1901, About a week ago, I posted a vibrantly color photo of Angels Flight funicular railway at the corner of Hill and 3rd Sts in downtown LA. This is that same railway, but it (and its surroundings) look quite different. That photo from last week was from some time in the 1950s; this one, however, was taken on opening day, December 31, 1901. The carriages are much smaller and they seem to be open-air. There was no striking vermilion arch at the bottom, just a simple wooden one. And in the background, we get a taste of the ornate Victorian-era homes that used to fill the Bunker Hill area. Thanks to Martin Turnbull.
I'm adding this link to Water and Power's site on Angel's Flight on Thursday, May 9, 2024. It's got a lot of terrific pics of Angel's Flight.
1901, Horse-drawn wagons head into the eastern portal of the Third Street Tunnel, with the newly constructed Angels Flight visible on the left. The sign above the tunnel entrance reads: 'Notice, $50.00 fine for riding or driving through this tunnel faster than a walk.' Thanks to Jack Feldman.
1901, This is the earliest shot of Angel's Flight that I've seen. Thank you to Historic Los Angeles for this photo. It needs to be dated. But this pic was posted on November 27, 2023.
I remember Dad talking affectionately and nostalgically about Angel's Flight and what it was. His basic answer to a kid was: it's a trolley. But I had no sense of the geography of things in downtown Los Angeles as a kid.
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Angels Flight, the iconic funicular railway, transported passengers up and down Bunker Hill from 1901 to the mid-20th century, providing a unique way to navigate downtown’s steep terrain. This 1907 view, it stands near the Third Street tunnel, complete with a lookout tower offering panoramic city views. This charming red trolley became known as the “Shortest Railway in the World,” serving locals commuting to and from the bustling business district below. Angels Flight symbolized the city’s innovative spirit and desire to make urban life more accessible, remaining a beloved Los Angeles landmark to this day.
During the 1930s, the bustling intersection of 3rd and Hill in downtown Los Angeles was surrounded by shops, cafes, and thriving businesses. This part of the city was filled with pedestrians, streetcars, and the sound of city life, contributing to downtown's role as a commercial and cultural hub. The architecture reflected the era’s styles, with ornate facades and signage adorning each building. As one of Los Angeles' busiest intersections, 3rd and Hill attracted a diverse mix of residents and visitors. Today, the area preserves remnants of its storied past while continuing to evolve with modern developments.
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1934, Angel's Flight. Thank you to the LAPL Photo Collection.
In 1935, Los Angeles was home to the iconic Angels Flight funicular railway, a cherished landmark that played a significant role in the city's transportation and urban landscape. Operating since 1901, Angels Flight was a crucial link between the bustling downtown area and the elevated Bunker Hill neighborhood, providing a unique and scenic ride through the heart of Los Angeles.
The funicular railway, known for its distinctive cable-operated cars, was a practical solution to the steep incline of Bunker Hill. The ride was both functional and charming, offering passengers an efficient means of traversing the hilly terrain while enjoying sweeping views of the city. The railway became a beloved feature of Los Angeles, symbolizing both the city’s rapid growth and its embrace of innovative transportation solutions.
The photograph from 1935 captures Angels Flight in its prime, showcasing the two cars that operated on the incline, connected by a cable and driven by a system of pulleys and counterweights. The railway's distinctive appearance, with its ornate ironwork and elegant design, reflects the early 20th-century aesthetic and the importance of integrating functionality with visual appeal.
Also visible in the photograph is the Third Street Tunnel, an engineering marvel of its own time. Completed in the 1930s, the tunnel was a critical infrastructure project designed to ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity in downtown Los Angeles. It served as a vital route for vehicles traveling through the city, complementing the urban landscape and enhancing the overall transportation network.
Angels Flight operated until 1969, after which it was closed and later reestablished in the 1990s in a slightly different location. The Third Street Tunnel, however, continued to serve as an essential part of Los Angeles' transportation system. Both landmarks represent significant aspects of the city's history, reflecting its growth, innovation, and the challenges of urban development.
Today, Angels Flight remains a historical and cultural symbol of Los Angeles, cherished for its heritage and its role in the city’s early 20th-century history. The Third Street Tunnel stands as a reminder of the ongoing evolution of urban infrastructure. Thank you to Walker Man.
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1945, Angels Flight, August 14, 1945. Source: AP Photo. Thank you to Los Angeles Relics.
1948, Sitting under Angel's Flight at Clay Street. (Security Pacific National Bank Collection) https://buff.ly/3Wkky9N. Thank you to the LAPL.
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1950s, No date is given for this shot, but it's a good one. The description reads, "From the station at the top, a view straight down the track with both cars at the midway point. Beyond is 3rd Street with cars and pedestrians." Exciting eh?
1950s, A semaphore traffic signal near the entrance of Angel's Flight with the 3rd Street Tunnel on the right.
1950s, Angel's Flight, corner of 3rd & Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA. Thanks to Paul Ayers @ Los Angeles and Southern California Nostalgia.
1955, View of Angels Flight as it passes over Clay Street.
1960, Low-end view of the original Angels Flight with the 3rd Street Tunnel. Thanks to Wikipedia.
1962, Angel's Flight. Thank you to LAist.
1963, LA, CA. Angels Flight railway after surrounding buildings had been torn down for Bunker Hill redevelopment. Thanks to Mel-v VC. And to Dan Walgenbach.
1965, Angels Flight, 3rd Street Tunnel and Bunker Hill. (Milton Martinez, Herald-Examiner Collection). Thanks to LAPL.
1965, "Angel's Flight fashions for Angel Week include career bound paisley printed sheer wool skimmer shift." (Herald-Examiner Collection) https://buff.ly/3MAPYmE. Thanks to LAPL. Posted on Friday, September 6, 2024.
The funicular railway, known for its distinctive cable-operated cars, was a practical solution to the steep incline of Bunker Hill. The ride was both functional and charming, offering passengers an efficient means of traversing the hilly terrain while enjoying sweeping views of the city. The railway became a beloved feature of Los Angeles, symbolizing both the city’s rapid growth and its embrace of innovative transportation solutions.
The photograph from 1935 captures Angels Flight in its prime, showcasing the two cars that operated on the incline, connected by a cable and driven by a system of pulleys and counterweights. The railway's distinctive appearance, with its ornate ironwork and elegant design, reflects the early 20th-century aesthetic and the importance of integrating functionality with visual appeal.
Also visible in the photograph is the Third Street Tunnel, an engineering marvel of its own time. Completed in the 1930s, the tunnel was a critical infrastructure project designed to ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity in downtown Los Angeles. It served as a vital route for vehicles traveling through the city, complementing the urban landscape and enhancing the overall transportation network.
Angels Flight operated until 1969, after which it was closed and later reestablished in the 1990s in a slightly different location. The Third Street Tunnel, however, continued to serve as an essential part of Los Angeles' transportation system. Both landmarks represent significant aspects of the city's history, reflecting its growth, innovation, and the challenges of urban development.
Today, Angels Flight remains a historical and cultural symbol of Los Angeles, cherished for its heritage and its role in the city’s early 20th-century history. The Third Street Tunnel stands as a reminder of the ongoing evolution of urban infrastructure. Thank you to Walker Man.
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| 1940s, Angels Flight from Hill Street. |
The history of Angel's Flight is a kind of veneer on the history of Bunker Hill. Wikipedia gets that started here,
Historically, Bunker Hill was a large hill that separated the Victorian-era Downtown from the western end of the city. The hill was tunneled through at Second Street in 1924, and at Third and Fourth Streets. In the late 20th century, the hill was lowered in elevation, and the entire area was redeveloped to supplant old frame and concrete buildings with modern high-rises and other structures for residences, commerce, entertainment, and education.
Bunker Hill is bordered on the west by Figueroa and bordered on the east by Main Street. But that makes no sense. The map below has Bunker Hill outlined in a perforated red line, which seems accurate.
basically the Civic Center, the Walt Disney Music Hall, the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion, the Moss Courthouse at First and Hill, the Water and Power Building, and the Broad Modern Art Museum. So the
Posted Wednesday, March 20, 2024
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1952, It shows up in the 1952 film noir, The Turning Point, starring William Holden, at the 18:09 mark. Lots of other great Downtown Los Angeles landmarks to check out too.
The movie, BTW, was inspired by the Kefauver Committee's hearings, 1950-1951, dealing with organized crime which were of enormous public interest in 1950 and 1951, and which inspired quite a few film noir moments, as it happened.
Several locations of historical interest in Downtown Los Angeles can be seen in this film. The original Angels Flight funicular railway is part of one scene. The Hotel Belmont can also be seen. Neither of these landmarks remains. Other buildings that can be seen are the San Fernando Building in the Bank District and a Metropolitan Water District building at 3rd and Broadway.
1953, View of Hill St. entrance to Angels Flight, Los Angeles, CA.
1956, Lots of great shots of Angel's Flight and appearances of it in movies, like the one starring Lon Chaney, The Indestructible Man, 1956. It appears here at the 40:39 mark. This scene caught Chuck's eye and so he told me about this film. It's a good one.
Note how color strips the scene of its noir charm.
1957, The intersection of 3rd and Hill streets, the location of the lower terminus of Angels Flight. (L. Mildred Harris Slide Collection). https://buff.ly/3QjzvFZ.
1958, Photo from LA Times article titled: ‘Blanket of Smog Obscures View of City from Top of Angels Flight’. Thank you to the great Jack Feldon.
Jim Dawson has done a decent job of collecting photos of Angel's Flight over the years.
Wikipedia explains that,
The funicular has operated on two different sites, using the same cars and station elements. The original Angels Flight location, with trackage along the side of Third Street Tunnel and connecting Hill Street and Olive Street, operated from 1901 until it was closed in 1969, when its site was cleared for redevelopment.
The charm of Angel's Flight is that it lifted you up to Bunker Hill. What was so great about Bunker Hill, you ask?
1962, Looking up Angels Flight tracks. Note the demolition of the apartment buildings to the south of Angel's Flight.
1962, Angel's Flight car ascends on the track. In the background, remnants of demolished buildings are visible. Security Pacific National Bank Collection. https://buff.ly/4dBfDYX. Thanks to LAPL.
1962, The demolition of the buildings around Angels Flight. Thanks to Wikipedia. While the hotels south of Angel's Flight were demolished in 1962, Angel's Flight itself was torn down in 1969 and relocated in 1996 further south to connect Hill with the California Plaza.
1965, Angels Flight, 3rd Street Tunnel, and Bunker Hill. (Milton Martinez - Herald Examiner Collection) https://buff.ly/3v3L8ZV.
1965, At the 7-minute mark in this 1965 movie, Angel's Flight, a woman boards Angels Flight to go up to Bunker Hill.
The charm of Angel's Flight is that it lifted you up to Bunker Hill. What was so great about Bunker Hill, you ask?
1968, Angels Flight [Joe Messinger, Herald-Examiner Collection. Thank you to LAPL. Posted on Wednesday, July 31, 2024.
ANGELS FLIGHT
1969, Will temporarily discontinue Service as of 10:30 p.m. Sunday, May 18, 1969. Angels Flight will be disassembled and stored until the time when the top of Bunker Hill has been graded. It is hoped that this will take no longer than two years. Then Angels Flight will be reassembled in the same location. To mark the temporary closing, there will be a brief ceremony Friday, May 16 at 12:30 p.m. All passengers may ride free the last weekend.
Schedule a free rides: Friday, May 16: 1:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
The Community Redevelopment Agency City of Los Angeles
Title: Angels Flight - Bunker Hill Los Angeles 1960's by Jon Eccentric. Video shows 1960's renovation and redevelopment of the Bunker Hill district of Los Angeles. The video above is a condensed version of this 13-minute treatment.
There's Prelinger Archives.
Prelinger Archive Collection. I don't know what the difference between the Archives and the Archive Collection is yet. Haven't spent any time on these sites, but they look like interesting databases.
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