By now, most of you know that I love me some Vintage L.A. Besides living in the general vicinity for much of my life, I used to enjoy listening to stories from my Grandmother, about all of the wonderful things that she and my Grandfather did when she moved out here in 1929. 1929, nothing interesting happened that year!
Anyhoo, I have some nice old shots (likely from about 1955) featuring wonderful Union Station on Alameda Street - L.A.'s main train station. It opened in 1939, and according to Wikipedia, is considered "the last of the great railway stations" in the U.S. This first picture is kind of amazing, showing the station before it was surrounded by any larger structures (not counting that large tank to the left, I have no idea what it was for, though I see a "Brew 102" sign on it - Brew 102 was a local brewery, with signage (and a huge factory near the Santa Ana freeway) familiar to Angelenos.
Here's a recent Google Maps screen grab. Those palm trees make for a nice entrance to the station, but... they also block our view. Dumb trees!
I personally love the clean deco lines and details. The structure combines Art Deco, Mission Revival, and Streamline Moderne style, with architectural details such as eight-pointed stars, and even elements of Dutch Colonial Revival architecture.
I always appreciate a good clock tower!
You might see this nice lady again, since she shows up in a number of Vintage L.A. photos. It's a shame that there are no interior photos in this batch, because it is a beautiful place... go to the Wikipedia page to get an idea of what it's like.
I wondered if those tiles could be from Catalina Pottery, but that went defunct in 1937, so... I guess not. If you happen to ever go downtown to visit Olvera Street, or Chinatown, or Philippes (just up Alameda) for a French dip sandwich, it is worth the walk to visit Union Station!
Before reading your text, I thought, "Hmm, looks like a modern version of a California Mission". Lo and behold, it is indeed "Mission Revival" and "Streamline Moderne" among other things. For once, my eyes weren't lying to me.
ReplyDelete"Pacific Standard Time". I guess they hang out a different sign on the clock tower when Daylight Time comes around?
The devil's advocate in me says, "This building is too stark! Too white! It needs a nice thick coat of shocking pink and electric blue! (with a truckload of gold trim)".
Thanks for introducing us to L.A.'s Union Station, Major.
Major-
ReplyDeleteAhhh... Brew 102-! Nothing but the finest 'working man's beer' for us-! The Maier Brewing 'factory' abutted the Santa Ana Freeway - always a prominent landmark one would spot while driving down to The Happiest Place On Earth-! That's a 1950 Chevrolet DeLuxe, probably in Falcon Gray or maybe Crystal Green - but who can tell-?
(I always wear my white gloves when visiting Union Station, too; but I rarely carry a purse-!)
Thanks, Major.
@ JB-
ReplyDelete""Pacific Standard Time". I guess they hang out a different sign on the clock tower when Daylight Time comes around?"
Not likely. Following the end of WWII, and the repeal of the law instating a 'national daylight saving time' to help conserve fuel and promote national security and defense, the railroads remained on Standard Time, when the rest of California would switch to Daylight Saving Time. I don't know the exact time period when this oddity was in effect, but clearly it was for this photo - and based on the model year of the Chevrolet, (1950), the image can't be any older than around October, 1949.
The Brew 102 tank looks close, and I guess technically it is....but what you can't see from the street views is how the freeway actually runs between Union Station and Brew 102. Here's a vintage image to show how the tank was actually on the opposite side of the freeway. Union Station and the train yards behind it, would be out of view, and up that hill on the left in these "then and now" photos.
ReplyDeleteBrew 102 and Freeway
Oh yeah, and the Brew 102 tank was shown in an establishing shot, when two certain TV couples arrived in Los Angeles. That opening segment was usually cut out of the repeats of the show on television. I believe the tank can also be seen in the opening or closing credits of a newer show (in color), but for the life of me, I can't remember which one.
ReplyDeleteBrew 102 & Freeway - Screen Grab from Everyone's Favorite Show
One of my favorite buildings, and styles. It sounds like it would be a mish-mash but it is really a coherent design. Reminiscent of the Santa Barbara Courthouse, as well as many others. The tiles are my favorite details. I used some tile accents on a building once long ago, to mimic this look with a limited budget, people were surprised at first, but everyone loved it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Major, enjoying the look back to a time when buildings were more than adherence to schedule and budget.
JG
I always love a vintage photo of an LA police station. This place will look awesome with flying police cars in 2019.
ReplyDeleteThose tiles remind me of the ones that have (had) at the Morocco pavilion at Epcot. I guess they came to the Missions from Spain, from the Moors
ReplyDeleteChuck, yeah, the Blade Runner era LAUPT was the best. We also need to load it up with tube TVs and make it rain all the time.
JB, I really like the “Mission Revival” look, the combination of Art Deco and old Spanish style details. Maybe for my fourth mansion? Yeah, I wondered about that “Pacific Standard Time” sign as well, I assume it is not there anymore. I like your color ideas, you are hired.
ReplyDeleteNanook, I don’t have memories of the Brew 102 factory, though my best friend does. I always looked for the Western Exterminator man! Chevrolet DeLuxe, everything should be “DeLuxe”.
Nanook, interesting! And there is one slide in this batch that shows Grauman’s Chinese Theatre showing “The Man In the Gray Flannel Suit”, which is a 1956 film.
TokyoMagic!, huh, I had no idea that the freeway ran between the tank and Union Station. It really does look close to the station in that first photo!
TokyoMagic!, I truly believe that you have memorized every moment of every episode of that show.
JG, years ago I went downtown with my then-girlfriend, we visited Chinatown, Olvera Street, took a ride on Angels Flight (though it is not very close by), and went to Union Station, with lunch at Philippes. It was a good day!
Chuck, I have no doubt that is a reference to… something.
Dean Finder, gosh, do you actually see Union Station in Blade Runner? I mean the outside (I know the interior was used for some early scenes)?
Nanook, I can see all kinds of confusion (and missed trains) resulting from the train stations sticking to Standard time while everywhere else was Daylight time. :-\ I gather from your comment that this odd practice did not last long.
ReplyDeleteMajor, Major, Major... If everything was "DeLuxe", then NOTHING would be "DeLuxe"!
Union Station is an amazing piece of architecture and art…so very LA meets mission, meets vintage and glamorous train travel…on historic land that LA was started on. I took a lot of photos in the 80’s: all lost in numerous moves…if so many details. The tile is very much Catalina Tile inspired…the present day Catalina Tile shop in Avalon sells some vintage pieces: from a personal collection. I suppose as a Catalina ex-pat in means a bit more: and there was another famous tile place: that at the moment I forget…in Venice (?) not the island but the LA version…perhaps the tile from there (?). I had this Catalina style tile recreated for me, and I think it may have been the most expensive piece of esoteric design element I’ve ever purchased in my career. I’m almost embarrassed about the price: “Magic costs money”. That being said: yes: if in LA: make the trek to Union Station: grab a sandwich and pickle from Phillipes, and walk around Olvera Steet while listening to mariachis. It’s also always great to do a drive by of the Walt Disney concert hall/Music Center. When I happenstance upon these places when traveling with coworkers who’ve never seen LA: it’s always a big “whoa! What is that?!” Thanks Major.
ReplyDeleteLove Union Station. Went through it many times as a student at the University of San Diego. One of my best memories was enjoying a martini in the little lounge they had in there. The place reeks of Hollywood grandeur and Phillip Marlowe.
ReplyDeleteOh, and to be terribly pedantic, it’s just “Philippe.”
ReplyDelete@Steve Degaetano-
ReplyDelete"Philippe" Marlowe?... ;-)
Major- Thanks for the great Union Station photos today.
-DW
The "Brew 102" tanks were actually full of natural gas. In the Before Times, that's how the stuff was stored - the tanks floated up and down as they filled and emptied.
ReplyDeleteMajor-
ReplyDelete"And there is one slide in this batch that shows Grauman’s Chinese Theatre showing “The Man In the Gray Flannel Suit”..."
I'll mention these dates again when you post the slide of Grauman's, but The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit played at Grauman's Chinese from Friday, April 13th thru Monday, May 28, 1956. So evidently the 'Standard Time' anomaly lasted for a number of years - based on these images [at least] 12 years-! (I wonder if that's really true...)