my doctor’s office was in St. Vincent’s medical building, just north of where this photo was shot. In all the many times I drove on Alvarado, the traffic was never anywhere as bad as this. Wow!

    • mark says:

      My parents lived on 500 block of s Carondelet st. next to the Asbury building, as a young couple. Looks like they just recently tore down their old units. My mom would walk to work through the park to the Medical Center where she worked. I not sure if it was Saint Vincent’s, but I know I was born at St Vincent’s hospital. As for the traffic in photo I think something is going on or happened. Traffic is only tied up in one direction. Also, I did not realize that the street cars had to sit in traffic.

  2. Stevie says:

    I thought this was snow covered. Such a great image

  3. Gordon Pattison says:

    I think the line of cars on the left are parked along the curb which took away one lane for traffic. It looks like there is no parking now.

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