LA River under the Figueroa Street Bridge, 1948

1948, Photo shows water flowing in the Los Angeles River.  The Figueroa Street Bridge can be seen in the background over the river.  Herald-Examiner Collection.  Thank you to LAPL.

9th Street Bridge [aka, Olympic Blvd Bridge] spans over the Los Angeles River, 1930

1930, The 9th Street Bridge spans over the Los Angeles River and multiple railroad tracks in this view. The Chamberlain Company Inc., located at 2550 E. Ninth Street is visible on the left, and manufacturing buildings can be seen throughout the background. The 1,422-foot bridge was built in 1925. (Herald-Examiner Collection)  https://buff.ly/4f8DgrL. Thank you to LAPL.

View west from the Bonaventure Hotel, 5th and Figueroa, 1987

1987, LA, CA, DtLA.  View west from the Bonaventure Hotel overlooking downtown Los Angeles. Fifth and Figueroa Streets in the foreground.  Thank you to Mel-v VC.

Grand Opening of the General Motors Plant, Van Nuys, 1948

1948, The General Motors plant at Van Nuys during the grand opening on February 19-21, 1948 although it started production in December 1947.

This plant built 6.3 million cars during its lifespan including Chevrolet Advance Design trucks. Later it would produce several different models including Chevrolet full-size (Caprice, Impala, etc.), Chevrolet Corvair, Chevrolet Greenbrier, Chevrolet Chevelle, Chevrolet Nova/Buick Apollo/Oldsmobile Omega/Pontiac Ventura, and Chevrolet Camaro/Pontiac Firebird. It also produced the Chevrolet Monte Carlo and the Buick Skylark. The plant was closed in 1992 when Camaro/Firebird production moved to Sainte-Thérèse Assembly in Quebec.  Thank you to Valley Relics Museum. 

1st & Hill Street, LA, 1976

The year that Dad retired from the County.  Dad used to do his morning exercises at work up that walkway to the right of that station wagon.  He'd do push-ups and stretching.  

1976, Looking southwest from the new Hall of Records, shows LA County Courthouse at right, and high-end buildings on Bunker Hill.  Thank you to Mel-v VC.

Cahuenga Pass during rush hour, heading into the city from the San Fernando Valley, 1948

1949, Barham Bridge over Cahuenga Pass, looking southeast, with a stairway leading down to the Pacific Red Car tracks in the center median. 

1948, View of Cahuenga Pass during rush hour, showing a line of cars bumper to bumper heading into the city from the San Fernando Valley, with Pacific Red Car tracks on the left.  Thank you to Jack Feldman and to the Water & Power Museum. 

Pigeon Hole Garage, Los Angeles, 1955

1955, Pigeon Hole Garage.  Thanks to Classic Hollywood.  

1953, A man stands next to the car elevator that lifts automobiles to the desired floor and parks them in "pigeon hole" stalls at the Pigeon Hole Garage located at 644 S. Flower (at Wilshire). Photo dated: November 7, 1953. From TESSA, LAPL Digital Library.

1953, City Councilman, Ed Roybal (arrow) speaks during the dedication for the Pigeon Hole Parking Garage (background) located at 644 S. Flower Street, at the intersection with Wilshire Blvd. The new type of garage was built by Standard Stations, Inc.  A hydraulic lift picks up a car and carries it to a parking space. Dated November 5, 1953. 

Looking east along Hollywood Boulevard at Sycamore Avenue, 1937

1937, Looking east along Hollywood Boulevard at Sycamore Avenue, with several iconic buildings in view. From left to right: the First National Bank Building (northeast corner of Hollywood and Highland), the Roosevelt Hotel (center), and the Hollywood Professional Building (right).  Thank you to Jack Feldman.  Check out the Water & Power Museum.

Angelenos practice an air raid drill in the former Pacific Electric subway tunnel, 1958

1958, Los Angeles, Caflifornia.  Angelenos practice an air raid drill in the former Pacific Electric subway tunnel.  Thank you to Vintage Photos: Memories of the Past.

Looking north on Eternity Street, later North Broadway, 1870s [See the notation for Calvary Cemetery, now Cathedral HS]

1870s, Looking north on Eternity Street, later North Broadway, in Sonora Town, as seen from Fort Moore Hill with Calvary Cemetery visible in the distance, now the site of Cathedral High School.  The surrounding area, originally known as Cemetery Ravine, later became Chavez Ravine.  Thank you to Jack Feldman.

Wiltern Theater, 1931

Happy 93rd Birthday to the Wiltern! It opened October 7, 1931, as the Warner Bros. Western Theatre with "Alexander Hamilton." Our pages about the Wiltern: https://losangelestheatres.blogspot.com/.../wiltern...

The "Bridge of Stars" was a temporary structure Warners built across Wilshire Blvd. for the grand opening -- the city wouldn't allow them to close the street. The photo is from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.  Thank you to Los Angeles Theatres.

LAX

1960s, LAX passenger drop-off, and pick-up.  Thank you to John Nelson.

Shady Brook, Silverado, CA, 1950s

1950s, Silverado Canyon.  Shady Brook, Silverado, CA.  Thank you to Bruce Dunseth.

First and Olive, 1953, & Melrose Hotel

1953, View of the southwest corner of First and Olive Streets shows a bay-windowed and turreted apartment house at the corner in the foreground.  The Melrose Hotel is behind.  Victorian houses and autos are visible.  Thank you to Mel-v VC.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower Delivers Campaign Speech at the Hollywood Bowl, 1956

1956, View of the Hollywood Bowl during a political campaign speech by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on October 19, 1956.  He and his running mate, Richard Nixon, would go on to win the election beating Adlai Stevenson for the second consecutive time.  Thank you to Jack Feldman @ Southern California Nostalgia.  Tons of great pics at the Water & Power Museum.  Their site is such a cultural treasure. 

For my own experience at the Bowl, I saw Men at Work in the summer of 1983 with Debbie Jordan.  We both enjoyed their show. 

Westminster Hotel and the San Fernando Building, Main & 4th Streets, 1926

1926, Main and 4th streets, showing Westminster Hotel, 1887-1960, on the northeast corner, and the San Fernando Building, 1906, (right) on the southeast. (Security Pacific National Bank Collection) https://buff.ly/4dlPlci. 

1905, People near and far walk across 4th and Main Streets, past the majestic Westminster Hotel, (architect, Robert B. Young).  Included also are a bicycle, a car, and a horse-drawn cart.  Thank you to Water & Power.

1959, Close-up view showing the Westminster Hotel one year before it was razed.  Thank you to Water & Power. 

THE SAN FERNANDO BUILDING, 1906

"B" streetcar bound for Vernon and Ascot is turning from Macy onto Main, 1948

1948, View of Macy and Main Streets.  "B" streetcar bound for Vernon and Ascot is turning from Macy onto Main as are several cars.  Behind is a three-story Victorian-style brick building with Barros Dancing at street level.  In the background is the Terminal Annex Post Office.  (R.E. Younghans, Security Pacific National Bank Collection).  Thank you to the LAPL.  

Old Bella Union Hotel, located at 314 North Main Street, 1939

1939, The old Bella Union Hotel, located at 314 North Main Street. The hotel had become a shadow of its former self. In its glory days it had served as the County Courthouse until October 1851, and in 1860 was the location of a champagne fete celebrating the connection of San Francisco and Los Angeles by telegraph. (Burton O. Burt - Works Progress Administration Collection) https://buff.ly/3Y7stZ9.  Thank you to LAPL.

Entrance to the Ambassador Hotel from Wilshire Blvd, 1939

1939, Wilshire Boulevard towards the entrance of the Ambassador Hotel. The decorative signage for the Cocoanut Grove nightclub can be seen left of center. (Blackstock Negative Collection)  https://buff.ly/3Y6ZuEP.  Thank you to the LAPL.

Helms Bakeries of Los Angeles, loading bread to be delivered to American Olympic athletes competing at the games held in Germany, 1936

1936, Helms Bakeries of Los Angeles, loading bread to be delivered to American Olympic athletes competing at the games held in Germany.  Thank you to Lynn Thompson.