Vintage Los Angeles Photos

[Allan]

3rd Ave & Grand Ave (1952)

200 block S. Main St. (1952)

Looking up Main St. from 2nd St. toward City Hall (1952)

100 block of South Main St. (1952)

City Hall from 2nd St. at Harlem Place (1952)

Broadway between 1st & 2nd Streets (1952)

The 2nd St. Tunnel from 2nd & Hill St. (1952)

Old houses above a clay bank-1000 block Wilshire (1952)

Old house above a clay bank-1000 block Wilshire (1952)

4200 block of W. 6th St. from Bronson Ave. (1952)

West out 2nd St. from Bunker Hill Los Angeles (1959)

Demolition atop Bunker Hill View NW from 2nd and Bunker Hill (195)

Los Angeles City Hall from Vigues St. (1959)

[turlough]

Now those are some historcal photo's and I wonder what ever happen to those homes on the hill

[Allan]

Being Wilshire Boulevard, they were probably demolished for larger apartments. Also, all the Victorian homes on Bunker Hill were demolished, and the modern highrise district we see today was built in their place.

[turlough]

Well dang u learn something new everyday thanks again Allan

[Allan]

Your Welcome. There is a good side to the demolition of the homes on Bunker Hill though - it allowed the creation of an entirely new CBD. So the historic downtown Los Angeles has remained virtually untouched over all these years. It's filled with block after block of old 150 foot high buildings (due to the height limit previously in place), many of which are now being converted into apartments and lofts. I have lots of pics of the historic downtown, but I have to scan them in & upload them (again, pre-digital stuff).

[turlough]

cool that would be nice I hope you get a chance to scan then i know there great photos

[Scott]

I love old city photos! These are great! It is too bad that LA has so little of its older buildings remaining.

btw- Bunker Hill is part of DT LA, but after dark that part of town is pretty dead and the domain of the homeless. I saw the Fakers...er...Lakers at the Staples Center when I was out there and you wouldn't want to go walking around that neighborhood.

[Chris-LA]

Those pictures are a great find, very cool.

Now I'll make a reply regarding the negative comment I read about the new Bunker Hill area being infested with homeless at night. That is completly untrue, downtown for the most part is very safe, even at night. About the only area that is questionable is much further east in the skid row area. This is around 5th and Main streets, and there are a lot of homeless, and drugs in this area. Bunker Hill has spots that are trendy, and happening One particular place is the rooftop bar/club of the Standard Hotel at 6th & Flower. Next door is the newly converted upscale apartment complex called The Pegasus. Another one is the Bonaventure Hotel, there is a great lounge on the 34th floor thats quite popular. All around the Bunker Hill area are restaurants thats very nice. Some are too expensive for my taste though. Many businesses are hopping during a game/concerts (which is quite often). Plus many of these same restaurants caters to the pre-theater dinner crowds at the Music Center & now the Disney Hall. At times you could go down in this area and it can be somewhat dead, but when there is an event (again often with all the venues close to Bunker Hill) the area gets busy with patrons. Some residental areas along the side streets directly north of the Staples Center looks rather run down, but most people don't have any reason to venture down these side streets. If you're walking north down Figueroa, you will run into a few decent hotels, and many modern skyscrapers. After a few blocks at 7th street there is an upscale retail complex (7th & Fig). There are a few nice restuarants, such as California Pizza Kitchen, Arnie's of Chicago Steak House, and there is even a Starbucks. Before you arrive at the 7th & Fig complex, there is also a very upscale Italian restaurant. I can't remember the name, but you can't miss it as the windows are large it sits right on the street. It looks very elegant and expensive, but also inviting. This is from an angelino who is very familiar with the area. Anyway I just thought I clear up a few things

[Allan]

Thanks for clearing up the misconception about Bunker Hill, Chris. I've seen photos of the area before, and most of it looked like a pretty nice area. Unfortunately I still haven't gotten to visit the Bunker Hill area, and I've been to LA many times now. Maybe next time....

[Chris-LA]

Allan

I'll look to see if I can find some photos in my collection and I'll post some in this area.

[Chris-LA]

These photos are showing the area around Staples Center, this is one block over.

I will create a thread later showing some more scenes around downtown and this area.

[PghUSA]

WOW those are impressive . . . LA Confidential was one of my favorite movies for the 1950s LA scene, very well done in that movie and those pics are really great, look at the cars! City Hall in LA was for a long time THE BUILDING even in the movie it was featured prominently. And Bunker Hill was in the movie as well if I remember correctly.

[Blue]

Those pictures are a great find, very cool.

Now I'll make a reply regarding the negative comment I read about the new Bunker Hill area being infested with homeless at night.  That is completly untrue, downtown for the most part is very safe, even at night.  About the only area that is questionable is much further east in the skid row area.  This is around 5th and Main streets, and there are a lot of homeless, and drugs in this area.  Bunker Hill has spots that are trendy, and happening  One particular place is the rooftop bar/club of the Standard Hotel at 6th & Flower.  Next door is the newly converted upscale apartment complex called The Pegasus.  Another one is the Bonaventure Hotel, there is a great lounge on the 34th floor thats quite popular.  All around the  Bunker Hill area are restaurants thats very nice.  Some are too expensive for my taste though.  Many businesses are hopping during a game/concerts (which is quite often).  Plus  many of these same restaurants caters to the pre-theater dinner crowds at the Music Center & now the Disney Hall.  At times you could go down in this area and it can be somewhat dead, but when there is an event (again often with all the venues close to Bunker Hill) the area gets busy with patrons.  Some residental areas along the side streets directly north of the Staples Center looks rather run down, but most people don't have any reason to venture down these side streets.  If you're walking north down Figueroa, you will run into a few decent hotels, and many modern skyscrapers.  After a few blocks at 7th street there is an upscale retail complex (7th & Fig).  There are a few nice restuarants, such as California Pizza Kitchen, Arnie's of Chicago Steak House, and there is even a Starbucks.  Before you arrive at the 7th & Fig complex, there is also a very upscale Italian restaurant.  I can't remember the name, but you can't miss it as the windows are large it sits right on the street.  It looks very elegant and expensive, but also inviting.  This is from an angelino who is very familiar with the area.  Anyway I just thought I clear up a few things

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Chris, thanks for the post -- interesting info on an area where I find myself going through a lot to come and go from Staples Center. One thing though... do you know of any "sports bar" type places in the area? Somewhere you can grab a beer and a burger before/after a game? To me, that's one thing that is really lacking around Staples Center, and it's odd, compared to other areas with arenas/stadiums such as LoDo in Denver, the Gaslamp in San Diego, Fenway or Wrigleyville, etc....

[Chris-LA]

Chris, thanks for the post -- interesting info on an area where I find myself going through a lot to come and go from Staples Center. One thing though... do you know of any "sports bar" type places in the area? Somewhere you can grab a beer and a burger before/after a game? To me, that's one thing that is really lacking around Staples Center, and it's odd, compared to other areas with arenas/stadiums such as LoDo in Denver, the Gaslamp in San Diego, Fenway or Wrigleyville, etc....

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Blue,

I'm so sorry for the late reply, hopefully you see this.

Yes there really isn't much around the Staples when it comes to sports bars. Other than the sports bar (which happens to be expensive) at Staples facing Figueroa Street, others are several blocks north. Here are few suggestions for downtown sports bars/dinning.

Grand Avenue Sports Club

Biltmore Hotel, enter from Grand Ave. 506 S. Grand Ave., (213) 612-1595.

All Sports, all the time. Happy hour Mon.-Fri. 4:30-7 p.m. Kitchen closes at midnight.

Flower St. Caf

[Blue]

Chris,

Thanks for the info! Of the ones you mentioned, the only one I'd come across was the Flower Street Sports Bar -- I have to say, unfortunately, not a real positive experience -- two of us went there before a game and ended up feeling not so well after eating there. But I'll definitely check out the other places you mentioned!

Figueroa does have a lot of places catering to USC, and Fatburger has good burgers -- they're a L.A. institution, not unlike In-N-Out. Add some TVs and a bar, and we'd really have something. :-) I have stopped there before games, good burgers.

I'm kind of surprised there's not at least a TGI Friday's (they tend to be more likely to open an urban location than many chains) or something near Staples... or USC, for that matter. USC isn't exactly a poor school -- I'd think a place like that would do great on Figueroa.

[duupa]

3rd Ave & Grand Ave (1952)

200 block S. Main St. (1952)

Looking up Main St. from 2nd St. toward City Hall (1952)

100 block of South Main St. (1952)

City Hall from 2nd St. at Harlem Place (1952)

Broadway between 1st & 2nd Streets (1952)

The 2nd St. Tunnel from 2nd & Hill St. (1952)

Old houses above a clay bank-1000 block Wilshire (1952)

Old house above a clay bank-1000 block Wilshire (1952)

4200 block of W. 6th St. from Bronson Ave. (1952)

West out 2nd St. from Bunker Hill Los Angeles (1959)

Demolition atop Bunker Hill View NW from 2nd and Bunker Hill (195)

Los Angeles City Hall from Vigues St. (1959)

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[duupa]

I just stumbled upon this site and was blown away by these vivid photos!! How did you acquire them and do you have more like them? Thanks!

Rich

Huntington Beach, CA.

[colin]

These are great.

You get such a noir feeling with these photos: LA in the early '50's. I wish I could have seen it.

[Hydraulx]

I just moved to LA 4 years ago and I love it, but I wish I could've seen the city in it's prime. Vintage LA looked to be beautiful.

3rd Ave & Grand Ave (1952)

200 block S. Main St. (1952)

Looking up Main St. from 2nd St. toward City Hall (1952)

100 block of South Main St. (1952)

City Hall from 2nd St. at Harlem Place (1952)

Broadway between 1st & 2nd Streets (1952)

The 2nd St. Tunnel from 2nd & Hill St. (1952)

Old houses above a clay bank-1000 block Wilshire (1952)

Old house above a clay bank-1000 block Wilshire (1952)

4200 block of W. 6th St. from Bronson Ave. (1952)

West out 2nd St. from Bunker Hill Los Angeles (1959)

Demolition atop Bunker Hill View NW from 2nd and Bunker Hill (195)

Los Angeles City Hall from Vigues St. (1959)

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[ZachariahDaMan]

Great pictures! I love seeing old photo's.

[mcashlv]

Magnificent photos! The best I have seen from the period--and in glorious color, too! What a paradise LA must have been in the early 20th century.