The imposing building at the top of this circa early 1920s photo was the State Normal School located on West 5th Street in downtown Los Angeles where the Central Library now stands. It was where high school graduates were trained to become teachers. The odd name derives from the teaching standards that the school established, which were referred to a “the norms.” Not surprisingly, the hill that the school stood on became known as Normal Hill. That parking lot in the foreground is an auto parts store, which indicates that LA was already becoming a car town by the early 20s.A 1914 Detroit Electric automobile with no engine, Los Angeles, circa mid 1910s
This is a 1914 Detroit Electric automobile, which amazed me. Imagine if this model had been allowed to develop the way most cars have—what would electric cars be like today? And would LA’s air quality be the issue it is today? This vehicle was marketed as a women’s car because the tires were solid and therefore would never go flat. I’m sure that was a comfort to the two formally dressed ladies sitting inside this vehicle. However, we can see that this road has not get been sealed so the dirt street and the unforgiving tires must have made for a rather bumpy ride.
Susan says: “My mom told me when I was little, cars that had taller cab compartments had been a sign of status. That higher cab area allowed for ladies not to have to stoop and bend so much to get into the car. Also, it allowed men to keep their top hats on, and women’s hat adornments not to get bend when motoring around.”
Leslie Kendall from the Petersen Automotive Museum kindly sent me these two photos of the 1914 Detroit in their collection:
The backlot of Universal Studios, Universal City, California, circa late 1920s
This is a shot of the backlot of Universal Studios. Without a specific film or automobile to help us date it, it’s hard to pin down the year. The land is so sparse that I’m guessing it’s probably only a few years after Carl Laemmle opened Universal City in 1915. We can see a British village, a lighthouse, a medieval castle, and an Arabian palace. And beyond that, the empty back of the Hollywood Hills. They’re still empty but that’s about the only thing that hasn’t changed.
** UPDATE ** – The village on the right was used in (and I assume originally built for) A Son of the Immortals (1916)
Hollywood Memorial Church at the southwest corner of Hollywood and Vine, Hollywood, circa 1905
This church once stood at one of the most famous corners in the world but it was quite unfamiliar to me. This was the Hollywood Memorial Church and it opened at the southwest corner of Hollywood and Vine in 1903. It was there until 1923 when it came down to (I assume) make way for the Hollywood Broadway department store, which opened in 1927. This photo is circa 1905 when Hollywood was still a country town whose industry that made it famous had barely even been invented yet.
Linny’s Delicatessen, Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, circa mid 1950s
In this photo, we’re looking north up Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills toward Wilshire Blvd. The red building on the left was Linny’s Delicatessen, which, according to one report I read, served the best corned beef sandwich in town. Can anybody reading this confirm that? Across the street was the Ontra Cafeteria and down the end is a Melody Lane coffee shop at Beverly and Wilshire. Clearly, the locals were never lacking for a place to eat. The white-domed building was the Beverly Theater that came down in mid-2005 but the California Bank building I still there and is, in fact, in beautiful condition. The decoration at the top is now painted gold!
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Tagged Beverly Hills, Color photo, Restaurants, Stores and Shopping, Theaters, Wilshire Blvd
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The Ralphs family residence at 7269 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, circa 1910s
Ralphs, the large supermarket chain that stretches across Southern California takes its name from George Ralphs, whose first store opened at Sixth and Spring Streets in downtown Los Angeles all the way back in 1873, when George was only 23 years old. This photo was taken in the 1910s by which time he’d grown very prosperous so he began building this impressive home in May 1913 at 7269 Hollywood Blvd. That put it a couple of blocks east of La Brea Ave, which is where the main Hollywood Boulevard strip lay. It was there until 1940 when it was moved to two separate locations: 1637 Rimpau Blvd (between Venice and St. Charles), and 454 N. La Cienega Blvd (between Rosewood and Oakwood Avenues.) I’m only guessing but it must have been quite the showplace.
Aerial shot Gilmore Stadium, Field, and Drive-In, Los Angeles
The land at the southeast corner of Fairfax Ave and Beverly Blvd now houses CBS Television City (which is currently up for sale) and The Grove shopping mall but before that, it was a hive of activity. This aerial shot shows us the Gilmore Drive-in (top right) and next to it Gilmore baseball field. At the center is the Gilmore Stadium (1934 – 1952) and the pale building in the top left corner is the Pan Pacific Auditorium. I guess the rest of that land was parking but it looks more like open fields. Does anybody reading this remember what it was?
Susan says: “To the left of Gilmore Field is Farmer’s Market. To the right of Gilmore Field is the old Gilmore Drive-In. That large long area to the right of the Pan Pacific was parking for the Pan Pacific, Gilmore Field and over-flow parking for Gilmore Stadium. As I recall, that area to the right of Pan Pacific, was unpaved. Maybe that’s why you think it looks more like a field. That round structure in the lower left is Herbert’s Drive-in restaurant.”
Bill says: “As I recall, Farmer’s Market was at 3rd st. and Fairfax – to the right of stadium. Across 3rd st., on southeast corner of 3rd and Fairfax was (is?) Town & Country plaza. The unpaved “field” may be where the midget race cars were staged during the midget car races run in the stadium. Across from Pan Pacific was the L.A. Rams ticket office. Near that was a tropical fish store.”
Looking east along Wilshire Blvd to the KFAC radio towers and Auburn/Cord dealership, circa 1930s
In this circa 1930s photo, we’re looking east along Wilshire Boulevard with the Chateau La Martine apartment building on the left. Past the Chevrolet billboard is the Wilshire Christian Church (now known as the Oasis Church), then the KFAC radio towers and the Auburn/Cord automobile dealership. Out of sight is the Brown Derby and to the far right side is the Gaylord apartment building. What’s nice is that some of the buildings in this photo are still with us, including the Chateau La Martine, which is now hidden by the Line Hotel.
Birds-eye view of Beverly Hills looking northwest from the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Doheny Drive, 1939
This photo treats us to a birds-eye view of Beverly Hills looking northwest from the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Doheny Drive in 1939. That peaked tower we can see in the distance I the Beverly Hills City Hall. Interestingly though, if we look to the far left of the photo, we can see that the strip of land between Wilshire and the alley that run parallel to its north is still empty.
That same intersection in January 2018:
We can tell that this cool shot of the Trocadero nightclub on the Sunset Strip was taken in the late 1930s from the 1938 or 1939 Cadillac Sixty Special out front. That means that this photo was taken as the Hollywood studio system was reaching what is widely considered its zenith—1939 aka Hollywood’s Greatest Year—which makes me wonder who was inside the Trocadero that night?!?!