This is one of those photos I want to dive through my screen and plunge into. We’re looking north up Broadway from 7th Street in downtown LA. It was taken in 1939, when Broadway and 7th was one of the busiest intersections in the US. With all those twinkling lights glowing the night sky, I’d love to go stroll’n’windowshopping the whole length of Broadway. And those decorations suspended over the street suggest this photo was taken during the holiday season, so it would be a perfect time to do that.
This is roughly how that view looked in June 2024.
I wish cities would decorate the streets for holidays like they did in your 1939 photo. Life just seemed to be much more fun back in those days.
So sad and sorry to see it so changed!
I loved Downtown Los Angeles and all the great stores!
When did it all change Thomas? It is so sad.
When I lived on Bunker Hill in the 1940’s and 1950’s, the holiday season looked just like this photo. We would take Angels Flight downtown because we liked to view the decorated store windows at night. The best were at the big flagship department stores, the Broadway, Bullocks, May Company, and Robinsons. Crowds congregated shoulder to shoulder at the corner windows of these stores because that is where all the toys, trains and mechanical displays were located. For a kid growing up, it was a magical time. There was always a chill in the air. To warm up, we’d stop in at one of the Cliftons cafeterias before heading home.
You are so lucky that you have those cherished memories Gordan.
I think this country should take lessons from the past generations and bring back the joy of the holidays for all the young people.
I’d forgotten about that. I grew up in San Francisco, not here, but it was the same. One of the big events of the season was to go downtown and check out the big department store windows, We were always excited to see what they had created to outdo each other. But as in this picture and as Gordon says, it had to be done at night. When very small I asked my mother when we were “going downtown to see all the lightses” which became a Holiday catchphrase, signifying all the magic and sparkle of the season.
All the street decorating is grand! It was done to lure shoppers to the stores as was the Santa Claus Lane parade on Hollywood Boulevard and, unfortunately, there’s no need for that anymore; most people are shopping online. They live on their phones instead. I am surprised Hollywood still has the Christmas Parade! Anyone going this Sunday?
Will it be televised? I remember watching it on TV several years ago.
Hi Los Angeles,
I am so fortunate to have been born and lived in the same homes all my life here in the Original Los Angeles Paradise!
I was able to walk to Catholic school ,
ride on the “J Car” of the Pacific Electric Streetcar to Downtown with my parents or grandparents!
Christmas in the big JW ROBINSON Store on Seventh was MAGICAL!
Totally decorated as was BULLOCK’S, BONWIT TELLER ,and MAY COMPANY as well as BROADWAY DEPARTMENT STORE, this the last two were not preferred by my parents!
We would ALWAYS drive over to MIRACLE MILE and Shop at BULLOCK’s WILSHIRE, the BEST BUILDING AND DECO ARCHITECTURE as well as best clothing and crystal,silver,everything including having lunch in the TEAROOM . Christmas decorations were so ELEGANT and REFINED!
Peacock Feathers Christmas Tree when entering store!
Next was ORBACH’S WILSHIRE ,MIRACLE MILE (PRUDENTIAL BUILDING , next door and then La Brea Tar Pi’s!
Off to SAK’S,COULTER’S , both I.MAGNIM STORES on Wilshire!
Dinner on “RESTAURANT ROW” ,La Cienaga…
or in BEVERLY HILLS HOTDL , BEVERLY WILSHIRE HOTEL , or new LUAU OR “new Polynesian Style restaurants!
Lucky you, Thomas!