noirish Los Angeles - Page 425

Handsome Stranger · #**8481** Posted: **Jul 6, 2012, 3:56 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson

Some of the kids likely headed home from Hollywood High School which is just a couple of blocks south. Someone else is hurrying home for dinner, someone being met by their husband(?), someone waiting stoically after a long day for the next car...

P.E. 707 northbound Highland at Hollywood Blvd, San Fernando Valley line circa 1945
image from Metro Transportation Library and Archive

Notice the crowd up on Hollywood Boulevard waiting for the eastbound car.

What a fantastic set of photos, especially with the Hollywood Hotel in the distance. But I'm a little astonished that everyone is boarding a streetcar or waiting for a streetcar right out in the middle of the street, completely unprotected from traffic. There must have been some horrific accidents now and then.

BDiH · #**8482** Posted: **Jul 6, 2012, 9:08 AM**

They're standing on safety islands. Notice the crowd waiting for the next streetcar on the Boulevard.

fhammon · #**8483** Posted: **Jul 6, 2012, 9:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BDiH

They're standing on safety islands. Notice the crowd waiting for the next streetcar on the Boulevard.

Safety Islands? They're just lines on the road. That would never be allowed today. Pedestrians have the right of way only in theory these days.
I just recently read where one of those "troubled female celebrity youths" got ticketed and called before the judge for dancing "off of the sidewalk" in Beverly Hills.

MichaelRyerson · #**8484** Posted: **Jul 6, 2012, 12:32 PM**

fewer than you'd expect. On one level, these were the days of the 20 and 30 mile an hour speed limit and a couple of generations before cell phones. But still you had the inattentive driver and the drunk so people were occasionally bowled over with tragic consequences. In some places the 'island' was actually a raised concrete area on the lane divider but in many places, probably most places, it was simply a painted boundary within which pedestrians could stand regardless of the traffic light on the adjacent intersection. Most had a large raised button at the end facing traffic with a bright red reflector in it. Of course, a car could easily straddle this button so it was scant protection. We only had one car and besides my mother didn't drive, so we went many places by streetcar. I've stood in those painted islands many times and don't remember any 'close calls'.

malumot · #**8485** Posted: **Jul 6, 2012, 6:14 PM**

True enough Michael.

While I'll admit a painted line is scant protection and improvements were made (raised platforms, some including guardrails, became more common in the 40s and 50s.....not just in LA but other cities with streetcars).....

It's possible to go overboard.

Before and after of the Santa Ana Metrolink/AMTRAK station.

Mommy MTA decided we are incapable of crossing the tracks for our trains by ourselves (despite the fact that ALL passenger trains stop in Santa Ana, and freights slow to a crawl while passing through the station.)

At the very least you think they could have come up with a solution like this (Tustin Station, just 4 miles from Santa Ana)

A combination of steps and ramps that takes passengers below the tracks. 15 steps up and down instead of 48.

Cost: 1/3 that of building a bridge.

The MTA is insane.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson

fewer than you'd expect. On one level, these were the days of the 20 and 30 mile an hour speed limit and a couple of generations before cell phones. But still you had the inattentive driver and the drunk so people were occasionally bowled over with tragic consequences. In some places the 'island' was actually a raised concrete area on the lane divider but in many places, probably most places, it was simply a painted boundary within which pedestrians could stand regardless of the traffic light on the adjacent intersection. Most had a large raised button at the end facing traffic with a bright red reflector in it. Of course, a car could easily straddle this button so it was scant protection. We only had one car and besides my mother didn't drive, so we went many places by streetcar. I've stood in those painted islands many times and don't remember any 'close calls'.

BifRayRock · #**8486** Posted: **Jul 7, 2012, 5:48 PM**

As long as there have been moving vehicles and pedestrians . . .

Quote:

"This photo shows the safety zone where pedestrians were injured by a car. Black line shows path of car, 'X's" mark the spot where the injured pedestrians stood. Photo dated: July 17, 1943."

LAPL
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Quote:

"This photo-diagram shows how two youths, Charles Hargrove, 15, and Donald Woodruff, 16, were killed in traffic on March 5, 1944. The boys alighted from a bus and started across the street at Washington Blvd. and Washington Place in Culver City, on the dotted line, and were hit by an automobile traveling 70 miles an hour. They were hurled nearly 200 feet in the air (arrow)."

LAPL

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Safety Island at 10th and Broadway, ca. '28

USC Digital Lib

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1st and Hill, ca '58

USC Digital Lib

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Sidewalk, 49th Street and Central Ave, ca '52

USC Digital Lib

BifRayRock · #**8487** Posted: **Jul 8, 2012, 8:00 PM**

Dr. Alfred Guido Rudolph Schloesser's "Castle" aka "Castle San Soucci" located at or near the convergence of Argyle and Franklin Avenue (1831 or 1901 Argyle Ave.(??)), ca. 1912-1913. As noted elsewhere, the Doctor was also responsible for building Glengarry Castle and the Castle Argyle [Apartments] (1919 N. Argyle Ave).

Quote:

"Another noteworthy name around town at this time was that of Doctor Schloesser. Real estate remained the big business in the area at this time, and Schloesser was eager to try his hand at the booming market. He was hard to miss: pudgy with big, red lips, dressed in a whalebone girdle that made him creak when he walked, and usually adorned in a fancy frock coat and white gloves. He bought and sold different properties, making huge profits, and built the astounding "Glengary Castle" at the corner of Franklin and Argyle. The two marble lions decorating the entrance were especially impressive. The home was a mixed throw-back to medieval times, and its extravagance can be likened to a more diminutive San Simeon, (William Randolph Hearst's notorious abode). When movies began shooting out in California, Schloesser made some extra money by renting out his illustrious home to filmmakers who needed a set that looked deserving of a millionaire. By that time, the Doc had moved out... and across the street to a bigger castle, which he dubbed 'Sans Souci.' A true character and social anomaly, when he finally sold 'Glengary,' newspapers would write, 'Hollywood has given up trying to understand Dr. Schloesser.'"http://lalalandhistory.blogspot.com/...1_archive.html

http://articles.latimes.com/1996-03-...lywood-castles

All: LAPL

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http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thed...ebay-1/page/2/

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Castle Argyle Apartments:

http://allanellenberger.com/category/1930-census/

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Castle Glengarry

Quote:

"Exterior view of "Glencarry", the mansion across the street from Castle Sans Souci, located on the eastern side of Argyle between Franklin and Dix. It is believed to have been the home of actor Sessue Hawakawa Schloesser. The home was demolished in 1959." http://photos.lapl.org/carlweb/jsp/F...olNumber=77751

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6...2300e69970c-pi

LAPL

ethereal_reality · #**8488** Posted: **Jul 8, 2012, 11:16 PM**

I've never heard of A.G. Schloesser's Castle Sans Souci or Castle Glengarry.
Castle Sans Souci resembles an overgrown architectural folly....it's kind of fun in that respect.

(I'm back after five days away from my computer....let's get this thread rolling again!)

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MichaelRyerson · #**8489** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 12:45 AM**

Calle de los Negros, circa 1882
image from California State Library

I don't remember seeing this image before. On the left is the adobe of Antonio Coronel; behind the adobe and with belltower is the fire station; center with a gable roof is the adobe of Vincent Lugo (facing the plaza on Los Angeles Street); and right with columns is the Antonio Maria Lugo adobe, which he willed to his son, Dolores del Carmen Lugo. View is looking toward the plaza from the east.

fhammon · #**8490** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 1:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson

Calle de los Negros, circa 1882
image from California State Library

I don't remember seeing this image before. On the left is the adobe of Antonio Coronel; behind the adobe and with belltower is the fire station; center with a gable roof is the adobe of Vincent Lugo (facing the plaza on Los Angeles Street); and right with columns is the Antonio Maria Lugo adobe, which he willed to his son, Dolores del Carmen Lugo. View is looking toward the plaza from the east.

Wow...don't get me started. I'm a hopeless Plazaphile and the Calle de los Negros looms large in the legends of our early days. It was the site of the Chinese Massacre among many other histories. The wooden buildings on the right in your photo which you name as "Antonio Maria Lugo adobe" (gambling dens and prostitute cribs) "mysteriously" burned down one night and this fine multi-windowed building was erected and survived right up until Christine Sterling and her cronies had their way with what was left of Old China Town...which unfortunately included the Lugo House.

Here's a view looking east from Aliso St at the entrance to "the alley". These photos originally came from UCSDL.

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets.../view/CHS-6686

MichaelRyerson · #**8491** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 1:46 AM**

Well then, here are three more I don't remember seeing before, either...
Judging by the plantings, this is in roughly chronological order

Plaza_and_Pico_House, circa 1890

Notice the five story section of Brunswig is yet to appear, making this the earliest of these three. Also the first generation of electric streetlights is apparent.

LA_Plaza_ca1890

Now we have the Brunswig Building and the trees and shrubs are filling out.

Plaza_1890(2)

And somewhat later still, this view is in a slightly more westerly direction exposing more of the houses and businesses north of the church and north of the Plaza.

images from calstatelibrary

ethereal_reality · #**8492** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 1:49 AM**

Great chronological photos of The Plaza MichaelRyerson.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by fhammon

'Shortest route to Union Station'.....I would love to see interior photos of this 'passageway'.

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BifRayRock · #**8493** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 2:00 AM**

Mid-day photo of Griffith Observatory from Normandie (near Franklin), ca. '39. (As contrasted with ER's previously posted "magic hour" photos - (below).)

lapl

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"Magic Hour"

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=4734

MichaelRyerson · #**8494** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 10:35 AM**

ernest-borgnine
image from uproxx.com

Chuckaluck · #**8495** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 2:21 PM**

Circa 1964:

lapl

google

Earl Boebert · #**8496** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 3:20 PM**

Just kidding. Scanned and retouched by Paul Malon, who attributes it to "Roscoe's Tiki Time":

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmal...n/photostream/

Cheers,

Earl

malumot · #**8497** Posted: **Jul 9, 2012, 3:47 PM**

Great photos of Griffith Observatory, Bif.

I noticed how boldly apparent the structure is from surrounding neighborhoods. It looms over the city. Good thing it was built when it was. It could never be built today. ("Sensitive" habitat, daily vehicle trips, slope/stormwater issues, visual impact, light pollution nuisance, etc.......)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BifRayRock

Mid-day photo of Griffith Observatory from Normandie (near Franklin), ca. '39. (As contrasted with ER's previously posted "magic hour" photos - (below).)

lapl

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"Magic Hour"

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=4734