Category Archives: History

A Kinder Simpler Time Dept.: Bank Holiday and Long Beach Quake, 1933

Posted on August 26, 2011 by lmharnisch

In researching the premiere of “Nagana” and brief career of Tala Birell, I stumbled across a series of stories from 1933 that was worth a closer look. Are things tough today? To be sure. But here’s what our grandparents (or … Continue reading →

Posted in 1933, A Kinder, Simpler Time, Comics, History | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Found on EBay – Mary Louise Tea Room

Posted on August 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

A postcard of the Mary Louise Tea Room, formerly the Mary Elizabeth,  has been listed on EBay. The Mary Louise was originally in the Brack Shops Building, 7th near Grand, and in 1922 moved to the southwest corner of 7th … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Food and Drink, Found on EBay, History, Interior Design | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Old Computers: Less Power Than a Cellphone, but Cool

Posted on August 24, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Deep Thought (OK, not really) in the Living Computer Museum. Credit: Dionne Searcey/Wall Street Journal. Dionne Searcey of the Wall Street Journal writes about the Living Computer Museum established by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. And of course, the computers  … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Museums, Retro | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Job-Hunting Lessons From the Great Depression

Posted on August 22, 2011 by lmharnisch

Image: Help wanted, July 27, 1941. Credit: Los Angeles Times Joe Light in the Wall Street Journal looks at job-hunting lessons from the Great Depression. Interviews with historians and Depression-era job seekers suggest that the formula for finding work hasn’t … Continue reading →

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What Are the 50 Best Books About L.A.?

Posted on August 21, 2011 by lmharnisch

I don’t care much for lists because they’re usually nothing but “flame bait.”*  The BBC is an abundant source of these dictums, such as “100 Smashing Top-Drawer Books That Everyone Who Aspires to Cultural Literacy Should Read,” which is second … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Good Story Ruined, Books and Authors, History, Libraries | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Location Sleuth: Lasky Mesa

Posted on August 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: “Charge of the Light Brigade,” filmed at Lasky Mesa. James Curtis’ interview with Dick Lane touched on a filming location known as Lasky Mesa. Films shot there include “Rose of the Rancho” 1914, “The Thundering Herd” (1925), “The Charge … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, History, Hollywood, Lee Shippey, Location Sleuth, Parks, San Fernando Valley | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Woman Executed for Sex With Dog, 1677

Posted on August 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Mujeres listas para recivir a Rabago, 1911. Credit: Walter H. Horne/Getty Research Institute “A Nation Emerges,” featuring images of the Mexican Revolution, will go  on display at the Central Library from Sept. 8 to June 3. The exhibit, presented … Continue reading →

Posted in 1677, Animals, Crime and Courts, History, Libraries, Photography | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Location Sleuth: ‘Crime Wave’

Posted on August 17, 2011 by lmharnisch

Back in 2008, Scott of Tropico Station decided to revisit Glendale locations used in “Crime Wave.” Voila! Photo 1: “Crime Wave.” Photo 2: San Fernando road looking north. Credit: Tropico Station.

Posted in Architecture, Film, History, Hollywood, Location Sleuth, Photography | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

#art, #history, #museums 8|16|2011

Posted on August 16, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: “The Marriage of Tobias and Sarah” by Jan Steen. Credit: Museum Bredius in The Hague Photo: “The Marriage of Tobias and Sarah” by Jan Steen. Credit: Museum Bredius in The Hague The Hague municipality has settled with an heir … Continue reading →

Posted in 1893, Art & Artists, Crime and Courts, History, Museums, Washington, World War II | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Lizzie Borden and Fall River’s Mysterious Murder

Posted on August 16, 2011 by lmharnisch

Aug. 6, 1892: Fall River’s Mysterious Murder. Jennifer Levitz of the Wall Street Journal revisits the Lizzie Borden case. So why shouldn’t we?

Posted in 1893, Crime and Courts, History, Homicide | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Lizzie Borden and Fall River’s Mysterious Murder

Coming Tomorrow: Lizzie Borden

Posted on August 15, 2011 by lmharnisch

June 21, 1893: Lizzie Borden is found not guilty of killing her father and stepmother. Since it’s August, I thought it would be interesting to go through a few clips on the Lizzie Borden case.

Posted in 1893, Coming Attractions, History, Homicide | Tagged , | 2 Comments

L.A. Daily Mirror and L.A. Crime Beat 8|15|2011

Posted on August 15, 2011 by lmharnisch

I’m taking a break from the daily listings of history and museum news. Compiling the lists is time-consuming and they don’t seem to get many readers. In the meantime, there’s the L.A. Daily Mirror and the L.A. Crime Beat crafted … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, Crime and Courts, History, Museums | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Coming Attractions: Culinary Historians Used Cookbook Sale

Posted on August 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: The Santa Barbara Junior League Cookbook, 1939. Credit: L.A. Daily Mirror archives. The Culinary Historians of Southern California will hold its annual used cookbook sale on Aug. 21 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hollywood Farmers Market, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1939, Books and Authors, Coming Attractions, Food and Drink, History, Hollywood | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Coming Attractions: Culinary Historians Used Cookbook Sale

#Broadway, #Civil War, #history, #museums, 8|12|2011

Posted on August 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Diary of Alexander Sterrett Paxton. Credit: Washington and Lee University. Daniel de Vise of the Washington Post writes about a collection of six Civil War diaries obtained by Washington and Lee University. The diaries were kept by Alexander Sterrett … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, History, Museums, Music, Preservation, Stage, World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on #Broadway, #Civil War, #history, #museums, 8|12|2011

#art, #black dahlia, #books, #courts, #crime, #history, #railroads, 8|10|2011

Posted on August 10, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: BMW M1. Credit: Bonhams A BMW M1 painted by Frank Stella is being auctioned at the Quail Lodge Sale, Aug. 18-19, in Carmel. The BWM belonged to racecar driver Peter Gregg, who committed suicide after an accident left him … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, History, Motorsports, Museums, Politics, Transportation, Washington | 2 Comments

#history, #museums, 8|8|2011 [Updated]

Posted on August 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Colonel Harland Sanders, 1976. Credit: KFC   The Edgar Allan Poe House in Baltimore is threatened with “Nevermore.” Kate Taylor in the New York Times. KFC has launched a website to collect people’s stories about Colonel Sanders. [Update: The … Continue reading →

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#art, #history, #museums, 8|6|2011

Posted on August 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Mark Twain. Credit: Library of Congress.   RECOMMENDED Kim Palchikoff has a fascinating op-ed piece in the New York Times about some family icons that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945. Edward Rothstein of the … Continue reading →

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#art, #history, #museums, 8|5|2011

Posted on August 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: A page of Woody Guthrie’s scrapbooks. Credit: Robin Carson, the Woody Guthrie Archive   Eve M. Kahn of the New York Times examines efforts to preserve Woody Guthrie’s fragile, crumbling scrapbooks. The Woody Guthrie Foundation received  an $80,000 grant … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, History, Museums, Obituaries, Preservation | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on #art, #history, #museums, 8|5|2011

#art, #history, #museums, #World War II 8|4|2011

Posted on August 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Retired Lt. Col. Leo R. Gray with “The Spirit of Tuskegee.” Credit: Jahi Chikwendiu / The Washington Post Jacqueline Trescott of the Washington Post writes about “The Spirit of Tuskegee,” a Stearman trainer that has been acquired by the … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Art & Artists, History, Museums, World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on #art, #history, #museums, #World War II 8|4|2011

#art, #history, #museums 8|3|2011

Posted on August 3, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: President John F. Kennedy and Stan Musial. Credit:  Cecil Stoughton, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum Washington Post columnist John Kelly has a terrific story about author Harvey Sawler, who is looking for two boys, one white, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, History, Museums | Tagged , , | Comments Off on #art, #history, #museums 8|3|2011