noirish Los Angeles

[odinthor]

Originally Posted by HossC

I first posted about Simons Brick Co back in 2015 - you can see that post here. It contains links to a couple of previous mentions, and tovangar2 also posted a follow-up here. The last line of my posts says "By 1932, the Simons Brick Co had moved their main office to 1195 S Boyle Avenue." That gave me a rough location for the building below. These three pictures are a selection from a set of interior and exterior shots taken in 1931.


[...]

Looks like Gazanias are the flower of choice in the foreground bed.

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by Lorendoc

calisphere.org

Thank you Lorendoc for the history of 619 S June. I know that house by sight, but did not know it was by S Charles Lee. It's down and across from the British Consul General's residence (Wallace Neff, 1928) at № 450, where I've spent many a golden hour.

619 S June has frontages on both June and 6th Street and backs onto John Burroughs Middle School:


google maps

Along with all the other work, the pool appears to have been moved:


zillow



Permits list the owners as Shaul and Danielle Dina. Shaul Dina may be the Hollywood producer (since 2016) of such films as the nouveau grindhouse effort "Carnage Park" (2016), "frequently repellent" said LAT, as quoted by Rotten Tomatoes (critics 60% - audience 30%), which would go a long way towards explaining the choices in facade detailing and hardscape at № 619.



.

[BillinGlendaleCA]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

BillinGlendaleCA


In 2018, Mr. Huntington might not recognize San Marino the little town [13K people] that he helped found in 1913. There is not a single home in the city under one million dollars [median price is $3 million ] and the population is 46% Chinese...multimillionaire refugees from Hong Kong and other Asian countries.

You might ask, how do these Chinese immigrants pay for their San Marino homes? They usually pay in gold bars....I know this from my experience with them.[/SIZE]


https://i.pinimg.com/564x/b3/16/f9/b...san-marino.jpg

Yup, that's one of the reasons the newest addition to the Huntington is the Chinese Garden.

_9190128-1_001 by BillinGlendaleCA, on Flickr

[odinthor]

Look, e_r--a free church!


LA Times via ProQuest via CSULB Library, reconfigured for space


gsv

[odinthor]

I ran across, and am reviewing as I have a chance, a very large cache of photos I took in the early 1980s, most of which have no prayer of being of interest to NLA. This one perhaps comes close, if anyone wants a detail of (I think) the Pasadena City Hall...


odinthor collection, photo by odinthor

[ProphetM]

Originally Posted by CaliNative

I have a request....as many pics of the grand old Richfield Oil Co. tower (built in the 1920s) in DTLA as can be posted. Loved that old building from my youth. Torn down in 1968/69 to make way for the construction of ARCO twin towers. I still remember the grand spire shaped like an oil derrick lit up at night. Something to behold. Would love to see some nightime pics with the spire lit up. The only building almost as grand is the blue Eastern Columbia, which fortunately is still there.

I run a Facebook group called Richfield Beacons, about the beacon towers they put up along the west coast in 1928-29-30. Since the Richfield Building was one of the beacons, I have numerous photos.

If any of you have interest in the Richfield beacons, I am still looking for any information or photos I can find of the LA-area beacons:
Castaic Junction - I have aerials of the site and of the Beacon Coffee Shop across the street, but none of the service station and tower from ground level. The tower was purchased by LA County and moved to what is now LA County Fire Station 82 in La Cañada Flintridge, for use as a transmission tower until the 1960s. It's disposition after that is unknown.
Alhambra: supposedly located at what became the site of the Alhambra airport, I have no photos - aerial or otherwise. It was listed as new in the federal government's Air Commerce Bulletin in October 1929, and again as discontinued in the July 1930 issue.

You can go here for the Historic American Building Survey photos in the Library of Congress:
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/hh/item/ca0250/

Here are some photos of the Richfield Building I've collected - some were posted here, others on Facebook, still others found online in various places.


circa 1931


1930s? judging by the cars


Herman Schultheis, ca. 1937, from LAPL


Penthouse, 1950, from the Julius Shulman archive


1950s


From Life archives


A fire at the Richfield Building, 3/1/54. From martinturnbull.com


Atomic dawn over Los Angeles, 3/7/55


1955, a slide from eBay


South Flower Street, August 1955, from a set on the wrecking of old buildings for the Superior Oil Building


A slide from I don't know where


Crop from Julius Shulman photo 7K of Job #4161, Los Angeles Twilight, 1967, from Getty Research Institute


Another mystery source


April 1968


Last day open, 11/15/1968


Last day open, 11/15/1968

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by HossC

I first posted about Simons Brick Co back in 2015 - you can see that post here. It contains links to a couple of previous mentions, and tovangar2 also posted a follow-up here. The last line of my posts says "By 1932, the Simons Brick Co had moved their main office to 1195 S Boyle Avenue." That gave me a rough location for the building below. These three pictures are a selection from a set of interior and exterior shots taken in 1931.

This entire little building makes me anxious and edgy. Whomever owns the company is a strict advocate of absolute perfection. I think its called anal retentive personality. Not a single mortar rake between the tiles and bricks is off. Count me out.

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by tovangar2

Thank you Lorendoc for the history of 619 S June. I know that house by sight, but did not know it was by S Charles Lee. It's down and across from the British Consul General's residence (Wallace Neff, 1928) at № 450, where I've spent many a golden hour.

Permits list the owners as Shaul and Danielle Dina. Shaul Dina may be the Hollywood producer (since 2016) of such films as the nouveau grindhouse effort "Carnage Park" (2016), "frequently repellent" said LAT, as quoted by Rotten Tomatoes (critics 60% - audience 30%), which would go a long way towards explaining the choices in facade detailing and hardscape at № 619.
.

T2....most interesting back stories. Something is amiss with this family. At one time they were willing to sell the house in a state of being half remodeled...''as is''. What?!

Now the roof is leaking? Let's pass on this one.....its a can of worms.

So you were doing the shim-sham at the British Consulate?

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by oldstuff

Victor Segno and his wife A. Belle appear in the 1910 Census, living at 701 Belmont. This property is currently part of several lots that were turned into condos along the western ridge overlooking Echo Park Lake. It is just next to the staircase that goes up from Glendale Blvd to the top of the bluff. The 1910 census lists his occupation as an author of "scientific works". His wife was listed as a "private Secretary" He was first married to an Evelyn In Canada and they divorced around 1890. He then apparently moved here from Canada, and he took up with wife number 2, A. Belle, (her name was Annie Dell). He was Canadian and Belle was listed as being from Maine. according to the only census where he can be located. He was born in Canada in 1871. They were apparently divorced by 1920 as she appears in the census for that year, listed as divorced, and going by her first name Annie. She is listed as the manager of a mail order house. He cannot be located after that, but probably just changed his name again and moved on.

Thanks oldstuff. -Segno's timeline sure is difficult to follow.

per the article below:

After marrying wife #2 (Annie Dell) Victor Segno ran away to Europe with a married assistant, Irene Weitzel.

posted LARGE (for some reason the next size was too small)

[May 31, 1911?] ehbritten

After his flight to Europe, Victor Segno's birthname is discovered to be William Albert Hall
and his legal wife's name is Dell Dinsmore. (not Annie Dell?)
_____________________

Once in Europe, Segno's new paramour, Irene Weitzel, adopts the name Carolyn Segno. (huh? )

'Carolyn' & Victor Segno.

1915 passport ehbritten

"And from that point forward, A. Victor Segno and 'Carolyn Segno' disappear from the public record, entirely".ehbritten



__

[ethereal_reality]

I thought this was interesting.


Nautilus 1906

We discussed the Worlds Fair searchlight in the early days of the thread, but I don't remember discussing how it was powered. (maybe I just forgot)


below / from GIZMODO

"When running at 200 amperes—a current generated by a Pelton water wheel in a nearby canyon—the carbon arc lamp burned with the intensity
of 90,000 to 100,000 candles. A massive reflecting lens mirror magnified that blaze to 375 million candlepower."


Does anyone know in which canyon this Pelton water wheel was located?
___



#2: location of searchlight in relation to the observatory:


ebay find [dated: 1908]

Is this view about 1,500 ft from the observatory?

-was the searchlight in this area in the foreground / where the photographer was standing?









Oh, and one more thing



Am I the only one who didn't know the observatory dome was initially covered in canvas?

__

[CaliNative]

[QUOTE=ProphetM;8054561]I run a Facebook group called Richfield Beacons, about the beacon towers they put up along the west coast in 1928-29-30. Since the Richfield Building was one of the beacons, I have numerous photos.

If any of you have interest in the Richfield beacons, I am still looking for any information or photos I can find of the LA-area beacons:
Castaic Junction - I have aerials of the site and of the Beacon Coffee Shop across the street, but none of the service station and tower from ground level. The tower was purchased by LA County and moved to what is now LA County Fire Station 82 in La Cañada Flintridge, for use as a transmission tower until the 1960s. It's disposition after that is unknown.
Alhambra: supposedly located at what became the site of the Alhambra airport, I have no photos - aerial or otherwise. It was listed as new in the federal government's Air Commerce Bulletin in October 1929, and again as discontinued in the July 1930 issue.

You can go here for the Historic American Building Survey photos in the Library of Congress:
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/hh/item/ca0250/

Here are some photos of the Richfield Building I've collected - some were posted here, others on Facebook, still others found online in various places.


circa 1931


1930s? judging by the cars


Herman Schultheis, ca. 1937, from LAPL


Penthouse, 1950, from the Julius Shulman archive




1955, a slide from eBay


Wonderful pics. Thanks! At least the old Eastern Columbia building still remains. The "oil derrick" spire/beacon of the Richfield might have inspired the design of the Empire State Building's dirigible port spire. Some similarity. Richfield was built a couple of years before. Would be great if some developer could put up a neo-Art Deco tower with a spire/beacon like the Richfield, maybe on the Angel's Landing site on Hill. A 1000'+ homage to Richfield tower. The past and future merge. We can dream. Of all the buildings in L.A. from my youth that are no longer there, the Richfield is the one I miss the most. So beautiful at night, as the lower photo shows.

[BillinGlendaleCA]

Originally Posted by odinthor

I ran across, and am reviewing as I have a chance, a very large cache of photos I took in the early 1980s, most of which have no prayer of being of interest to NLA. This one perhaps comes close, if anyone wants a detail of (I think) the Pasadena City Hall...


odinthor collection, photo by odinthor

Yup, that's a detail of the dome on Pasadena City Hall. I was there last Sunday on a photoshoot.

_1141058_PTGui Panorama.jpg by BillinGlendaleCA, on Flickr

[GaylordWilshire]

Ran across this house while in search of something miles to the south.... The Herald indicates 420 Mt. Washington Drive, though Samuel O. McMichael (no 's')--
an engineer with the water department--actually lived at 410. He died in 1943, but, per building permits, the family was still in possession as late as 1987.




LAH October 3, 1909

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by ProphetM

I run a Facebook group called Richfield Beacons, about the beacon towers they put up along the west coast in 1928-29-30. Since the Richfield Building was one of the beacons, I have numerous photos.


__________________________________________________________________________________

It's always a treat to revisit the Richfield Tower, ProphetM, thanks!

Originally Posted by CaliNative

Of all the buildings in L.A. from my youth that are no longer there, the Richfield is the one I miss the most. So beautiful at night, as the lower photo shows.

Ah, but you got to see it!

(Did you ever see the NBC Building at Hollywood & Vine?)

[ethereal_reality]

originally posted by odinthor


look, e_r--a free church!
___________________________________________________________

lol. you sound just like my friend odinthor.



speaking of....

"Class photo taken on the front steps of the Los Angeles Free Methodist Seminary in Highland Park, in an area originally known as Hermon."


LAPL






We briefly discussed this place back in 2014.

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Administration building at Los Angeles Pacific College located in Harmon.


ebay

The class photo gives us the first close look at what is written above the door.


detail

L.A.F.M. SEMINARY 1903







GW added this baist map to the conversation in 2014.

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

The college was listed at 5732 Ebey Street in the 1936 CD; the shape of a structure corresponding to the building in the picture is on the 1921 Baist map
with its original name, the Los Angeles Free Methodist Seminary.


Historic Map Works

__

[AlvaroLegido]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

This entire little building makes me anxious and edgy. Whomever owns the company is a strict advocate of absolute perfection. I think its called anal retentive personality. Not a single mortar rake between the tiles and bricks is off. Count me out.

I felt the same discomfort looking at this.

[ethereal_reality]

I wouldn't go quite that far.

Originally Posted by Lorendoc

GSV / 619 S June

What bothers me most is the overkill with the outdoor lighting/lamps*
I count 10 lamps on the house when the two by the door would have suffixe. (and they could be smaller)
The way it is now, the lamps compete head-to-head with the architectural medallions and catouche(s)
__
d
*there are 8 more lamps along the porch balustrade. (they're in pairs).....and 6 on the stairs in addition to step lighting.

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

What bothers me the most is the overkill with the outdoor lighting/lamps*
I count 10 lamps on the house when the two by the door would have suffixed. (and they could be smaller)
The way it is now, the lamps compete head-to-head with the architectural medallions and catouche(s)
__

*there are 8 more lamps along the porch balustrade. (they're in pairs).....and 6 on the stairs in addition to step lighting.

I agree ER....The whole project has become grotesque.
As we used to say at Art Center College of Design...'Less is more'...and 'Its not what you add, but what you leave out.'

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

What bothers me the most is the overkill with the outdoor lighting/lamps

...and those clunky stairs themselves. They make the place look like a school or post office or something...

[Flyingwedge]

I posted a small photo of these two "mystery" houses previously, but I've just figured out where they were,
plus now the photo is zoomable so we can see them a little better.

February 27, 1916, Los Angeles Times:





ProQuest via LAPL


That's 628 on the left and 636 on the right, with a bit of 640 behind the palm. I'd guess this photo is c. 1918.
As far as I could tell, Hobart, Serrano and Oxford between 5th and Wilshire are the only north-south residential
streets in that part of town where the sidewalk is next to the curb, without a strip of grass between the two:



UCLA/Islandora


August 25, 1916, BP for 628-630 S. Serrano. There is a BP with the same date for 636-638 S. Serrano. The
Certificates of Occupancy for the two buildings are dated April 23, 1917:



LADBS


1921 Sanborn with north at right and 628 and 636 S. Serrano just left of center. I believe 610 and 616 (now 618)
are still standing:



ProQuest via LAPL


September 30, 1971, demo permit for 636 S. Serrano. There is a demo permit with the same date for 628:



LADBS


Here's a closer look at 636 and 640 S. Serrano from the photo above:




This is 628 S. Serrano:




This is 1125 (formerly 1121-23) 3rd Avenue, which I believe is the structure mentioned in the article at the top of this
post ("identical in plan with a flat being constructed by the same builder on Third Avenue, near Eleventh Street"):



June 2017 GSV


The BP for 1121-23 3rd Avenue has the same owner's last name, architect, and building dimensions, confirming what
was written in the article at the top of this post:



LADBS


The Beidlers' old home at 1133 3rd Avenue is still standing.