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Old Posted May 24, 2016, 4:51 PM
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odinthor odinthor is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HossC View Post
The John Milner building that housed The Congress Bar/Cafe was at 419 S Main Street. I think the date on the front says 1895, although it could be 1885. I found this reference to the Congress Cafe in the February 22, 1909 edition of the Los Angeles Herald:
At 1:30 o'clock this morning the Congress cafe, formerly the Old Heidelberg cafe, 419 South Main street, closed its doors. Another result of The Herald's crusade against protected vice.
I couldn't find the Old Heidelberg Cafe in the CDs either, but I'd say that HDL's date could be about two decades out.
Some pertinent data:

--The pic shows a sidewalk at left. At least as of December 28, 1892, Winston had not been sidewalked: "Ordinances of intention to sidewalk portions of Los Angeles, Winston, Franklin and Second streets coming up on postponement, were referred to the incoming [City] Council" (LA Times 12/28/1892).

--Adjoining the sidewalk referred to above, I see a curb. From the LA Times of June 27, 1899: "The City Engineer presented the following ordinances for street work, all of which were adopted under suspension of the rules: [...] ordinance of intention to [...] construct a cement curb along each side of Winston street, from the first alley east of Los Angeles street, to San Pedro street."

--Is there any evidence in the pic of "an overhead feed wire"? From the LA Times of October 23, 1900: "The attempt to string an overhead feed wire on Main street from Sixth to Winston street, and from there to the power-house of the Edison Electric Company has been a fruitful source of trouble. The workmen who were placing the wire on the superstructure were arrested twice last week at the instigation of the striking electric linemen and the end is not yet" [sic].

The men's clothing fashion looks ca. 1910-1920 or so to me (having a big pipe is always haute couture). We see, at the right, a lady walking away from us; the look of her clothing and hat bespeak ca. 1895-1915.

All things considered, I'm thinking this pic is about 1910. At least, that's what I'm thinking until probably a second after posting . . .
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