Four views from City Hall

May 2, 2017

On Jan. 3, 2010, the Los Angeles Times published a special two-page Then and Now story. In 2009, I had located a series of 1951 images taken by Associated Press photographer Ellis R. Bosworth from the top of Los Angeles City Hall. I went up the City Hall observation deck and matched the images. That project helped launch the From the Archives blog six months later.

Since 2010, I’ve found several additional images taken from the observation deck of City Hall. Here’s a sample of these images.

Looking north from City Hall

March 7, 2017: The federal courthouse, opened in 1940, sits in the middle looking north. North Spring Street is to the left of the courthouse, North Main Street on the right. Union Station is on the upper right edge.

March 7, 2017: View from Los Angeles City Hall looking North.

June 3, 1956: In the foreground are the top of the federal courthouse and the 101 Freeway. Off to the right are the clump of trees that is the Olvera Street Plaza and beyond it the post office Terminal Annex. At the extreme left, North Broadway heads toward the tree-covered hills of Elysian Park.

June 3, 1956: There were a million landmarks to tell you that the camera was pointed north from the City Hall tower. In the foreground are the top of the Federal Building and the Hollywood-Santa Ana Freeway. Off to the right are the clump of trees that is the Plaza and beyond it the Post Office Terminal Annex. At the extreme left N Broadway heads toward the tree-covered hills of Elysian Park.

Nov. 1, 1943: Nighttime scene looking north at a dimmed-out Los Angeles in wartime.

Oct. 29, 1943: Nighttime cityscape seen from city hall tower looking north, during dim-out in Los Angeles, Calif. The dim-outs ended on Nov. 1, 1943.

Looking west from City Hall

March 7 , 2017: Grand Park stretches out before you, leading all the way to the Department of Water and Power building. The Hollywood sign is barely visible on the mountain at upper right. Disney Hall is upper left.

March 7, 2017: View from Los Angeles City Hall looking West.

June 6, 1956: The scene looking West is very different here. That's the roof of the old Hall of Records in the foreground. Over at the left is the Law Building and the steel skeleton of the under-construction county courthouse. Beyond Temple Street at right is the four-level interchange of the freeways and, way at the left, Beverly Boulevard goes over Belmont Hill. Hollywood and the Hollywood Hills are out there in the haze.

June 6, 1956: West. That's the way you were looking in the photo from the City Hall tower. That's the roof of the Hall of Records in the foreground. Over at the left is the Law Building and steel structure for the new County Courthouse. Beyond Temple St. at the right it the four-level interchange of the freeways and, way at the left, Beverly Blvd. goes over Belmont Hill. Hollywood and the Hollywood Hills are out there in the haze somewhere.

Looking south from City Hall

March 7 , 2017: The Los Angeles Times building is in the foreground and the skyline Bunker Hill is clustered beyond.

March 7, 2017: View from Los Angeles City Hall looking South.

Nov. 8, 1979: The cluster of buildings on Bunker Hill is starting to grow.

Nov. 8, 1979; Clear skys and clouds over Bunker Hill folllowing a rain storm. Photo taken from top of Los Angeles City Hall.

Looking east from City Hall

March 7, 2017: The industrial flatland stretching toward the Los Angeles River and rail yards

March 7, 2017: View from Los Angeles City Hall looking East.

Jan. 12, 1951: Part of the Los Angeles industrial district as seen from the top of City Hall looking east. Bridges span the Los Angeles River in the background.