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Elysian
Park Lost
I've heard a rumor that there is a section of Elysian Park that has been isolated from the rest of the park because of the
construction of the 110 freeway, the 5, railroads, urbanization, etc. Supposedly,
this section of the park has remained untouched by time and still has old street
furniture, broken lamp posts, statues, etc. All of them completely overgrown
and trapped in a sort of time capsule. Is this just an urban legend or is there really such a section of Elysian Park? If it does exist, how can I get there?
--Thank You So Much, Frank Gallegos
Carroll Avenue in Black & White
I am French and I am studying the Victorian
architecture. It turns out that the Carroll Avenue houses are a very interesting study subject. Unfortunately, as I cannot
go to Los Angeles to visit Angelino Heights neighborhood, I have to content myself with pictures found on the Internet. During
a research, I found the two pictures (that I send to you as an attachment) which, I think, had been taken during the 1950's.
Have you any idea where I can find other black and white pictures of the Carroll Avenue houses during the 1950's or 1960's
?
--Yours Faithfully, Emilien
Droniou
Edendale Borders
Being a former resident of Edendale and a
graduate of Belmont High School, I have been asked if I knew the perimeters of the community of Edendale in the early 1900's.
Can you direct me to an information source that might be able to define the streets the would be considered to encompass the
community when it was established?
-- Thanks. John Briffett
Looking for
Red Hill & Edendale Experts
I'm a graduate
student at CSU Northridge and am currently working toward my Thesis. I was interested in finding readings pertaining to the
era in which Echo Park was labeled 'Red Hill'. I was also
interested in the earlier movie days of Edendale. Any recomendations would be greatly appreciated.
--Best, Sean McLynn
REPLY:
Hello. To find out more
about Edendale, here are some books we can recommend:
Keystone: the
Life & Clowns of Mack Sennett
Author: Simon Louvish
Description: A biography of Silent Film director and producer Mack Sennett, who is regarded by many as the
father of American slap-stick comedy. Sennett’s former studio in the Edendale section of Echo Park is a city cultural
historic monument.
Silent Stars by Jeanine Basinger
Description: This book devotes
a chapter to Edendale’s Mack Sennett and one of his biggest stars, Mabel Normand.
We have not done much research on Red Hill (also
called Red Gulch). The Silverlake Film Festival featured a “Red Panel” on the subject. Here is a list of the panelists.
Unfortunately, we don’t know how to reach these folks:
"Panelists include: Tony Kahn, Tina Ritt and Becca Wilson (daughter of screenwriter of SALT OF THE EARTH)."
Please let us know if you find any additional
information about Red Hill or Red Gulch.
--EPHS
Fargo
Street Fascination
I'd like to know the history of Fargo Street. I like to try to ride my bike up the street each spring, when the Los Angeles
Wheelmen bicycle club shows up.
--Dave Wyman
REPLY:
We assume that Fargo was originally named "F" Street. There is a short row of streets arranged in alphabetical order, beginning with
Aaron and ending with Fargo, in that part of the neighborhood, which was then known as Edendale. Before the Wheelman discovered
Fargo, the hill was the site of many endurance tests to prove the strength of new car models, gasoline fuels and brakes.
Nearby Baxter Street was also popular for endurance tests.
--EPHS
Sunset Boulevard Theater
I'm a resident of Echo Park who is very curious about the history of 2139 Sunset Blvd.,
the theater building that just recently put up a "for lease" sign. Any info or direction would be greatly appreciated.
--Best, Christina
Carano
REPLY:
The building at 2139-2141 Sunset Blvd. was built in 1914 to serve as a movie theater. On the original building permit, the architect is listed
as the Alfred Grayson (sp? it's handwritten) Co. The builder was J. Louie
Pancoast, who was located down the street at 2121 Sunset Blvd, while the
developer lived on nearby Reservoir Street.
The theater was known as the Ramona Theater
for roughly half a century before going through a series of name and format
changes.The theater was modernized and reopened in 1966 under the name
Studio One and with the mission of showing German-language cinema (the
debut was a screening of Die Fledermaus!). By the early 1980s, the name
had been Latinized into Estudio 1, a venue for double features (one photo
has it offering Mad Max and A Force of One on the same night!).
The theater was completely closed
by the mid-1990s. Around 1998, a member of the Lotito family -- which
has owned the building and much of the block for at least 75 years --
decided to rip out the theater seats, make the theater floor level as
part of a renovation to seek new tenants. But the buiding has remained
empty.
In its earliest years, the Ramona was one of two Echo Park theaters. The other stood at 1624 Sunset Blvd and now houses the Gualupana Market,
across from the old Pioneer Market building. It started as the Globe Theater
in 1912 and later became the Hollyway Theater. By the 1950s, the Hollyway
had been converted into a branch of Citizen's Bank.
--EPHS
Sutherland Street Church
I am interested in learning a bit about a
building on Sutherland north of Sunset. Where the street dead ends, there is a building with an ornate golden roof, topped with several crosses. At first
glance, it appears to be a house of worship, but I don't see adequate parking
for a congregation. Is it a residence? There
must be an interesting story behind it.
Thank you, Janet
REPLY:
The building is a church, St. Andrew's, that is part of the Ukrainian
Orthodox Church. The church was dedicated in December 1957 by Ukrainian immigrants, many of whom had been refugees who fled
their country during World War II, according to a Los Angeles Times articles in the same year. The stories said the refugees
had been persecuted by the Nazis and Russian Communists. The congregation of 85 families had been worshipping in a rented
hall in another section of Echo Park before they bought an "outdated" mansion on Sutherland Street. They raised $20,000
to renovate and remodel the home into a church, doing much of the work themselves.
The current structure you see with elaborate domes was actually built in the
late 1980s.
--EPHS
Quarry Hill Query
I
have heard that the hillside area at Baxter and North Alvarado was called Quarry Hill.. Does anyone know where the quarry
was and what was quarried? Thank you.
--Roger
Bennet
Reply:
The
most common references to a Quarry Hill apply to the area now occupied by Elysian park. The 1868 Hancock Survey
of Los Angeles divided the remaining Pueblo Lands into 35-acre blocks. On the survey, the area of Elysian Park was referred
to as the Rock Quarry Hills and designated “Reserved”. Other names that have been used for the area were the Stone
Quarry Hills and the Red Rock Quarry Hills. The names referred to the sandstone that was quarried throughout the area now
encompassed primarily by Dodger Stadium though most of the reserve is now Elysian Park. A number of brick manufactures were
also present in the area on Bishops Canyon (now under the stadium) and Stadium Way and Lilac Terrace, where the 200-foot,
tall eroded bluff demonstrates the handiwork of L.A. Brick, which mined the hill for material.
Sunset Heights
My wife and I lived in a duplex located on Laveta Terrace above Sunset & Echo Park. Our
duplex was built in 1914, and on the grant deed, the area is labeled "Sunset Heights." Does anyone have any info on Sunset
Heights?
--Robert
Petricek
Silent Film Star Search
I am trying to do a family search on my Great
Aunt. Her name was Marcella O'Brien. Her married names could have been Maggi or Kramer. She was supposed to be a silent film
actress in the Edendale district. She may have been married to a director, (Kramer). She had one son named Albert Maggi, who
was a WWII hero. I do not know of her stage name or if she had one. She came to a tragic death in the late 30's when she was
hit by a car and killed. If anyone has any history of actresses at the old studios and recognizes my Aunt, please contact
me.
--Thank You, Elaine O'Brien
Red Car Station Mystery
Hi there. Recently found your website. I'm a native
Angeleno (48 years) and love the history of L.A. My Dad and I were wondering if your group knew what is the building that
is on the corner of Sunset and Occidental. It looks like it used to be a red car maintenance station (or round house).
If anyone in the group could help us, we would
be greatful.
--Thanks again, Evelyn
REPLY:
The building is know as the
Occidental Substation, it was built by the Los Angeles Pacific in the late 1890s when they pushed through the line to Santa
Monica via Hollywood. They made the various cuts that Sunset passes through with
mule teams and steam shovels. The building housed equipment to convert high voltage
AC power from Edison or DWP to 600v DC that the trolleys ran on. Another similar
building by the same company is located at the very edge of Culver City at Exposition and
Venice Blvds.
--John Heller, vice president
Electric Railway Historical Association
of Southern Califorinia
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Searching for Peralta Home
Hello, I am doing genealogy research on my family, I had an aunt that lived in the 90026 zip
code area, I remember visiting her, she had a beautiful two story older home. Her name was Aurelia Peralta.
I am sorry I don't have more information to give you regarding the precise address where
my aunt lived. I can tell you she left Arizona in the early nineteen twenties and came to Los Angeles with her husband Francisco.
I know they had a daughter named Angela, two other daughters were local celebrities (singers).
Another name associated with this Peralta family is Saenz. Thank you for your help.
Where could I find info. on early residents of Echo Park?
--Sincerely,
Angela
Alvarado Building Photos
We are looking for early photos of the building at 1200 N Alvarado. We are willing to pay
for it. contact me by e-mail or call me.
--Abe Oheb
REPLY:
You might want to
start off by looking at the online photo archive of the Los Angeles public library, www.lapl.org. Paste this link into your browser to go directly to the archive: catalog1.lapl.org/a_photo.html.
We will also
check our photo archives, which still remain fairly limited at this point.
---EPHS
Fond Memories of Bonne Brae
This was my first home in Los Angeles, after migrating from the mid-west at the young age
of 18, and arriving on a Greyhound bus to have a new beginning in the city of the angel's. I lived in Echo Park [on the 700 block of Bonnie Brae] for approximately
eight years, and those were my fondest memories, especially the ducks, geese and swans at the lake and the "grasshopper" type
oil wells just down the street and around Belmont High School.
My landlady, Haytivik Viola Smith, adopted me as her unofficial nephew and was my spiritual aunt until her death in 1979.
Besides my natural mother, she was my greatest inspiration, through her loving kindness to me and many other people in the
community. She became an artist after retiring from the Federal Government downtown, and her specialty was painting on Japanese
silk with India ink. Perhaps, someone may remember her when walking her black Labrador Retriever around the lake. Our neighbors
across the street were Bertha Smith and her niece Sylvia Smith (no
relation).
I
would enjoying hearing from anyone who may have remembered us.
--Sincerely,
Robert A. Rouge
Echo Park Hills
Hello, great site, I recently read a
book called Ghosts of Echo Park in which it mentioned that the hill that the Baxter steps are on is called Kite Hill. Where
could one find names for Echo Park's other hills and maybe historical background on them? I recently toured the neighborhood
on bike as training for the Fargo street event two weekends ago. Lots of hills and interesting streets in your neighborhood.
Appreciate any information, thank you.
--Virgilio
Reyes
REPY:
In the great many historic maps I have viewed of the neighborhood I have never
come across specific hill names. But some of the old maps refer to Elysian Park as the Stone Quarry Hills, Rock Quarry Hills
and Red Rock Quarry Hills. I’ve seen maps name specific ravines in
Elysian Park in the years before the stadium and landfill. They are, from west to east, Chavez
(now Stadium Way), Sulfur, Cemetery
(later Bishops Canyon) and Solano. Oh, and the ravine that is now Glendale
Blvd was called Arroyo de Los Reyes.
Kite Hill is the hill east of Avon street and north
of the Baxter street stairs. It is an old community name that was resurrected
by the neighbors when a developer
came along and wanted to build 10 or so houses on a new cul-de-sac held up with huge retaining walls.
The Summer of '48
Seeking any information
on Echo Park environs and Echo Park Lake Summer 1948. Not a specific event, I'm inventing that myself for a fiction story. But,
I need to know what types of supermarkets were in the area and active. And what churches in walking distance. I've
been to the area several times, but that was before I needed to know. I know there is a Pioneer food market there now, but
I don't know when it was built
Also location of the stairway where Laurel & Hardy filmed their piano delivery short
--Thanks, Rick Sherman, Ft. Lauderdale,
Florida
(posted
March 12, 2004)
REPLY:
I know of at least one church near Echo Park that was there in the 1948 and the church is
still there today. I know it was there back then because my mom & dad were married there on June 28, 1948, and I have
a lot of pictures from their wedding.
The church back then was the First Congregational Church, and behind the alter was a huge
pipe organ, filling the entire wall. I remember this church very well as we would go there on Easter Sunday. Please let me
know if I can be of any help with info or pics.
--Robert
Petricek
St. Athanasius Memories
I lived with my family at the Rev. Franklin L. Gibson's home at St. Athanasius Episcopal church
and have lots of early photos. I would like to hear from anyone who remembers those times.
I would like to know about the dance school run by Lee Free that was up the street on Echo Park
Ave.
--Thank you, Mary Wood.
(posted Jan. 20, 2004)
Information Needed on Lying In Hospital
My great Aunt K.Catherine Mary Mackay Hazlehurst Eisoff owned The Lying In Hospital in Echo Park on Morton
Ave. It was first called the Faith Maternity Hospital. Is there any info on this?
It was built in approx 1925 when Catherine's last name was Eisoff. Between 1941 and '44 the
name was changed to Lying In and elderly patients were accepted. I would love to know more.
--Kathryn in Maine
(posted Jan. 20, 2004)
Angelino Heights Photo
I would love to see some pictures [or information] of the apartments that are the first apartments
on the right [on Kensington Rd.} coming from Bellevue avenue. All I know is that they are more than 100 years old.
--Angelina Castillo
Researching My Architect
We are members of the EPHS and want to do some research on the architect of our 1954 home. Do you have any tips
on getting started? We know his name, Margien, but have little other info. Any good libraries? Resources?
Thanks, Annalee Andres
(posted
Jan. 15, 2004)
Hello. You
might want to post your question on the message board of the Los Angeles Conservancy’s Modern Committee. The site is
www.modcom.org. The people who frequent that site are focused on mid century
architecture and architects like yours. You might also ask if they can recommend any guides or groups that can help you find
historical information on local architects. Please share that information with us.
--Scott Fajack, EPHS board member.
Bellevue Avenue
I am wondering why Bellevue Ave is so wide? Especially between Glendale Blvd. and Alvarado. Was Bellevue
once a through street between those 2 streets?
Thanks, Charlie Noyes
(posted Dec. 19, 2003)
REPLY:
Bellevue Av. was once a major thoroughfare, with homes and businesses
on both sides of the street, and starting near the Plaza. Originally, it was a very short street, and as such was named Short
St. Later, in 1885, it was lengthened and called Bellevue Ave. and named for a town in France. It ran from the NW boundary
of the City Limits, then SE to Edgeware Road, then turned SE again to Upper Main, between Reservoir St (now another portion
of Sunset Blvd) and Temple. From the Plaza to what is now around Marion Ave, somewhere, it was what became Sunset Blvd.
--Annalisa Magnusson
Seeking Old Library Photos
I am a retired special education teacher living in Pawnee, OK. My 5 sisters and I grew
up in a Victorian duplex house on 2nd street across from the Subway Terminal. I walked 2 and 3 times a week to the Echo
Park Library and spent many an hour there. Do you know where I can get a picture of the old library? Also, I am
looking for old photos of 2nd street (trying to get a glimpse of the old house, now razed). I would like to know if
you can post a note somewhere for me requesting pictures of 2nd Street or the First Street Bridge during construction or completion.
The duplex was located on a triangle shape block. Thanks, Pat Howell
(posted Nov. 3, 2003)
REPLY:
A photo of the old Echo Park library, which once stood south of the
Hollywood Freeway near Glendale Boulevard, appeared in the 2002 Historic Echo
Park Calendar. We found the image—along with many other historic photos—on the online photo archive of Los Angeles
Public Library.
Go
to the library web site at http://www.lapl.org and click on “Databases” under Electronic Resources
and look for the “photo database” section. Click on the search function and type in the words “Echo Park”
and “library” to find numerous photos
The photos are available for purchase and you must get library permission to use them in any format.
--EPHS
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