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Originally Posted by 3940dxer
And then there is the very old wedge shaped building, at 1635 N. Spring St., at Baker. I have a note that it dates to 1888. Have seen it described as the "Charles Raphael Plate Glass Co. Building at Junction Block", but I've also seen the the block called "Raphael Block". I think we can all agree that it would look better without the "mural". Why all the traffic cones? A conservation group was planting 500 trees in this neighborhood yesterday. (GW, don't even think about it!) I've only seen one old photo of this one, a small low-res image that I can't find now. Anybody...?
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Originally posted by
Malumot
I think the hope, amongst the armies of planners conducting endless planning activities for the City Planning Department, is for that area of North Main and North Spring to become the next trendy loft-filled hipster neighborhood. They've sunk a lot of money in that area (LA Historical Park one example.) Note also the retro light poles. And the well-paved street (a rarity....let's face it.)
Agree on the horrid mural. Some are palatable, that one is spectacularly awful. It's really a sign of surrender, of capitulation, when you think about it. What it really says is that community standards have eroded so much, the population so lacking in civic responsibility, that it's now impossible to keep up with graffiti removal. No sooner is a wall painted than it is immediately targeted by spray paint wielding gremlins. So thrown in the towel - paint a mural. At least it will be less likely defaced. And when it is, it won't show so much.
I mention this after having visited Lowe's paint department this afternoon, and shake my head in sadness every time I walk past the locked shelves containing the spray paint. (BTW - just curious....are spray paints locked up in other states? I visit other states, but rarely have cause to drop in the local Lowe's or Home Depot when I do.)
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Walking past this fine old building a few weeks ago, I reached the same conclusion. Were I rich and brave enough to buy this grand dame I'm not sure I'd have a better solution, though I think one could find a worthy artist without too much trouble, and at least deface her lines with some honor for the past. Oh well -- she's seen a lot of changes and I think this current ugliness will be gone and forgotten in a few years, just a blip in her long history., replaced with something more fitting.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality
I have been trying to read that plaque for a better part of a year 3940dxer/David.
What do you think it means?
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e_r, I don't know what the plaque means. I think it's new-ish, and only tells us that the building dates to 1925.
I've found no historical info on either of these great old buildings -- 1635 and 1646 N. Spring. A few unhelpful scraps from the L.A. Times, and that's about it. No old photos, no nothing. Considering their long history, this really surprises me. Maybe there's something in an old book, somewhere. If anyone can find old photos or some more information about either of these, it would be great.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality
Is this (the series of large plague photographs) too redundant? Or is it interesting all over again? -be honest. (I added a few new comments and questions to the original post)
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It was interesting to me because my only copies of these unusual photos were small low res versions, taken from another site. Somehow I'd missed your versions here, so I'm glad the topic came up. BTW, "Whitewashed Adobe" by William Deverell, an excellent book I bought after GW's recommendations here, has an excellent account of the plague in Los Angeles.
Another chapter in that book addresses
The Mission Play, a long running play, that presented a romanticized version of California history and L.A.'s 'progress' beyond it's humble Mexican village beginnings. Maybe today, the show must be performed and watched with a dose of irony. I thought I'd read that an updated version of this show was beginning a run in San Gabriel, but can't find more info now. Maybe it was just a single performance. I wonder if the new version is 4 hours long, like the original. (Seriously, I wonder how a modern troupe
does interpret this play.)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ethereal_reality
I love the graphics on this old matchbook.
below: The Limehouse had patio dancing with a view of City Hall. It was famous for it's paper-wrapped chicken and other exotic dishes.
http://losangelesrevisited.blogspot....city-hall.html
below: The building still stands at the corner of New High and Ord Street.
google street view
I like the oversized sign on the roof and nothing else. I am sure it looked a lot more 'exotic' back in the day.
Here's the link to the Los Angeles Revisited blog. http://losangelesrevisited.blogspot....city-hall.html
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I like the matchbook and the Limehouse is very intriguing, but I was surprised to read in the losangelesrevisited link that the building is now ABC Restaurant. I've eaten there once or twice -- while the food is not so good, the building isn't quite as dismal looking as the Street View photo suggests. The building never seemed particularly old or interesting, but you never know. Next time I'm in the area I'll take a closer look.
Before New High Street in Chinatown, there was High Street. I've seen it on very old maps, but don't think I've seen it in pictures. Anyone?