Category Archives: books

Pages of History – Harrison Gray Otis and His Fight for the Open Shop

Posted on September 9, 2010 by lmharnisch

Most of the articles I have found dealing with Gen. Harrison Gray Otis were written after the 1910 bombing. Here’s a 1908 article that is shockingly positive given the current view of the old boy. Otis is a polarizing figure. … Continue reading →

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Climbing Mt. Bassett

Posted on September 8, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Sept. 27, 1978: James Bassett dies. am climbing Mount Bassett. It’s as if I’m halfway up and have come across the abandoned camp of an expedition that vanished many years ago while trying to conquer some snowy, fog-shrouded peak. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910 L.A. Times bombing, books | 1 Comment

Pages of History – The Walrus of Moron-Land

Posted on September 7, 2010 by lmharnisch

  came across this article from the February 1928 issue of “The American Mercury” while researching the 1910 bombing of The Times. It’s a bit difficult to determine from ProQuest precisely when Louis Sherwin [Hugo Louis Sherwin Golitz] worked for … Continue reading →

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Pages of History

Posted on August 31, 2010 by lmharnisch

Isn’t this a great cover? I love the lettering. I’m going through the transcripts of jury selection in the McNamara trial, which is dull, tedious,  fascinating work. It’s difficult to convey the experience of having a 1911 typewritten manuscript – … Continue reading →

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Barry Goldwater, Aug. 30, 1960

Posted on August 30, 2010 by lmharnisch

Aug. 30, 1960: Perhaps you saw David Klinghoffer’s recent piece about changes in the conservative movement (“From neocons to crazy-cons”) or Jonah Goldberg’s rebuttal. If so, you might like to read some of Barry Goldwater’s thoughts for yourself, from 1960. … Continue reading →

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On Assignment

Posted on August 29, 2010 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo Clarence Darrow addresses jurors during his trial on charges of jury tampering. have spent the last few days at the Huntington Library going through transcripts of the trial of James B. McNamara in the 1910 … Continue reading →

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On the Frontiers of Literature

Posted on August 28, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Aug. 28, 1910: If you’re a fan of mystery books, you may have heard of S.S. Van Dine, who wrote "The Greene Murder Case," "The Canary Murder Case" and other Philo Vance stories. Van Dine was the pen name … Continue reading →

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Matt Weinstock, Aug. 15, 1960

Posted on August 15, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Aug. 15, 1960: Remi A. Nadeau has a new book coming out: "Los Angeles — Conquistadors to Commuters," Matt Weinstock says. The final title was “Los Angeles: From Mission to Modern City.” CONFIDENTIAL TO SHORT ON LONG ISLAND: If … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, books, Columnists, Comics, Matt Weinstock | 1 Comment

Nixon Birthplace Revisited

Posted on August 4, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Aug. 4, 1960: Members of a Nixon club replace a sign that was stolen from Richard M. Nixon’s boyhood home in Yorba Linda, which brings us back to a story posted in 2009. Times reporter Art Ryon  covered  the … Continue reading →

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Matt Weinstock, Aug. 2, 1960

Posted on August 2, 2010 by lmharnisch

  A  cargo of stolen Caltechium? Aug. 2, 1960: What do you suppose is in Caltechium? Matt Weinstock looks at one family’s problems in having a swimming pool.

Posted in art and artists, books, Columnists, Comics, Matt Weinstock, Science, UFOs | 2 Comments

NSA Analysts Defect to Soviet Union

Posted on August 2, 2010 by lmharnisch

Aug. 2, 1960: William H. Martin and Bernon F. Mitchell of the National Security Agency defect to the Soviet Union. See David Kahn's classic work "The Codebreakers" and James Bamford's 1982 "The Puzzle Palace" for more details.

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Pages of History

Posted on July 30, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Notice how steep Bunker Hill used to be! I stumbled across a copy of “Los Angeles: A Guide Book,” produced for the 1907 National Education Assn. convention, listed on EBay for $9.99 and remembered that I had seen a … Continue reading →

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Republicans Fight Over Party Platform

Posted on July 25, 2010 by lmharnisch

 Los Angeles Times file photo July 25, 1960: Vice President Nixon greets well-wishers in Chicago.   Cartoonist Bruce Russell is sure the GOP has the election in the bag. July 25, 1960: "The issues that shaped the Republican Convention were … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960 Republican Convention, art and artists, books, Front Pages, Photography, Politics, Richard Nixon | 1 Comment

Pages of History

Posted on July 22, 2010 by lmharnisch

  "I was seeing Pershing Square, Los Angeles, now for the first time…the nervous fugitives from Times Square, Market Street SF, the French Quarter — masculine hustlers looking for lonely fruits to score from, anything from the legendary $20 to … Continue reading →

Posted in #gays and lesbians, art and artists, books, Downtown, Parks and Recreation | 2 Comments

Pages of History – The Medical Profession of Southern California

Posted on July 6, 2010 by lmharnisch

The other day while researching the 1910 Times bombing, I discovered a digitized book that I have been trying to buy for years: Dr. George H. Kress’ “A History of the Medical Profession of Southern California.” Notice that this is … Continue reading →

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Pages of History [Updated]

Posted on June 28, 2010 by lmharnisch

   Central Park, later named Pershing Square, and Philharmonic Auditorium.   One of the most influential books ever written about the city is Morrow Mayo’s 1933 “Los Angeles.” It is, in fact, easy to argue that Mayo was the father … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910 L.A. Times bombing, books, Parks and Recreation | 3 Comments

A Beat Fourth of July

Posted on June 26, 2010 by lmharnisch

  June 26, 1960: For the Fourth of July, the Beats of Venice plan to protest an ordinance against being on the beach between midnight and 6 a.m. by spending the night on the beach. Except there is no such … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, books, Comics, Nightclubs, Venice Division | 1 Comment

Pages of History

Posted on June 25, 2010 by lmharnisch

  ’m doing a fair amount of research these days on the Oct. 1, 1910, bombing of The Times and have been referring to W.W. Robinson’s slim 1969 book “Bombs and Bribery,” which is a good introduction to the incident … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1910 L.A. Times bombing, books, Downtown | 1 Comment

Los Angeles in 7 Days

Posted on June 23, 2010 by lmharnisch

I’ve been looking for a copy of “Los Angeles in 7 Days” since my friend Carolyn Strickler, former head of The Times’ History Center, showed me a copy of the 1932 book. Bookfinder has a few copies, but for more … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Downtown | 3 Comments

Landslide Closes Hill Street Tunnel

Posted on June 13, 2010 by lmharnisch

  A landslide closes the Hill Street tunnel, which was demolished when the “nose” of Bunker Hill was removed in June 1955.  June 13, 1910: Police find that the athletic burglar who was caught the other day has refined tastes … Continue reading →

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