Memories of El Monte, 1910-1978

“Memories of El Monte”

So, I’ve been re-listening to a lot of my old Zappa albums recently. I think I have 40 of the canonical 62, plus some of the posthumous compilations, so it’s a lot. For the most part, I’ve spared the more normal amongst you from my deep love for his weirdness, but his song “Memories of El Monte” has now been stuck in my head for days, so I’ve put together a collection of historic shots of El Monte (and South El Monte) to pair it with.

Frank was just 22 when he co-wrote the song with Ray Collins for The Penguins in 1963, and it was a favorite of Art Laboe, who would frequently play it on his show, but I’m using the more recently-released version of Frank performing it at The Whisky with The Mothers in 1968.

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Photos:

1. The El Monte Drive-In, taken by Elisa Leonelli 1978

2. El Monte’s famous Legion Stadium, open from 1927 to 1974, when it was torn down.

3. Simon’s Drive-In, El Monte location, 1940s

4. A young woman at Gay’s Lion Farm, late 1920s

5. El Monte Theatre on Main, 1948

6. Main Street near Center,, ca. 1952

7. Clyde Beatty’s circus comes to town, 1950

8. “Moooo!!!” ca. 1952

9. Tumbleweed Theatre, 1939 - was at 11918 Garvey

10. El Monte Union High School, 1910

11. Unspecified neighborhood in El Monte, 1952

12. Postcard view of Crawford’s Village Store, 1950s

13. Flooding on Foothill near Valley, 1952

14. Starlite Drive-In, taken by Leonelli in 1978

15. Microtech Plant, taken by Julius Shulman in 1960. Was at 1201 N. Arden Dr. - address no longer exists.

16. Pitkin Bros. Richfield Station, 1936, taken by Shulman

17. El Monte Airport (now San Gabriel Airport), 1971

18. 700 tons of scrap tire stock at the Pacific R&H Chemical Corporation, looks 1920s.

19. P&J Motors on Garvey, taken 1977 by John Margolies

20. An RTD bus cruises past rush hour on the 10

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Claremont Colleges - 1,14

Pasadena Star News - 2

Huntington - 3

LAPL - 4,7,17

LA Theatres Blog - 5

USC - 6,8,11,13,19

UCLA - 9,20

CA State Library - 10

Crawford’s Blog - 12

Getty - 15,16

Library of Congress - 18

https://www.instagram.com/p/DbZTYosDw8_/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

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. 

EDWARDS DRIVE-IN THEATER, ARCADIA, CA

Not even sure that this is the drive-in at Live Oak and Peck in southern Arcadia.  I believe it is. 

Well, that was my first take upon seeing this photo.  I mean the sign obviously looked familiar, but the background was no help.  Meaning the context was missing.  And the double bill of the Boy with Green Hair and That Wonderful Urge were released in 1948, a full 9 years before I was even a glimpse in my daddio's eye.  But that absolutely is the theater that my fantastic father took us to.  See here for further comment on that.  

Movies that I saw here were Disney's Swiss Family Robinson, 1960, so clearly I was a 3-year-old child.  The theater must have shown it years later because I knew of the film, meaning I was much older when I'd seen it here at the Edwards. Probably 1967.  And on another sleepy night, I recall watching the 1955 Disney animated film, The Lady and the Tramp  Was not impressed.  But do recall something special about the visuals. Clearly, Disney used to do show reruns frequently.  

I do recall the invigorating aroma of dairy cows nearby, across the street, I think, which was either a Driftwood Dairy or an Alta-Dena Dairy. 

The Tenacious Tom Walgenbach

Tom and Dad at Presidio Park in San Diego.

Tom sitting directly in front of Nell's homemade cookies at Uncle Ralph's farm in Brighton, Colorado, 1968.

Tom playing catch and wearing his LA Dodgers cap in May 1970.  Tom was a great baseball player.  He played in the local Pop Warner League.  He pitched, played the infield, and played catcher.  You can tell how much Dad loved Tom by his description on the back of this photo.  Dad penned, "Cowboy Papa--1970."  

Tom riding high atop Gypsy, Uncle Ralph's great horse out in Brighton, Colorado. 

Tom Walgenbach and Mike Larkin in the backyard of the 2944 East Elda house in Duarte.  Tom is teaching Mike how to shoot, not unlike the way that Shane taught Joey in Shane how to shoot.  

Note the clear fence marking the property boundary between the Walgenbach property and the Flannigan property.  It has since been covered, first with opaque slats and then with ivy.  There was one year when Brenda's newly arrived kitten was playing in the backyard a little too close to the fence, and our dog, an Airedale mix named Tommy, got a hold of the kitten right in front of Brenda and she screamed helplessly at the mauling.  It was sad.  That dog did cause the family a bit of grief.  The Walgenbachs after a session of rough-housing, 1971.  Sitting on the sofa are Mom, Tom, Sally, and Dad.  Sitting on the floor in front are Mike to the left and Joe.  

The Walgenbachs after a session of rough-housing, 1971.  Sitting on the sofa are Mom, Tom, Sally, and Dad.  Sitting on the floor in front are Mike to the left and Joe.