Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-25
Los Angeles Thirty-Five Years Ago

Governor John G. DoWney lived in
a prick building on the west side of
Main street Just north of the Van
Nuys hotel. The hotel site was occu
peid by the family residence of James
6 Howard. l. w. Hellman was build
ing his residence. one of the best in
the city. mt Fourth and Main streets,
where the building of the Farmers
and Merchants National bank stands.
Judge OMelVcny had very at
tractivr home at Second and Broad
way. west side South of his place
was the residence of John NJ Griffith.
Next to him that of Eugene Meyer
and south of him that Of Harris New
mark The block on Broadway between
First and Second streets WAS filled
with the residences of pioneer citl-
zens. The hill section Of the town
was hardly occupied at all
Bctwccu san Pedro street and be
tween portions of Main street and the
river were vineyards and orchards.
orange Groves were ON Main and
Rroadvav as far north as Second
street. The three principal orange
groves Of the city were the NoltSKlIL
the first one set out hCrc located ln
the ucighborhood Of The present Ar
cadc depot, and the BrisWalter a
ChiIds groves. which were east OF
mann SlIttI 'I -Eii'''
streets.
An of the lawyers and doctors and
surveyors were housed principally ln
the Temple and Downey blocks,
Judson & Gillette and William II, d.
Brooks were the only searcners of
records. John Carlin, William ]. hrou-
rick and Fred Drakenfelt shared jhe
insurance business of the comlhu"IlE,
Butchers and bakers were scattered
towns Fred MorsCh, a good-natureo
German who loved a glass of beer
was the sign painter of the town ne
lumber wards were all located on Ala
media or san Pedro streets.
Joe Mutually burned brick for every
body. up i'm SonOratoWu west of Ihg
present Baker Iron works. Baker x
Rovprs its predecessors. were At Sec
ond and Main Nearly all of the ma
sonrv work of the city was done by
Jacob Weizel. an honest and eompe-
tent brlck mason.
The cathedral ON Main street south
of First street was in course OF cree
ton. The old Plaza church vas Ju5St
as il now is. John Jones ana iahlilE
occupied an adobe residence OPPOSE
the Plaza and nearly opposite the
Plaza church.
below Fourth street there Was only
an occasional house on any OF the
streets between Main and Figueroa.
Aartrultural park was i'm existence.
Fairs and races were held there. d. :.
Slanson was one of the pioneers IN
the Ftgueroa street district. 80 We're
Judco Eruuson the Longstrcets. COL
J. r. Godfrey and a few others.
None of the streets of the city had
baan Daycd. A little gravel from the
hills was put onto some of them IN
z-fntal. the streets were sea OF muu
Tn summer the dust was to some eN-
tent arlaved by spasmodlc spnhhhhs'
In 1875 certainly one-half OF the COM
munity was Spanish.
The sheep business was very pros
norous in those days. There were
many Rasques engaged IN IL. anu must
of them got wealthy.
Everybody knew everybody else anu
the people seemed to be one great
bapnv family 7 think l can safely
saw that l knew every man. woman
and child i'm Los Angeles within
ninety days after 1 got here.
Driving was one Of the great oaiIE
9musemcnts The well-to-do families
all had their own carriages. Those
Who were not so fortunate patronlzed
the livery stables
After one got beyond the immedi-
ate city limits one found natural
/ roads, good. except at times Of hcaNN
! rains There was not enough travel
ON them to make them rough or dusty
The Arroyo Seco drive was favorite
one. also a road up the river. on sun
davs and holidays in the summer time
drive TO santa Monica was the thing.
The drive there i'm the early mornlns'
din in the ocean. a dinner at Eu-
genes and the drive home in the cool
of the afternoon. afforded one a tull
davis amusement and recreation. The
old sycamore grove. i'm the Arroyo