DOI: 10.25549/chs-c65-900
title: Panoramic view of downtown Los Angeles showing Pershing Square, ca.1910

description: Photograph of a panoramic view of downtown Los Angeles showing Pershing Square, ca.1910. The cityscape is thriving with multi-storied commercial and residential buildings. Prominent buildings or landmarks include the Pantages Theatre in the right foreground, Pershing Square at left center, Pacific Mutual Life and Accident building at left, Saint Paul's Episcopal Church, Philharmonic Auditorium Building at center, and the Metropolitan Building still under construction at right. Trees are sparsely scattered throughout the city with the exceptions being Pershing Square and the undeveloped land beyond the city near the hills, where there are larger clusters of trees. Pershing Square has an x-shaped walkway at the center of which is a circular fountain. Benches are situated along the walkways and around the fountain area. Small clusters of people crowd the park -- strolling through, sitting, reading newspapers, or loitering. There are a variety of trees and vegetation planted throughout the park. To the left of the park is Sixth Street, crowded with cars, streetcars, horse-drawn carriages and people. On Fifth Street, construction workers labor on building the Metropolitan Building. Construction material and/or debris litters the floor throughout the skeletal frame of the building. Many workers are lounging around, which may indicate that it is lunchtime.; CHS-5033 -- Legible signs include: "Go see Torrance, The modern [...]", "Made for California, La Abilidad, Havana cigars, [...]", "Hotel Portsmouth", "For business property, O.E. Farish(?)", "Silver City", "[...] [p]arlor", "[...] Metcalf & Ryan, [...] floor[...]", "Marshutz, Optical Co., 504 So. Broadway", "Seminole Apartment Hotel", "Hotel Superior Transient., All outside rooms", "Hotel Acacia [...]", "[...]zy rooms", "[...]la, pure and healthful", "[...] Street Grocery", "Gates Hotel, fireproof", "Hotel Snow", "[...]inga[...]", "Hotel Ivan", "Hotel Chester", "Plymouth", "Pacific Mutual, Life and Accident", "Hotel Maryland [...] and apartments [...]", "The Conway.", "Hampden Arms Hotel", "Groceries, school supplies, notions, school books bought, sold, and exchanged", "Perfection [...] quality [...]", "Grand Haven Rooms", "The Toledo", "Sherwood", "[...] Briggs", and "Huntley".; CHS-5054 -- Legible signs include: "Pantages Theatre and Office Building, , Morgan, Walls & Morgan Architects", "James P. Burns Building, Burns, Fit Easy Shoes, $3.50 & $4.00, For Men & Women, 525 So. Broadway", "Hesch Ladies Tailor.", "Feinberg Bros., High-Class Ladies Tailors, Take Elevator [...]", "The Logan Hatter, 35,000 Logan Hats L.A. 1912, 100,000 Logan Hats L.A. 1912, A Tip To The Wise, Be A Wise One(?), 628 S. Broadway, 337 S. Spring St.", "Now Open, High Class, Theatrical and Masquerade Costumes, Temple-Gutberson Co.", "Forve Petebone Co., Gas & Electric Fixtures, 514 S. Bdw'y", "Meyer Cahn & Talbott, Wholesale, Jewelers and Opticians, MFG. Jewelers", "Postgate[...]", "F.O. Engstrom Co. Contractors", "Los Angeles Public Library, Free to All", "[...]Lumber Company", "Relieves[...]", "Nathanson Gown", "Women's Christian Association Building", "Hotel Northern", "F.P. Fay [...]", "The Ferguson Building", "Hotel Cumberland", "Wright Callendar Andres Co., First Floor, [...] Los Angeles Realty", "Absolute [...]", "The Blue Be[...], Hot Cakes and Coffe[..]", "428 Occ[...]", "323 Hotel Paxton, Transient or Permanent", "Remick", "Trusse[...]", "Cafe", "Sanitation Treatment Rooms", "Gibson", "Gor[...]", "Hotel Trenton", "Hotel Fleur De Lis", "Fremont", "Delicious & Refreshing Drink, Relieves Fatigue, Coca Cola", "For Central Business Property and Leases, Thos C. Bundy & Co., 405 S. Hill St.", "Roy C. Seeley Co.", "College Theatre", "The Judd Apartments", and "Palace Hotel Apartments".; "This Park land [Pershing Square] was dedicated for use By Mayor Aguilar in 1866. At that time the park was named La Plaza Abaja (The Lower Plaza). In 1886, it was renovated with an official park plan designed by City engineer (and later Mayor) Fred Eaton. In 1911, the park was redesigned by a prominent Los Angeles architect, John Parkinson, to reflect the social and economic growth of the City. During World War I, the Square was often the scene or receptions for the militia and provided a forum for public speakers, much like London's Hyde Park Corner. On November 8, 1918, the park was formally named Pershing Square in honor of the World War I general. The next major change came in the 1950's, when a 3-story, 1800-car garage was built beneath the Park to serve the growing downtown theater crowd and surrounding businesses. In 1989, the Pershing Square Property Association contributed $8.5 million and the Community Redevelopment Agency provided $6 million to assist the Department of Recreation and Parks in the renovation of the Park. Their common goal was realized when the Park was dedicated on February 3, 1994." -- unknown author.