Tag Archives: 1800s
Moving the 1871 L.A. High School building from Poundcake Hill to For Moore Hill, downtown Los Angeles, circa 1887
Wow! Talk about recycling! In around 1887, the original building for L.A. High School (built in 1871) was moved from Poundcake Hill (around 1st and Temple Streets) to Fort Moore Hill (near the historic plaza. Both those hills have gone … Continue reading
Laying down street car tracks along Prospect Avenue (later Hollywood Blvd), Hollywood, circa 1899
According to the caption on this photo, we’re looking at workers laying street car tracks along what was then (in 1899) Prospect Ave but what would later become Hollywood Blvd. The project took five months and in May 1900, the … Continue reading
Looking east along 3rd Street from the Crocker mansion, downtown Los Angeles, 1894
In the late 1800s, the most prominent mansion in Los Angeles belonged to Margaret Crocker. It sat at the corner of 3rd and Olive streets. This photo was taken from the veranda looking down 3rd. The building on the left … Continue reading
Corner of 1st and Spring Streets, downtown Los Angeles, circa 1890s
This shot of 1st and Spring Streets in downtown Los Angeles was probably taken in the 1890s. We can see one of the early electric streetcars rolling up Spring Street at it curves to the right (Spring Street no longer … Continue reading
National Guard marching along Spring Street, downtown Los Angeles, circa 1896
In this rather remarkable photograph, we see the National Guard marching along Spring Street, downtown Los Angeles, circa 1900. It looks like major parade, which I’d imagine attracted quite a turnout. I do wonder what those two guardsmen are doing … Continue reading
Tally’s Phonograph Parlor, South Spring Street downtown Los Angeles, circa 1897
This is as early a photograph of the motion picture industry’s beginnings as we’re ever likely to find. Thomas Tally’s Phonograph Parlor was on South Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles. It was taken circa 1897. He had several locations … Continue reading
Los Angeles City Hall, 226 Broadway between 2nd and 3rd Streets, downtown Los Angeles, 1889
A little part of my heart aches when I see some of the buildings Los Angeles has lost. This building served as Los Angeles City Hall and stood at 226 Broadway between 2nd and 3rd Streets from 1888 to 1928, … Continue reading
Aerial photograph of Los Angeles taken from a balloon in 1887
At first glance, this photo might not seem too interesting . . . until you learn it’s a shot of Los Angeles taken in 1887 from a hot-air balloon, and therefore quite probably the first overhead shot ever taken of … Continue reading
View of Hollywood in the time of Harvey and Daeida Wilcox, the founders of Hollywood, circa 1890s
In 1887, Harvey and Daeida Wilcox the founded the city of Hollywood. This photo gives us an idea of what the area looked like at around that time: lots of fruit trees, some shade trees, and every now and then … Continue reading
Pearl Morton’s Municipal Brothel in the old Los Angeles Courthouse at Spring and Main, downtown L.A., circa early 1890s
When the city of Los Angeles had outgrown its Courthouse at Spring and Main Street in the early 1890s, it built a magnificent new Romanesque Courthouse at Spring and Temple Streets. This left the old one available—but not for long. … Continue reading