Category Archives: Black Dahlia

March 1, 1907: L.A. Businesses Running Out of Space to Dump Garbage

March 1, 1907: Downtown businessmen are at a complete loss over what to do with the garbage from their operations and want the city to either take it or designate a dump they can use. Continue reading

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Reminder – My Next ‘Ask Me Anything’ on the Black Dahlia Case Is March 3

Reminder: I will be doing a live Ask Me Anything on the Black Dahlia case on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@lmharnisch) next Tuesday, March 3, at 10 a.m. Pacific time. Have questions? Leave them in the comments. Continue reading

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February 21, 1907: Mystery Killer Poisons Dogs and Cats in Angeleno Heights

February 21, 1907: A mysterious poisoner is killing dogs and cats in Angeleno Heights. The killer preys on purebreds rather than mongrels, The Times says. Continue reading

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February 18, 2007: Architectural Ramblings

February 18, 2007: In exploring neighborhoods from 1907, I visited La Salle Street. Continue reading

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Black Dahlia Book Club for February 2026

The second session of the Black Dahlia Book Club is on YouTube.com/LMHarnisch. This time, I discussed books by four journalists involved in the Black Dahlia case. Continue reading

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February 17, 1907: Before Staples Center — City Straightens 12th Street

February 17, 1907: People on West 12th Street argue about straightening out the street between Main and Hoover. Some say it would raise property values, others counter that it would ruin homes and bring costly assessments. The street was later wiped out and is home to a certain sports arena. Continue reading

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February 11, 1907: Woman Fractures Skull Leaping From Streetcar That Passed Her Stop

February 11, 1907: Mrs. A.C. Newton of Central Avenue is near death after fracturing her skull by leaping from a streetcar that passed her stop. News reports show someone was injured almost every week by jumping from a streetcar that failed to stop. Image shows a new Baptist church at 2nd Street and St. Louis. Continue reading

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Black Dahlia Book Club – Coming February 17, 2026

Reminder: The second session of the Black Dahlia Book Club will meet February 17 at 10 a.m. on YouTube. This time I’ll look at the memoirs of four journalists who covered the case. Continue reading

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February 8, 1907: Peace Returns to Buena Vista Street

February 8, 1907: The death of family matriarch Mrs. James Stewart ends a feud between the Donnatins and the Stewarts over something that Charles Donnatin said to a young woman across the street. Continue reading

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February 7, 1907: Cop Killer’s Widow Arrested in Liquor Raid

February 7, 1907: Charles Babbitt is sentenced to 30 days in jail on charges of domestic violence after the testimony of his 6-year-old son. “Papa hit me with a whip and it cut my head,” the boy said. “Then he hit mama.” “The man blinked his eyes and said that he did it because he was drunk” The Times says. Continue reading

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February 4, 1907: Architectural Ramblings — South Pasadena

February 4, 1907: Architectural rambling with “artistic bungalows.” Continue reading

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Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, February 2026

This month’s Ask Me Anything on the Black Dahlia case includes a progress report on Heaven Is HERE! and a brief introduction to the Black Dahlia case. Continue reading

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February 2, 1907: A Trip to the Zoo

February 2, 1907: Conditions at Chutes Park are so bad that the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is making a second inspection to see whether operator J.B. Lehigh has made any improvements before his Feb. 20 trial on charges of abuse and neglect. Continue reading

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January 31, 1947: Herald-Express Publishes Name and Address of Rape Victim

January 31, 1947: It is difficult to believe that there was a time when newspapers published rape victims’ names and addresses, but the Herald-Express had no misgivings about it. Continue reading

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January 31, 1907: L.A. Health Officials Fight Legislature’s Bid to Repeal Mandatory Smallpox Shots

January 31, 1907: L.A. health officials fight a bill that would lift mandatory smallpox vaccinations for schoolchildren. Continue reading

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January 1, 1907: Alive!

January 1, 1907: Lindsay Hicks goes on the stage to discuss his rescue after being trapped for 15 days by a cave-in. The Kentuckian doesn’t care much for show business and says he wants $3 a day, a pick and a shovel — heading back to Bakersfield. Continue reading

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January 28, 1907: Meet Gen. Homer Lea, L.A.’s Gift to China

January 28, 1907: Meet Gen. Homer Lea, whose life was the tale of a poor and badly handicapped boy’s adventures as a leader in an exotic foreign land. Continue reading

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Reminder – My Next ‘Ask Me Anything’ on the Black Dahlia Case Is February 3

Reminder: I will be doing a live Ask Me Anything on the Black Dahlia case on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@lmharnisch) next Tuesday, February 3, at 10 a.m. Pacific time. Have questions? Leave them in the comments. Continue reading

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January 27, 1907: L.A. Studies Elevated Trolley Line to Ease Traffic

January 27, 1907: Pacific Electric experiments with an elevated railway system to ease traffic. The city is faced with bad traffic, “which causes blockades, loss of time to thousands, loss of business to merchants and discomfort to the public,” The Times says. Continue reading

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January 24, 1907: L.A. Church May Ordain Woman!

January 24, 1907: Belle L. White devoted her life to helping the poor, needy children of Los Angeles. She built a church and school, left it all and began again when the minister turned out to be a crook, and spent her later years fighting with state authorities to stay open. Continue reading

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