Category Archives: Downtown

Prelude to the Bombing of The Times

Posted on May 26, 2010 by lmharnisch

The Los Angeles County Hall of Records, which survived a 1910 bombing attempt, as it appeared during the realignment of Spring Street in 1929.    In the months leading up to the bombing of the Los Angeles Times by union … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Downtown, LAPD, Los Angeles Times Bombing | 1 Comment

The Road to Dodger Stadium

Posted on May 24, 2010 by lmharnisch

  May 24, 1960: The next time you're in a traffic jam heading to Dodger Stadium, consider the public servants who debated the tract map submitted by the Dodgers for their Chavez Ravine stadium. "People attending such events have to … Continue reading →

Posted in Dodgers, Downtown, Transportation | Comments Off on The Road to Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles With a Laugh Track – ‘The Natives Are Restless’

Posted on May 12, 2010 by lmharnisch

   “Side-splitting?” Not hardly. Cynthia Lindsay's "The Natives Are Restless" (1960) is not a great book about Los Angeles or even a particularly good one. A frothy mix of humor and sunshine, "Natives" floats to the bright end of the … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Downtown | 2 Comments

Crowds Demand Money From Spring Street Bank

Posted on May 3, 2010 by lmharnisch

 Los Angeles Times file photo The All Night and Day Bank, Spring and 6th Streets, c. 1911. May 3, 1910: You may recall the All Night and Day Bank from a 2009 post.  For reasons that aren’t explained in this … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Front Pages, Photography | Comments Off on Crowds Demand Money From Spring Street Bank

Street Evangelist Starts Riot

Posted on April 25, 2010 by lmharnisch

  April 25, 1910: Timothy Callahan, who runs a small mission  near San Pedro and 3rd streets, is mobbed when he sets up a pulpit on Los Angeles Street and offers money to the needy. “The man who a few … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Religion | Comments Off on Street Evangelist Starts Riot

Nuestro Pueblo

Posted on April 21, 2010 by lmharnisch

Oct. 17, 1938: Joe Seewerker and Charles Owens visit the Pelanconi House on Olvera Street in another installment of Nuestro Pueblo. At right, a photo of the house from olvera-street.com. In case you just tuned in, I posted most of … Continue reading →

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Faces of the City, April 19, 1960

Posted on April 19, 2010 by lmharnisch

April 19, 1960: 1st and Broadway, just up the block from The Times, has changed drastically in the last 50 years. Ed Dudley’s newsstand vanished long ago and two corners are vacant eyesores. But he wasn’t wrong when he said: … Continue reading →

Posted in @news, Downtown | 1 Comment

Contract Awarded for Dodger Stadium

Posted on April 14, 2010 by lmharnisch

April 14, 1960: The contract to build the Dodgers' ballpark in Chavez Ravine was announced and Walter O'Malley once again talked about delays. "A final completion date cannot be fixed at this time due to the uncertainty of the various … Continue reading →

Posted in Dodgers, Downtown | Comments Off on Contract Awarded for Dodger Stadium

Dodgers Open With 11th Inning Win Over Cubs, 3-2

Posted on April 13, 2010 by lmharnisch

April 13, 1960: The Dodgers opened the season with another record crowd at the Coliseum, with 67,550 fans watching a 3-2 victory over the Cubs. Chuck Essegian's home run made the difference and Don Drysdale stuck out 14 as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Dodgers, Downtown, Sports | Comments Off on Dodgers Open With 11th Inning Win Over Cubs, 3-2

Broadway Traffic, 1930

Posted on April 9, 2010 by lmharnisch

December 1930: Broadway and 3rd Street. The Los Angeles County Transportation Authority Library and Archive is a wonderful source of old photos. Here's one of Broadway at 3rd Street taken in December 1930. The Times Building in the center-right portion  … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Photography, Transportation | Comments Off on Broadway Traffic, 1930

City Hall Is a Firetrap

Posted on April 9, 2010 by lmharnisch

  The 1889 City Hall on Broadway just north of what is now the Victor Clothing Building. Notice that there are no fire escapes. April 9, 1910: A fire that broke out in the janitor’s basement office could have quickly … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, City Hall, Downtown, Environment | Comments Off on City Hall Is a Firetrap

The Times’ Changing Nameplate

Posted on April 8, 2010 by lmharnisch

  The Times’ nameplate before the 1910 bombing, with The Times Building at right.  The revised nameplate of 1913 shows the building on fire. The 1913 nameplate also shows the new building on the site of the old one at … Continue reading →

Posted in @news, Downtown, Food and Drink | 2 Comments

Artist’s Notebook: Outside the Edison

Posted on April 2, 2010 by lmharnisch

“Outside the Edison,” by Marion Eisenmann. I thought it would be fun to write about the crowds that have revived downtown nightlife in the last few years, so late one Friday, Marion Eisenmann and I strolled up 2nd Street from … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, Downtown, Marion Eisenmann, Nightclubs, Nuestro Pueblo | 1 Comment

Chauffeur Is Speed Crazy

Posted on April 2, 2010 by lmharnisch

April 2, 1910: "The motorcycle men are after me and they will never get me," he cried. "I'm going to give them a race for their money this time. If they get me they will send me to jail."

Posted in Downtown, LAPD, Transportation | 1 Comment

L.A. Moment

Posted on March 23, 2010 by lmharnisch

Dec. 25, 1944: Glenn Miller’s plane disappears. I was coming back from lunch at Koo-Koo-Roo on Grand Avenue this afternoon and while waiting for the light, I heard Glenn Miller’s “American Patrol” floating out a window of one of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Music | 1 Comment

Dodgers Giving Up on Stadium for ’61 Season

Posted on March 20, 2010 by lmharnisch

  March 20, 1960: The Dodgers were giving up hope they would open the 1961 season in their new Chavez Ravine stadium. Walter O'Malley complained to The Times' sports editor, Paul Zimmerman, about the "little delays" that kept construction from … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Dodgers, Downtown | 1 Comment

Artist’s Notebook: Drawing Salon

Posted on March 12, 2010 by lmharnisch

  “Everything and Everybody,” by Marion Eisenmann. Marion Eisenmann sends two sketches from one of the recent “Late Nite Drawing Salons,” which are held Monday nights at the E3rd Steakhouse & Lounge. We thought the salon would offer some interesting … Continue reading →

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No Street Parking in Downtown L.A.

Posted on March 11, 2010 by lmharnisch

March 11, 1920: What Los Angeles is coming to without street parking in downtown, by Edmund Waller “Ted” Gale. The ban was adopted to ease the seemingly ageless problem of traffic. 

Posted in Downtown, Transportation | Comments Off on No Street Parking in Downtown L.A.

Nuestro Pueblo

Posted on March 10, 2010 by lmharnisch

Oct. 7, 1938: Joe Seewerker and Charles Owens visit 942 Yale St. (Google maps’ street view shows the lion is long gone). The original run of “Nuestro Pueblo” concluded last year. I’m going back and picking up the ones I … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, Downtown, Nuestro Pueblo | 1 Comment

Artist’s Notebook: Sign Spinning

Posted on March 5, 2010 by lmharnisch

 “Flying Ads,” by Marion Eisenmann. You find these young men (and they always seem to be young men) with their handheld signs all over Los Angeles, advertising pizza, condos or some other business.  I saw one fellow put on an … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, Downtown, Marion Eisenmann | Comments Off on Artist’s Notebook: Sign Spinning