Looking north up Hill St from Fifth St toward College Theatre, downtown Los Angeles, circa 1920s

Looking north up Hill St from Fifth St toward College Theatre, downtown Los Angeles, circa 1920A couple of days ago, I posted a photo of College Theatre on Hill St between 4th and 5th Streets in downtown LA. Without that photo, I don’t know that I would have pinpointed where this photo was taken. But we can see the oval-shaped “Big Stars Only – All Seats 10c” sign. In this one, there are a few things we no longer see: a STOP/GO traffic signal, a sign that says “Brooks O’Coats 25” (which I assume is for Brooks Brothers overcoats for $25), and United Cigars (which used to be ubiquitous.) I wonder what that this is in the middle of the street (with bars over what I take to be a manhole?). And I’m also wondering what was puzzling that LARY employee on the right with a finger to his mouth. He looks awfully concerned about something.

Richard T. says: “The LARY employee’s partner is calling the dispatcher from the telephone call box mounted on the pole in the right center of the picture. The one making that pensive gesture with his finger is holding some sort of record book in his other hand. There is also a well worn (broken?) broom leaning against the pole.”

Andrew S. says: “The Los Angeles Railway-also known as Yellow Cars, LARy. The LARy notation seen on the call box door those two men are reporting to HQ. Yellow car positions and movement in their sight zone. The city streets had increasing traffic issues. Those phone boxes could also be used for relaying info. scheduling and orders to drivers.”

This is roughly the same view in February 2023.

 

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6 responses to “Looking north up Hill St from Fifth St toward College Theatre, downtown Los Angeles, circa 1920s”

  1. Al Donnelly says:

    Finger-man is a Supervisor. A newsboy is hawking his papers on the corner beyond the call box. Past the Subway Market are the newer buildings that replaced the Hill Street station’s older facilities. Then there’s the yard space area as you come upon the Subway Terminal Building. I think that sign reads “Hats-O’Coats”, but could you get Brooks Brothers from someone other than their own Manhattan store way back then? That should be the curtain around the manhole…heavy canvass possibly? I would guess that it might help to funnel dangerous loose gasses up and away from ground level near pedestrians and hot exhaust pipes. And you wouldn’t want someone to kick a wrench down into your head. The flag up would be a warning for “men working”, or perhaps just “watch out-big hole”. Who ya gonna call?

    • Al Donnelly says:

      It’s actually “Suits-O’Coats”, and that’s the 1924 built Pershing Square Building on that NE corner. (This updates the 1921 Baist map below.)

  2. Patti says:

    Do you think the manhole cover in the after photo that you can see, is the same one in the before photo with the gate around it?

  3. Al Donnelly says:

    Baist map 1921 puts this as Hotel Wiloughby. Park Hotel across in front. California Club House on corner by College Theater. Pershing Square park off to our left out of view. South of camera are two hotels, then comes the B&M Cafeteria, and followed by the Grauman’s Metropolitan Theater cornering at 6th. The 5th Street Department Store is east at the meeting of Broadway. Lots of stuff very alive still around here in that era.

  4. Paula says:

    Looks more to me like “finger man” is biting his fingernal/cuticle.

    • Al Donnelly says:

      In a cleaner image,with some searching, you can read the badge on his cap. I thought he might be practicing his whistling techniques, like an actor who’s “only working this job until I land a speaking role”.

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