Category Archives: 1911

L.A. Christmas Card, 1911

Posted on December 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Olive and 5th via Google’s Street View. Notice the vacant lot where Philharmonic Auditorium used to be. Demolition is forever. This truly awesome 1911 Christmas card, showing Philharmonic Auditorium and part of what is now Pershing Square, has been listed … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, Architecture, Downtown, Preservation, Theaters | Tagged #Christmas cards, #Pershing Square | 6 Comments

Found on EBay – Harrison Gray Otis

Posted on December 1, 2011 by lmharnisch

An interesting bit of Los Angeles Times memorabilia has turned up on EBay. This is a Sept. 4, 1911, letter from Harrison Gray Otis (notice that he didn’t use his military title) to Drayton Pitts, acknowledging the receipt of a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910, 1911, 1912, Downtown, Found on EBay | Tagged #EBay, #Times bombing | 4 Comments

Found on EBay – ‘Justice for the McNamaras’

Posted on November 10, 2011 by lmharnisch

A “Justice for the McNamaras” pin, referring to the 1911 trial of the McNamara brothers in the 1910 bombings of the Times Building and the Llewellyn Iron Works, has been listed on EBay. Bidding on this button starts at $24.99.

Posted in 1910, 1911, Crime and Courts, Found on EBay | Tagged #Clarence Darrow, #EBay, #McNamara Brothers, #Times bombing | Comments Off

How to Be an EBay Huckster

Posted on August 14, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: First all-women jury in Los Angeles. Credit: EBay listing. Photo: First all-women jury in Los Angeles. Credit: Bain News Service, Nov. 2, 1911. You can pay $9.99 for a cropped version of this photo on EBay or get it … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, Crime and Courts, Found on EBay, Libraries, Photography | Tagged #1911, #courts, #EBay, #photography | Comments Off

Found on EBay – Nudes by Witzel

Posted on July 20, 2011 by lmharnisch

A set of five nude photos (this is the tamest one) by the Witzel studio has been listed on EBay. Witzel was one of the leading portrait studios in Los Angeles and did many early publicity photos for the theater … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, Found on EBay, Photography, Witzel | Tagged #la, #nudes, #photography, #witzel | 5 Comments

Commemorative Flight Canceled After Replica Plane Crashes

Posted on July 2, 2011 by lmharnisch

Glenn Curtiss lands after a flight in his seaplane in an undated photo. July 14, 1911: Crowds see Glenn Curtiss’ demonstration of his seaplane at Winona Lake, as shown in the Warsaw Indiana Daily Union. The artist seems to have … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, Aviation, Museums | Tagged #1911, #museums, #plane crash | 1 Comment

Replica of 1911 Plane Crashes; Pilot OK

Posted on July 1, 2011 by lmharnisch

Pilot Kevin House is uninjured when a replica of Glenn Curtiss’ 1911 Navy seaplane crashed after takeoff in New York. WSJ

Posted in 1911, Aviation | Tagged #1911, #plane crash, Aviation | Comments Off

New York Honors Pioneering Black Police Officer

Posted on June 26, 2011 by lmharnisch

The New York Times has a great feature about Samuel J. Battle on the centennial of him becoming the first African American appointed to the New York Police Department. Excerpts from an interview given in 1960 for Columbia’s oral history … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, African Americans, Crime and Courts | Comments Off

Found on EBay – Wildfire

Posted on June 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

This dramatic postcard showing a huge wildfire, as seen from Mt. Lowe, has been listed on EBay. We have a cycle of natural disasters in Southern California: Heavy rains around December produce mudslides >> The rains bring spring greenery >> … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, Fires, Found on EBay, Photography | Tagged #1911, #EBay, #Fires, #photography | Comments Off

Coming Attractions: Broadway Theater Tour

Posted on June 23, 2011 by lmharnisch

The Palace Theater, 630 S. Broadway, via Google maps’ street view. Eric Richardson of Blogdowntown reports that the 1911 Palace Theatre, 630 S. Broadway, will be open for self-guided tours from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m on Saturday, June 25, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, Architecture, City Hall, Coming Attractions, Downtown, Film, Hollywood, Theaters | Tagged #film, #hollywood, #theaters, Architecture | 5 Comments

LAPD End of Watch, June 15, 1920

Posted on June 15, 2011 by lmharnisch

Dec. 23, 1915: LAPD motorcycle officers take delivery of 37 new Indian motorcycles, capable of 75 mph. The daily NewsWatch of the Los Angeles Police Protective League always honors the anniversaries of LAPD officers killed in the line of duty. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, 1915, 1920, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Obituaries, San Fernando Valley, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged crime and courts, lapd | Comments Off

The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

Posted on March 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

An undated photo of Triangle Shirtwaist Co. employees courtesy of HBO. March 26, 1911: “A 13-year-old girl hung for three minutes by her fingertips to the sill of a 10th-floor window. A tongue of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, Fire Department, Obituaries | 4 Comments

Architectural Ramblings, March 5, 1911

Posted on March 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

236 Adelaide Drive via Google maps’ street view. March 5, 1911: The Times features the new home of Los Angeles capitalist Isaac Milbank at 236 Adelaide Drive, Santa Monica. According … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, Architecture, Obituaries | 2 Comments

Faith and the Negro ‘Question’

Posted on February 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

Feb. 25, 1911: Religion columnist William T. Ellis has a few things on his mind about the Negro “question,” but none of them involve defining what the “question” might be. Presumably it was so familiar to … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, Countdown to Watts, Religion | 1 Comment

Van Nuys Is Born!

Posted on February 23, 2011 by lmharnisch

Sylvan Street and Van Nuys Boulevard via Google maps’ street view. Feb. 23, 1911: The Times says, “There are few more beautiful sites for a city anywhere than that which lies … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, Photography, San Fernando Valley | 5 Comments

On the Frontiers of Ethnomusicology

Posted on February 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Feb. 11, 1911: Among the items at the Southwest Museum is a flute, made of a human bone, that was discovered while excavating Native American graves on Santa Catalina Island. The flute was something of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, classical music, Music, Obituaries | 1 Comment

Portrait of the American stage in black and white

Posted on September 1, 2008 by lmharnisch

On Aug. 20, 1938, The Times noted the passing of Thomas K. Heath, who was once one of vaudeville's biggest stars. A little research showed that he and his partner Jim McIntyre performed in blackface for many years after they … Continue reading →

Posted in 1895, 1897, 1898, 1911, 1914, 1925, 1938, Film, Hollywood, Music, Stage | 2 Comments

Forget Bird Flu, This Is Serious

Posted on March 7, 2007 by lmharnisch

March 7, 1907Los Angeles A dreadful disease called acute glanders has been discovered in a horse and veterinarian R.J. Ramage ordered that the animal be destroyed immediately. In addition to rapidly causing death, acute glanders can be spread from horses … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, LAPD, Pasadena, Streetcars | Tagged 1907 | Comments Off

Another EBay Mystery

Posted on January 15, 2007 by lmharnisch

Jan. 15, 2007 Los Angeles While making my daily check of EBay, I found another envelope from 1907, this one addressed to A. Victor Segno, 701 N. Belmont. A brief check of Proquest reveals—what’s this? A major scam artist, self-help … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, 1908, 1911, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Education, Found on EBay, LAPD, Streetcars | Comments Off

The Confession of Morris Buck

Posted on December 7, 2006 by lmharnisch

Dec. 7, 1907Los Angeles“I asked if she received the letter. She said she had. I asked her if she would loan me a sum of money to be paid back monthly and I was going to open a bakeshop.“She said … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, 1908, 1911, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Education, LAPD, Real Estate, Streetcars | Comments Off