New Feature - Historic LA

So that other new feature isn't going so well. I just haven't come across any egregious statements these past two weeks so it's probably going to be more like a monthly feature that a weekly one.

I'm going to try my best to keep up with this one, though.  Introducing: Historic LA.  I'm going to feature a new neighborhood each week through vintage photos found in the excellent Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection. From what I can gather, many of the photos are from unidentified photographers.

First up: My new neighborhood, Echo Park.  Did you know that Ayn Rand, Steve McQueen, Woodie Guthrie, Leonardo DiCaprio, John Huston, Jackson Pollack, Elliot Smith, Tom Waits, Frank Zappa, Babe Ruth, and Richard Neutra all called Echo Park home?

Here we go. Click each one to view larger.

Turn of the century - Echo Park Lake

 Fishing Rodeo held at Echo Park Lake, 1967

 Learn to canoe class @ Echo Park Lake, 1965

 Flag Salute, Elysian Heights School, 1964

Dance Practice at Echo Park Clubhouse, 1963

Take Cover Drill at Elysian Heights School, 1962

Anyone else remember that?  Ours were for earthquakes but this is in case of a "national emergency."

Students practice "drop drill," George O'Day, 1962

You can tell by the rear-end's facing the window that this one's for an earthquake.

New moving mountain slide, 1958

Model yacht races at Echo Park, 1956

Huck Finn day at Echo Park Lake, 1954

Evidently, a lot of fishing went down.

Illegal Fishing At Echo Park Lake, 1949

There was a season for it, though, and you could get in trouble if you fished out of season.  That was a motorcycle cop.

"Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Heagle, children Geraldine and Floyd Jr., camping out in Echo Park on July 24, 1946. They join Los Angeles' ever-growing legion of those evicted from their homes, 1946"


These guys occupied LA before anyone.  My guess was that they lived in Chavez Ravine and were among those forced out so Dodger Stadium could be built but this was twelve years prior.

"Prayer services began in Angelus Temple's Prayer Tower soon after the news of the pastor's death was received and continued throughout the night with weeping, grief-stricken followers pleading, "Bring her back!" "May it not be true!" "Take her home." 1944 at Angelus Temple.

 Even Schools were at war in 1943

You have driven up Baxter, LA's steepest street, haven't you?  1939

Remember the lotus flowers? 1932



Evidently, they're coming back once the draining project is complete.