noirish Los Angeles

[MichaelRyerson]

is this a great looking fire station or what?

Los Angeles Fire Station no. 1, 2230 Pasadena Avenue


truck co 1, engine co 1, los angeles,

Los Angeles Fire Station No. 1
Streamline Moderne architecture built by the WPA in 1940.

Photo Credit: Don Barre, 2011
livingnewdeal.berkeley.edu


los angeles fire station no 1, detail

Photo Credit: Don Barre, 2011
livingnewdeal.berkeley.edu



los angeles fire station no 1, wpa plaque 1940

Photo Credit: Don Barre, 2011
livingnewdeal.berkeley.edu

[BifRayRock]

Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson

What was a Boeing 247 doing at Lockheed?

Redacted roadmaps were even more confusing from the air? The Burbank "Dover Sole" was worth the detour? Sneek'n a peek at the Skunkworks?
__________________________

http://wesclark.com/burbank/old_unio...l_postcard.jpg

http://wesclark.com/burbank/union_ai...l_postcard.jpg

http://wesclark.com/burbank/union_ai..._matchbook.jpg


On a more serious note, Boeing Airport & Transport, which was evidently a holding company for what later became "United Airlines," had a physical presence at the "Burbank" location. It was evidently not a coincidence that the airport was once named the "United Airport" (1930-34) because of the United Airlines connection. Lockheed did not obtain its foothold until the late '30s.http://www.godickson.com/burterm1.htm

"The Burbank facility remained United Airport until 1934 when it was renamed Union Air Terminal. The name change came the same year that Federal anti-trust actions caused United Aircraft And Transport Corp. to dissolve, which took effect September 26, 1934. The Union Air Terminal moniker stuck until Lockheed bought the airport in 1940 and renamed it Lockheed Air Terminal."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Hop...rt#cite_note-8

Notice the "United" name on the hangar roof in this undated photo (far left).




May '30 (?)


All from USC digital

lapl

_________________________

Northrop is typically associated with the Hawthorne Airport. Evidently, it too had a small presence in Burbank - July 29, 1930 "United Airport" .
lapl

Jack Northrop (left) and William E. Boeing watch the test hop of the first Northrop "Alpha" plane, March 19, 1930 [United Airport]:
lapl

__________________________

http://wesclark.com/burbank/lockheed_1934.jpg

United Airport - August 1930, Practice wing walking or stress testing? (Prototype skateboard ramp?)
lapl

[Joe Gillis]

For some reason this put me in mind of something



And then I remembered!



http://bagdcontext.myblog.arts.ac.uk...k-rock-cinema/

[Graybeard]

Originally Posted by BifRayRock

Burbank/Lockheed in camouflage trim (difficult -if not impossible- to locate on MRyerson's Map?

The C-69 Constellation
lapl



Burbank, Jan 9, '43
wiki

wesclark.com

Brings back some old memories. I worked on "Connies" when I was stationed at McClellan AFB in the early 70s.


AVIATIONSGREATS zazzle.com

[rick m]

Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson

I worked at Lockheed for a year or so after high school. I worked in Building 310, at that time (and maybe still) the largest open, unsupported interior in the world. In the thirties, (the story goes) they filmed an episode of 'Tailspin Tommy' at '310' and by opening the huge rolling doors at both ends of the building, were able to fly an airplane through the building! Very cool. I've never seen the film but I have seen this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIZzkq5Y8q0

Oh and, no, neither Lockheed nor Burbank Airport show up on my 'near-pristine, 1942 Shell map of Los Angeles' (which I don't let anybody touch). But they are back in my 1945 Renie Atlas of Los Angeles City and County. (which I do sometimes let people touch)

I too labored away after highschool ( in the Lockheed metal treatment n paint depts) -mid '69 into mid '72- to pay for my 1st car- A-1 was the behemoth structure that had the airport terminal wrapped around the perimeter-Surely THE Earthly version of Dante's Inferno. Later got into a modern bldng up HwdWay to complete a "stock sweep" on the L1011 materials-yeech- quit angrily when they tossed me into the dangerously toxic work of the dread "washrag detail"- Just drove right through the guard gate and escaped to decompress in Palm Springs--

[MichaelRyerson]

Originally Posted by rick m

I too labored away after highschool ( in the Lockheed metal treatment n paint depts) -mid '69 into mid '72- to pay for my 1st car- A-1 was the behemoth structure that had the airport terminal wrapped around the perimeter-Surely THE Earthly version of Dante's Inferno. Later got into a modern bldng up HwdWay to complete a "stock sweep" on the L1011 materials-yeech- quit angrily when they tossed me into the dangerously toxic work of the dread "washrag detail"- Just drove right through the guard gate and escaped to decompress in Palm Springs--

Yeah, by the end of my tenure, I was becoming embarrassingly insubordinate. Had I not quit when I did, I'd have been escorted out. Huge company with lots of cultural inertia at that time, still with many people from the war years, and a kind of tribal mentality. Not a good mix for an eighteen year old with 'issues'.

EDIT: Wanted to add that it turned out (to me) they were right all along. Of course it took a couple of years to sink in but they'd seen the Depression and served, in one way or another, in WWII so their tribal instincts were entirely right. My father for many years worked two jobs and was happy to have them. In my whole life I can only remember my father staying home from work one day, just one day in all those years. Those people I worked with at Lockheed knew something about the way the world worked that I didn't. Of course that's the problem with youth, they don't know nuthin.

[BifRayRock]

Originally Posted by Joe Gillis

For some reason this put me in mind of something


And then I remembered!

BD@BR - shot in Burbank rather than Lone Pine?

Lockheed gas pumps, ca. 1941 (by A. Adams)
lapl

Google

________________________

Per some of the Forum contributors, Burbank or Lockheed Airport experienced labor discontent. (It probably had nothing to do with the ample parking facilities?) t'hee

June 1955, machinists picket Flying Tiger facility.
lapl

Lockheed employee parking, 1940. Another Ansel Adams photo. Given rapid expansion of work force at that time, it is probably no surprise that available parking had room for improvement.
lapl

Bank of America at or near Lockheed plant, experiencing growing "pains." Friday -Feb. 6, 1942 (Pay day, or just weekend spending money for a visit to less-crowded Monkey Island?)
lapl

June 22, 1943, transit strike induces Lockheed to "truck" its employees to work. lapl

[BifRayRock]

Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson

Yeah, by the end of my tenure, I was becoming embarrassingly insubordinate. Had I not quit when I did, I'd have been escorted out. Huge company with lots of cultural inertia at that time, still with many people from the war years, and a kind of tribal mentality. Not a good mix for an eighteen year old with 'issues'.

EDIT: Wanted to add that it turned out (to me) they were right all along. Of course it took a couple of years to sink in but they'd seen the Depression and served, in one way or another, in WWII so their tribal instincts were entirely right. My father for many years worked two jobs and was happy to have them. In my whole life I can only remember my father staying home from work one day, just one day in all those years. Those people I worked with at Lockheed knew something about the way the world worked that I didn't. Of course that's the problem with youth, they don't know nuthin.

Photos courtesy of http://wesclark.com/burbank/photos.html A veritable treasure trove.






Entire handbook here: http://wesclark.com/burbank/lockheed_handbook/page1.htm

[Chuckaluck]

Continuing with the Burbank theme . . .

1940
http://bhsclass67.blogspot.com/2008/...f-burbank.html



http://wesclark.com/burbank/dip.jpg

Olive and Verdugo '47







Source http://wesclark.com/burbank/photos.html

[MichaelRyerson]

This lovely overhead shot of...what? Is completely and utterly mislabeled in the USC digital archive. Their caption information is as follows...

"Aerial view, Downtown Los Angeles, Civic Center, City Hall, Los Angeles County Court House, Criminal Courts Building, Spring Street, First Street, Broadway, US-101, 1959"


aerial mystery photo,

A few clues present themselves, the streetlights, Wilshire Specials? Surely not Westwood Specials. No, I guess Wilshire Specials. The parked automobiles, two of which seems blocky and likely early/mid-thirties but the little coupe at the top seems more streamlined, maybe '38ish? The car and pick-up truck(?) behind the cake shop early thirties, too. The cake store sign eludes me, two words, someone's name? An unfenced pond near a public sidewalk? A house in the trees near the pond? A golf course maybe? Two pedestrians? Mother and child? Surely another picture of that cake store exists.

[KevinW]

Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson

This lovely overhead shot of...what? Is completely and utterly mislabeled in the USC digital archive. Their caption information is as follows...

"Aerial view, Downtown Los Angeles, Civic Center, City Hall, Los Angeles County Court House, Criminal Courts Building, Spring Street, First Street, Broadway, US-101, 1959"


aerial mystery photo,

A few clues present themselves, the streetlights, Wilshire Specials? Surely not Westwood Specials. No, I guess Wilshire Specials. The parked automobiles, two of which seems blocky and likely early/mid-thirties but the little coupe at the top seems more streamlined, maybe '38ish? The car and pick-up truck(?) behind the cake shop early thirties, too. The cake store sign eludes me, two words, someone's name? An unfenced pond near a public sidewalk? A house in the trees near the pond? A golf course maybe? Two pedestrians? Mother and child? Surely another picture of that cake store exists.

It's the La Brea Tarpits. Look at the sheen on the water.

[ProphetM]

Originally Posted by KevinW

It's the La Brea Tarpits. Look at the sheen on the water.

Yup, and the building with the 3 dormers is still there:

http://goo.gl/maps/w9plo

[MichaelRyerson]

Remarkable there was no fence even at this late date. You'd think the bones would have tipped em off.

[KevinW]

Here's an aerial from 1924


LAPL


looks remarkably similar to the previous pic. I'd guess the dates are pretty close.

[Chuckaluck]

A fence? George Hancock owned the property and donated it to LA County in 1916. Suppose the County did not deem the natural state of the area worth protecting or an area from which visitors needed protection - until the '50s and '60s. Even then, the fence did not seem to be much of a barrier. Is there a history of people who have gone missing there?

1910


1937, very impressive flagstone walls in second pic, but no apparent fence around the large body of water.



1941


unk date, but seems to span '41 though '60


1962
All from lapl

[MichaelRyerson]

Thanks Kevin, I didn't realize the La Brea Tar Pits were so bucolic in those years, in my mind I pictured an unimproved tract of pretty much unuseable land. But here it really looks park-like except for the oily sheen on the water which runs counter to my notion of where I'd like to have my house. As for the fence, or lack of a fence, I have to believe the process that had gone on for a few thousand years continued into our stewardship. I have to believe birds, feral cats and the occasional stray dog were caught and ultimately drowned in the pits.

Originally Posted by ProphetM

Yup, and the building with the 3 dormers is still there:

http://goo.gl/maps/w9plo

And I always find it really gratifying when we find a beautiful little building like this has survived. very cool.

Chuckaluck, There's our little, three dormer building peeking through the trees in your 1941 pic. cool.

Now I need to go back and update my flickr captions on this pic.

[ProphetM]

Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson

Chuckaluck, There's our little, three dormer building peeking through the trees in your 1941 pic. cool.

You can see it in the 1924 aerial as well.

[rick m]

Originally Posted by ProphetM

You can see it in the 1924 aerial as well.

I remember brunching here in early 70s--a creperie as I'm remembering - Then had a good run as the Folk Art And Craft Museum

[MichaelRyerson]

Originally Posted by ProphetM

You can see it in the 1924 aerial as well.

Yes and the POV is very similar, although from a much wider lens, but I think the cars place my image later by a bit more than a decade.

[Those Who Squirm]

I posted elsewhere on this website to let people know about the city-data.com website, and its gigantic repository of historical and architectural thumbnail sketches. Please see my other post for further details. As far as I can tell, although the buildings of certain publicly owned enterprises -- public schools for example -- tend not to be included. But most if not all privately owned or operated houses, apartments, and commercial buildings do seem to come up. Please check out my other post for instructions on how to use this.

If you're the kind of person who, whenever you see an old building, you want to know how old it is, do yourself a favor and check this out.