Los Angeles Orphan Asylum in Boyle Heights, 1890-1953

Built in 1890, closed in 1953, and demolished in 1958, Los Angeles Orphan in Boyle Heights was operated by the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. 

1899, Soon to become the LA County Orphanage, Sisters' Orphans Home on 7th Street and Boyle Avenue in Boyle Heights.  Thank you to Water & Power.

The Romanesque-style building has a central bell tower topped with a cupola and cross.  The tower has wall dormers, turrets, arched windows, and vertical coursing.  The main building has wall and roof dormers, horizontal corbeled moldings, pilasters, brackets, arched windows, and a decorative cornice.  The entrance has half turrets with crosses and a pediment with a checkerboard pattern.  The orphanage typically dominated the eastern horizon in the days before the County General Hospital went in.  This is a good history of the orphanage's origin.  That history refers to Californios.  Californios were 

technically, the Spanish-speaking residents of Alta California during the Spanish and Mexican era (1769–1848). More commonly the term referred to the property-holding elite, the 500 families who were given land grants during this period, including the most politically prominent families: the Bandinis, Carrillos, Picos, de la Guerras, Vallejos, Coronels, Castros, Alvarados, and others. Together they enjoyed economic and political dominance during the Mexican era (1821–1848). Among their numbers were a few Americans who had married into Californio families, such as Abel Stearns and John Warner. 

This cracked me up.

But not every Angeleno was pleased with their presence. According to Michael J. Engh, a Jesuit priest and author of “Frontier Faiths: Church, Temple and Synagogue in Los Angeles 1846-1888,” a neighbor of the sisters wrote in a letter: “I am mad every time I see one of these sisters in the yard with their kites [their wimples] flying around, I mean their bonnets . . . those Sisters are too ugly to tolerate.”

1938, A long driveway lined with palms leads to the Los Angeles Orphanage, established by the Daughters of Charity who arrived in Los Angeles in 1856. In 1890, they replaced their original orphanage near Alameda and Macy Streets with this brick building in Boyle Heights. (Herald-Examiner Collection) Thanks to the LAPL.

I do love buildings from the eugenics era, particularly the orphanages.  So many kids growing up in the years between the wars were raised in orphanages because their parents couldn't afford to raise them during the Depression.

1924, LA Relics writes, 

Aerial view of the Los Angeles Orphanage at 917 South Boyle Avenue, southwest corner of Boyle Avenue at Stephenson Avenue (now Whittier Boulevard) in Boyle Heights, 1924. The orphanage is a multistory, brick, L-shaped building with a tower at the entrance that is flanked by date palm trees. The driveway leads from the entrance through gardens to the highway. The twelve acres include not only the orphanage and school but plots for gardens and fruit trees. Source: LAPL

 

Martin Turnbull writes, 

Believe it or not, this imposing building was the Los Angeles Orphan Asylum. It was built in 1890 by the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul in Boyle Heights on what is now known as Whittier Blvd. where it gave LA’s orphans a home until the late 1950s. I guess the nuns must have had some pull because the architectural firm who designed this gorgeous building also designed the Los Angeles County Courthouse, which is another of LA’s great losses.

1941, "Eager hands of homeless children are shown handling the cartons of Christmas gifts delivered at the Los Angeles Orphanage on December 19, 1941, by The Evening Herald and Express. On Christmas morning the boxes will be opened. Toys, requested in letters to Santa, will be distributed to these children who might otherwise be forgotten." Los Angeles Orphanage was located at 917 South Boyle Avenue. (Herald-Examiner Collection) https://buff.ly/4fsLsm9.  Thank you to LAPL.

This orphanage below looks different than the one above.  

1950, View looking across the freeway toward the Sisters Orphanage on 7th and Boyle in Boyle Heights.  Damage wrought by the March 10, 1933 Long Beach earthquake as well as the notorious freeway construction projects that controversially carved through much of Boyle Heights, led the Daughters to abandon the site and move the facility to Rosemead [on Graves].  Since 1963, the facility has operated as Maryvale but has been reconfigured as a residential home for girls from ages 6 to 17. There are also adjunct facilities in El Monte and Duarte. 

1950, July 31, Photo caption reads: "Youngsters play in the yard of the Los Angeles Orphanage building. The red brick structure has commanded the eastern approaches to downtown Los Angeles since 1890. This landmark, under the supervision of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, has been a home of mercy and kindness to more than 9000 homeless children". Los Angeles Orphanage is at 917 South Boyle Avenue. Photo date: July 31, 1950. Source: LAPL.  Thank you to Los Angeles Relics.

1950, Two nuns walk down the front steps of the Los Angeles Orphanage in Boyle Heights, a prominent institution that served the community for decades.  Thanks to Jack Feldman. 

1929, The Los Angeles Orphanage along Stephenson Avenue (now Whittier Blvd) before the road was paved and widened to serve as the entryway to the Sixth Street Viaduct. June 17, 1929. Source: The Los Angeles City Archives' Special Collections, Office of the City Clerk.  Thanks to Los Angeles Relics. 

Downtown Los Angeles, 1960, and the Richfield Tower, 1929-1969

1928, In 1928, the construction of Richfield Tower, also known as the Richfield Oil Company Building, began in downtown Los Angeles. Designed by architect Stiles Clements, the building quickly became one of the city's most notable architectural landmarks. At the time of its completion in 1929, the tower was a striking example of the Art Deco style, featuring a sleek, modern design that stood in stark contrast to the more traditional structures of Los Angeles. The 13-story office tower served as the headquarters for the Richfield Oil Company, one of the largest and most influential oil companies in California at the time. With its distinctive, stepped silhouette and bold, geometric lines, Richfield Tower embodied the ambitious spirit of Los Angeles during the late 1920s, a period when the city was transitioning into a burgeoning center for business and industry.  Thank you to Club Tepatlaxco Futbol.  Posted Wednesday, January 1, 2025.

1960, Downtown Los Angeles, looking south on the Harbor Freeway from the Four-Level.  Thanks to Historic Los Angeles.

1937, View of Richfield Building from a short distance away.  It was razed in 1969 to make way for the Arco Plaza at 505 S. Flower Street.  Thank you to LAPL.

Close-up of the iconic Richfield Tower.  Thanks to Hunter Kerhart for these close-ups of the Richfield Tower.  Martin Turnbull offers some beautiful pics of the building too.  Check them out.

So it looks like the front of the building opens onto 6th Street and to the left is Flower.  But it has a Flower Street address.  Hmm. 

Located at 555 South Flower Street between Figueroa and Flower, north of 6th Street.  

Features a black and gold Art Deco façade.  The unusual color scheme was meant to symbolize the "black gold" that was Richfield's business."

This comment on its architecture was interesting, 

The building was covered with architectural terra cotta manufactured by Gladding, McBean, as was typical of many west coast buildings from this era. In an unusual move, all four sides were covered since they were all visible in the downtown location.

The 12-floor building was 372 feet (113 m) tall, including a 130-foot (40 m) tower atop the building, emblazoned vertically with the name "Richfield". Lighting on the tower was made to simulate an oilwell gusher and the motif was reused at some Richfield service stations. 

Martin Turnbull has some terrific photos of the tower's exterior and interior, including the lobby elevators and ceiling.  It is, er, was beautiful.  

1966.