@LAhistory

@lahistory

Jogging the collective memory of Los Angeles through social media since 2009. Some people think LA has no history. They just don't know where to look.

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@LAhistory@lahistory· 28d

In Los Angeles, #WoodyGuthrie "became a minority celebrity on KFVD radio, wrote more of his own compositions for live performances, met novelists John Steinbeck and Theodore Dreiser, performed agitprop skits with actor Will Geer..." #BOTD "Woody Guthrie L.A." -> acp.lapl.org/book/woody-g...

The book cover for "Woody Guthrie L.A. 1937 to 1941," edited by Darryl Holter and William Deverell, includes a sepia-beige-sage-colored painting of Guthrie and his guitar set in the center.

@LAhistory@lahistory· 28d

Remembering Woody Guthrie’s birthday (born #OTD in 1912) with a couple of photos of his guitar, currently on view in the #HuntingtonLibrary exhibit “This Land Is …” From the Huntington exhibit text: #WoodyGuthrie played this guitar in Los Angeles after moving to California from Oklahoma in 1937.

A color photo of the front of Woody Guthrie's guitar in a display case alongside a facsimile of the lyrics of "This Land is Your Land” on notepaper (1940). From 1936, the guitar is a C. F. Martin 000-18, made of spruce, mahogany, celluloid, ebony and mother-of-pearl.

A portrait of Woody Guthrie holding his guitar with the words “This Machine Kills Fascists” as created by artist Jay Rummel (1939-1998). This portrait is part of a larger woodblock print titled “We Come with the Dust, We Go with the Wind” (1968).

A color photo of the back of Woody Guthrie’s C.F. Martin 000-18 guitar. His name is etched in the top right corner. Further down, on the right side of this guitar, he scratched out “This machine kills fascists” (though it’s hard to see it in this photo).

In the same display case is a b/w photo of Woody Guthrie holding a guitar on which the words “This machine kills fascists” are written in big letters.

@LAhistory@lahistory· 28d

Thank you to the @lapubliclibrary.bsky.social for a wonderful Central Library Centennial celebration last Saturday! Loved seeing the giant pop-up book (in the historic rotunda) designed by printmaker Daniel Gonzalez & paper engineer Matthew Reinhart. #popupbooks #LibrarySky #LAPL #PaperEngineering

A color photo of the giant pop up book titled “Luceros y Penumbras" as it sits under the library's historic rotunda. The pop up book is turned to the page with the giant tree of wisdom representing LA's cultural knowledge surrounded by symbols of the area’s natural history. The historic Zodiac chandelier, designed by Lee Lawrie, can be seen at the top of the photo along with the Dean Cornwall mural on the library wall.

Behind the giant pop up book is this display that illustrates the paper engineering involved for “Luceros y Penumbras." Drawn in black ink against white paper, these miniature versions of the LAPL entrance and tree of wisdom show the process behind creating a pop up page.

LAPL's Central Library Centennial black and gold cake was created to resemble the Belgian marble sphinxes, designed by Lee Lawrie, that sit in the Fifth Street stairwell. On display outside the Mark Taper Auditorium, this cake sphinx is holding a tablet that reads "Central Library MCM XXVI.”

A color photo of the miniature version of the giant pop up that sits in front of the exhibit, showing the exterior of the Central Library set against the night sky. The giant green face of the pop-up turtle can be seen just over the miniature library's pyramid.

Turning the page of the 18-by-29 foot book can't really be done during public hours, so this miniature version lets visitors turn the page of this 2-page pop up book.

@LAhistory@lahistory· 29d

Tues @ 7pm: @vidiots.bsky.social is screening the 2025 #documentary about ASCO, the #Chicano art collective (limited walk-up tickets available). “Merging activism with radical artmaking, ASCO challenged the established order of Hollywood, museums, and media." vidiotsfoundation.org/movies/asco-...

This promotional flyer for the documentary "ASCO: Without Permission" has black and white text against a bright red background. A rectangle b/w photo of a pair of eyes (most likely Patssi Valdez) sits in the center.

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jul 11

July 10, 1986: Artist Lloyd Hamrol created 'Uptown Rocker' as a “playful treatment of an exasperating, everyday subject.” The large-scale artwork was dedicated 40 years ago today in downtown Los Angeles. #PublicArt #OTD Claremont Colleges Library (1986): ccdl.claremont.edu/digital/coll...

Color photo of Hamrol's 30' x 65' steel sculpture shows about six different-colored cars, bumper to bumper, squeezed together on a piece of curved concrete.

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jul 9

Amazing to hear Edward James Olmos & Luis Valdez's stories about #ZootSuit at last night's screening at the Ford! The pair shared the trailer for the new documentary “American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez” (see it at @vidiots.bsky.social in late July: vidiotsfoundation.org/movies/ameri...).

A color photo of the audience at the Ford listening to Edward James Olmos, Luis Valdez and Cristina Frías on stage (all sitting in director's chairs) talk about the history of the play/film "Zoot Suit."

A photo of the opening credits of Zoot Suit which shows the iconic El Pachuco along with the words "Written for the Screen by Luis Valdez / Based on the Original Play."

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jul 8

Pioneer Chicken is returning to Echo Park (for one day). "This year’s #LotusFestival is especially meaningful to us, as it takes place just one day after Pioneer Chicken’s 65th anniversary." www.instagram.com/p/DadsSZXkjc... #pioneerchicken

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jul 8

A few vintage photos of Echo Park as seen at last year’s Lotus Festival (in the Echo Park Historical Society booth). #LAevents This weekend is the 45th Annual Lotus Festival in #EchoPark -> recreation.parks.lacity.gov/lotusfestival 🪷

This sepia-colored photo (circa 1920) features two women in a canoe situated deep in the Echo Park lotus bed. A third woman is standing next to the boat, in the lake, handing one of them cut lotus blossoms. Please don't cut what little lotus flowers we have left!

This color photo shows one of the photo boards hung up in the Echo Park Historical Society booth. Titled "Rail Through Echo Park," the black cardboard includes eight historic photos showing the Pacific Electric trains rolling through Echo Park.

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jul 7

“In honor of the 50th Anniversary of Malibu Creek State Park, we invite poets, photographers, painters, printmakers, & creatives to share their work inspired by this extraordinary place.” www.instagram.com/p/DaeEZG0Png4/ #CallforArtists Sept 26: Celebration for #MalibuCreek State Park's 50th anniv.

The top of this cream-colored announcement includes sketches of a butterfly and a crow (or a raven?) along with a quill and inkwell. Below is the following text (in a black font):

STORIES FROM THE LANDSCAPE
MALIBU CREEK'S SOTH CALL FOR ARTISTS

In honor of the 50th Anniversary of Malibu Creek State Park, we invite poets, photographers, painters, printmakers, and creatives to share their work inspired by this extraordinary place.

What have you learned from Malibu Creek?
Selected works will be displayed during the 50* Anniversary Celebration on September 26, 2026.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: AUGUST 10, 2026
ARTIST'S NOTIFIED: AUGUST 24, 2026
CELEBRATION EVENT: SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
Artwork, prints, poems will be displayed outdoors during the Stories Under the Stars: 50th Anniversary Celebration.
email submissions to maya@samofund.org

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jul 7

“Written 250 years ago, the #DeclarationofIndependence had global influence. But how did news of it reach the wider world, including #California?” Wed @ 5pm: Panel discussion at the Huntington Library, courtesy of the USC-Huntington Early Modern Studies Institute. www.instagram.com/p/Daderpntvr...

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jul 6

In 1981, these affordable housing apartments near USC were named in honor of the Honorable Billy G. Mills (located here -> maps.app.goo.gl/95riDfKH4AiV...) and his field deputy Rolland Joseph (Speedy) Curtis. #ExpositionPark #affordablehousing

Screen grab from the LA Times (1983) that shows a photo of Billy G. Mills Manor with an arrow pointing to its exact location in Exposition Park. The Rolland Curtis Gardens is included on the map.

A photo of Billy G. Mills Manor from Google Maps.

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jul 6

"The wonderful advantage of the #legalprofession is its diversity. No other training exposes the student to so many different subjects. And, in no other profession is there the large range of choices," the Honorable Billy G. Mills. Nat'l Black Law Journal (1985): escholarship.org/content/qt6g...

A screen capture for this 1985 article reads: "The wonderful advantage of the legal profession," says the Honorable Billy G. Mills, "is its diversity. No other training exposes the student to so many different subjects. And, in no other profession is there the large range of choices." Judge Mills, supervising judge of family law for the Superior Court of Los Angeles, epitomizes the very diversity to which he refers.

Judge Mills attended UCLA Law School after spending two years at Compton Community College where he quarterbacked the varsity football
team, and two years at UCLA, where he received Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Political Science. Not only did Judge Mills enter UCLA Law School with the first class to finish the school's full three-year term, but he also was the first Black to receive a Juris Doctorate at UCLA. Six years passed before another Black graduated from UCLA Law School.

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jul 4

“A pet rock, a Cher Bono dress, a skate board, panty hose, a mustache comb, and Jerry West’s old basketball jersey were lowered by the Los Angeles Bicentennial Committee into a time capsule not to be opened for 100 years," LA Times (Sept 1976). #Spiritof76

Screen capture of this LA Times article reads: “A pet rock, a Cher Bono dress, a skate board, panty hose, a mustache comb, and Jerry West’s old basketball jersey were lowered by the LA Bicentennial Committee into a time capsule not to be opened for 10 0years.” Also included: a comic book, pancake make up, a credit card, and a birth certificate of. Girl born July 4, 1976.”

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jul 4

In 50 years, Angelenos will open up this #GriffithObservatory time capsule, sealed 50 years ago by the Los Angeles City Bicentennial Committee. #Spiritof76 A propellant tank from the Mariner Mars '71 project was used to hold a sampling of the "Los Angeles Lifestyle 1976.”

Took this color photo of the 1976 time capsule at Griffith Observatory in 2025. The time capsule plaque reads: “Tomorrow’s Past” / Tricentennial Time Capsule / A Sampling of Los Angeles Lifestyle 1976 for the Citizens of 2076 / from the Los Angeles City Bicentennial Committee, September 9, 1976 / This capsule was a propellant tank used in the Mariner ’71 Earth to Man Program.”

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jul 4

For the Los Angeles City Bicentennial Committee, artist #CoritaKent created a #serigraph for the US Bicentennial in 1976 (& LA's Bicentennial in 1981), incorporating the Roman numeral CC (for 200) in her design: C is for Celebration / What They Did Matters C is for Challenge / What We Do Matters

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jul 3

The mosaic replica of John Trumbull’s famous painting “The Declaration of Independence," which is located in the Court of Freedom at Forest Lawn Glendale. #DeclarationofIndependence #FourthofJuly #USA250

A color photo of the mosaic replica (20' by 30') which is made up of over 700,000 pieces of Venetian glass tile. One can see that some tile restoration is needed to the left of the centered flags.

This color image shows a wider perspective of the Court of Freedom and includes the mosaic replica along with the cement blocks on which details of the mosaic and Trumball's original painting are carved.

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jul 2

Burrito King In Echo Park, 1968-2026 lataco.com/burrito-king... "Burrito King was a link to the neighborhood's history, a valuable site of continuity between the #EchoPark of the past, present, and future," @lataco.bsky.social.

Recent color photo of the Burrito King stand. RIP!

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jul 2

“In the spirit of the times, Corona High student Terri Smith came up with the idea of painting a Bicentennial theme on the [ #PradoDam ] spillway.” #America250 #Spiritof76 From the display at the Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles:

This large detailed display about the Prado Dam Bicentennial Mural includes historic b/w photos of the high school students who initially created/painted this mural along with several paragraphs about the history of the mural as it related to US Bicentennial celebrations. It appears like this display was created in 2022.

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jul 1

July 1, 1915: Estelle Lawton Lindsey became the first woman elected to Los Angeles City Council #OTD. cityclerk.lacity.org/chronola/ind... The Los Angeles-based New American Woman magazine (1917): archive.org/details/newa... #womenshistory

Cream-colored cover of the magazine The New American Woman features a photographic portrait of Estelle Lawton Lindsey framed with black and red floral flourishes. Additional text reads: May 1917, Hon. Estelle Lawton Lindsey, Councilwoman. Clara Shortridge Foltz, Editor and Publisher. 15 Cents a copy / $1.50 per year. Los Angeles, CA.

Screen capture of article reads:

HONORABLE ESTELLE LAWTON LINDSEY

First Councilwoman of a First-class City in the United States. Re-Nominated, Certain of Re-Election [Note: She was not re-elected]

BEFORE the couriers of the mind had searched out the new order of things; before woman suffrage had become a fact in California, women flew to their rightful places at an ordinary pitch. When woman had no constituency, no representation and no legal right of expression, the wings of her mind were pinioned and more or less palsied. But with the great American privilege of self-expression, woman—at least ONE woman-in California rose to the occasion, secured the nomination and was elected to a seat in the governing body of a city containing half a million population.

We know it is an aphorism that "one swallow does not make a summer." But certain it is that
ESTELLE LAWTON LINDSEY has demonstrated beyond cavil or question her ability and her equality with men in our city's legislative body, and she has established a precedent which will justify many another splendid example of woman's usefulness in civic affairs. She has put to silence every opponent to woman's onward course.

It is a far cry from a modest home, through girlhood and young wifehood, from a desk at a reporter's table to a seat in the council chamber of a municipality second to none in importance. But ES-TELLE LAWTON LINDSEY has successfully passed all the old mile-posts of woman's subjection and inferiority; she has rolled away the stone from the tomb to her buried faculties.”

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jun 30

This @marketplace.org story had me thinking about the Angelus Matchcover Club, founded in Los Angeles in 1951. The organization celebrated its 75th anniversary a few months ago. A few #matchbooks from their site: angelusmatchcover.com

This turquoise-colored matchbook cover of the Del Rae shows a simple illustration of the restaurant's exterior (with a black car out front) that was located at 10511 S. Western Avenue, Los Angeles.

This orange and brownish-black matchbook cover shows the exteriors for two businesses located at Broadway & 89th Streets -- the 89 Club at 8935 S. Broadway and the New Mexico Spanish Kitchen that was next door.

This red and gold-colored matchbook cover features an illustration of the beloved Pacific Dining Car (RIP!). Some of the text reads: "The Oldest Steak House in Los Angeles Where the Atmosphere is in the Food."

This sky-blue-colored matchbook cover features a dark-blue illustration of the exterior of the Olympian Motor Hotel at 1901 W. Olympic Blvd (now the Live Hotel).

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jun 29

"A century after #BullocksWilshire rose on a bet that shoppers would never travel west of downtown, Southwestern Law School is filling the #ArtDeco landmark's storefront windows with vintage fashion from its own archives," @dailyjournalcorp.bsky.social. www.dailyjournal.com/cal_lawyer/3...

Color photo of the Bullocks Wilshire/Southwestern Law School window display that features two outfits from the law school's Bullocks archive. One outfit is a tangerine-colored business suit (circa 1960s) and the other is a white knee-length summer dress with tangerine-colored flowers (circa 1960s).

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jun 27

The free America Tropical Interpretive Center is located along #OlveraStreet at El Pueblo. #DavidAlfaroSiqueiros

The view of David Alfaro Siqueiros' 1932 mural "América Tropical" on the interpretive center's rooftop. In the foreground is a black & white image of the mural with captions detailing the mural's history. The US Post Office Terminal Annex can be seen way in the background. Took this photo in 2022.

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jun 27

Stopped by El Pueblo's Heritage Festival yesterday afternoon. Loved spending time in the Pico House as Pio Pico's 1870 hotel is normally closed to the public. #WorldCup #PioPico

Color photo of the Pico House transformed into Celebration House for the FIFA World Cup. Picnic tables with umbrellas are set up in front of Pico House.

A color photo of the Pico House courtyard showing the watch party set up for soccer fans. People are sitting at high top tables in the center courtyard. Folding chairs and benches are set up along the wall and in the back. There is a bar in the back corner (outside of the frame) & folks were ordering food off menus on the table.

This color photo shows a peek inside the Pico House lobby as it looks into the courtyard before the game started. Oversized letters "LA" are standing against a backdrop made of tiny portraits (one of which is Pio Pico). The "LA" letters are covered in hand-written messages from fans.

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jun 26

Fri–Sun: El Pueblo's Heritage Festival will be a great time to support the #OlveraStreet merchants & explore the museums at El Pueblo. Performers include Ozomatli (on Saturday) and Poncho Sanchez (on Sunday). www.eventbrite.com/e/el-pueblo-...

The header for the Heritage Festival at El Pueblo de Los Angeles shows colorful papel picado banners set against a blue sky.

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jun 25

June 25, 1938: Thousands attended the opening of New Chinatown #OTD in 1938. New Chinatown in Los Angeles was "the first modern American Chinatown, owned and planned from the ground up by Chinese." chinatownla.com/history/ #LAPL photo (1940) of #NewChinatown: tessa2.lapl.org/digital/coll...

View of New Chinatown at night, showing the many businesses (and their neon signs) in the plaza. Two visible neon signs read "Forbidden Palace" and "Chop Suey."

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jun 23

Sister Aimee returned to Los Angeles via train, pulling into downtown’s Central Station on June 26, 1926. "At least 50,000 people filled the streets surrounding the building with some press estimates as high as 150,000,” Hoffman. @uclalibrary.bsky.social: digital.library.ucla.edu/catalog/ark:...

A b/w photo of the large crowd gathered at the Central Station, waiting for Aimee Semple McPherson's arrival from Douglas Arizona.

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jun 23

Jun 23, 1926: Evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson stumbled out of the Mexican desert 100 years ago, after mysteriously disappearing from #VeniceCA the previous month. “Aimee’s disappearance had made national news, but her resurrection made global headlines," Claire Hoffman. #AimeeSempleMcPherson #OTD

Cover of Claire Hoffman's book "Sister, Sinner: The Miraculous Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Aimee Semple McPherson" shows a full size photo of the famous evangelist dressed in an all-white shimmering gown.

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jun 22

July 2026: The Philosophical Research Society is hosting YesterdayLA 2026 -> “a month-long exploration of unique stories and works of art that have become part of the fabric of Los Angeles history.” www.prs.org/yesterdayla.... #LAEvents

A screen capture of PRS' YesterdayLA header shows the series title written in a stylistic handwritten font along with the downtown skyline etched in white with a black background. The header background features a violet-colored map of Los Angeles with bits of peach-colored and gold-colored blocks spread throughout the design.

A list of events in PRS' YesterdayLA series:

July 1st - David Lynch’s Los Angeles with Amanda Karkoutly - A Presentation in the PRS Auditorium

July 2nd - Los Angeles as Colossus: A Tour of LA's Architectural Past with Domenic Priore - A Presentation in the PRS Auditorium

July 3rd - Agnès Varda in LA: DOCUMENTEUR (1981) + MUR MURS (1981) - A 7th House Screening

July 5th - Jon Jost's ANGEL CITY (1976) 50th Anniversary of the Sly Satirical LA Noir! - A 7th House Screening

July 9th - An ASCO Evening ft. the World Premiere of SEÑOR TERESHKOVA (1974-75) - A 7th House Screening + Conversation with the founding members of the legendary East Los Angeles Chicano art collective ASCO

July 10th - John Cassavetes' MINNIE AND MOSKOWITZ (1971) - A 7th House Screening

July 11th - COLUMBO: ÉTUDE IN BLACK — The Great Disheveled Detective on the Big Screen! - A 7th House Screening

July 17th - In Case You Missed It: Jerry de Wilde's Counterculture Photography of the 1960s and 1970s - A Book Talk in the PRS Library

July 19th - The Los Angeles Breakfast Club: The Story Behind the Music - A Presentation in the PRS Auditorium

July 23rd - Space is the Place: Intergalactic Los Angeles with Amanda Karkoutly - A Presentation in the PRS Auditorium

July 24th - A Presentation on Our Lady of the Angels: The Virgin of Guadalupe on the Walls of Los Angeles by Sam Quinones - An Author Conversation in the PRS Library

July 26th - A Presentation on Occult LA with Ronnie Pontiac - A Conversation in the PRS Auditorium

July 26th - Take Fountain: A Night of Non-Fiction Readings with Los Angeles Review of Books - Readings in the PRS Library

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jun 22

Author @lynellgeorge.bsky.social will be discussing Octavia E. Butler at a couple of events this week: 📚 Tonight @ 6pm: #Altadena Community Center www.pasadenanow.com/weekendr/on-... 📚 Friday @ 7pm: Eaton Fire Collaboratory www.foothillcatalog.org/upcoming-eve... #OctaviaEButler #LAEvents

This announcement for Friday night's discussion with Lynell George and Nikki High (Octavia's Bookshelf) is set against the book cover for "A Handful of Earth / A Handful of Sky." The event details are listed: Friday, June 26th / 7pm - 9pm / Eaton Fire Collaboratory / 540 W. Woodbury Road. Info about the event sponsors is included at the bottom, including: The Foothill Catalog Foundation, Pasadena Heritage, Bungalow Heaven Landmark District, Altadena Heritage, and Altadena Historical Society.

@LAhistory@lahistory· Jun 22

"Guide to Octavia E. Butler’s Pasadena” in honor of the sci-fi author's birthday: www.huntington.org/sites/defaul... "For all of those explorations into far-flung realms, #OctaviaEButler herself navigated her physical world as far as her feet or bus pass could carry her," @lynellgeorge.bsky.social.