One of the most popular tourist attractions in turn-of-the-century Los Angeles was to ride a cable funicular railway called The Great Incline to the top of Echo Mountain to a 70-room hotel. What we’re seeing in this circa 1890s photo is a float showing the railway and the hotel in miniature. It was made for a parade and festival called La Fiesta de Los Angeles which was held each year between 1894 and 1916 in recognition of the city’s birthday. The float is standing on Los Angeles Street as Fiesta de Los Angeles was a downtown LA event, but then again back in the 1890s the whole city was pretty much what we now call “downtown Los Angeles.”
Scott C says: “Photo is dated 1895, which puts its Fiesta debut about five months after Echo Mountain House’s completion.”
Funimag on Twitter supplied these two photos of this float with this comment: “1894 1st “La Fiesta de Los Angeles” parade on Hill St. showing Mount Lowe float with two miniature cars at passing loop of Echo Mountain Great Incline which opened on July 4th 1893.”
I have hiked to the site of the hotel above Altadena and then on to the site of the Alpine Tavern further up the mountain. It’s a fairly arduous hike, but back then it only took two hours from DTLA by red car and the cable railway. It must have been a wonderful excursion. Thanks for the photo. I never knew about the float which was a nice piece of advertising.
At the base the funicular, there is a building; beneath that, on the side of the float, there appears to be the front of another building. Does anyone know if there actually was some sort of a building in this location – that is, built into the side of Mt. Lowe? If so, what was it? A powerhouse for the funicular?
Yes that building had several levels built under the upper level which is where the street car line brought passengers for the funicular.
The upper building was a station stop, and the lower one was an intermediate hotel built into the canyon. The main hotel was at the top of the funicular landing where a few other structures were. It was also depicted on the float.
It was built across the canyon. As I remember, it was washed away in a torrential rain storm.