Downtown History in Spoon Form

By Dave Bullock
Published: Saturday, May 26, 2007, at 09:42PM

Dave Bullock [Flickr]

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — I have been collecting old, public domain books about Downtown Los Angeles for several years now. In the next few months I will be slowly scanning, OCRing and uploading their contents. I will supplement these uploads with modern day photographs of the buildings or the parking lots they have been reduced to.

One of my more interesting recent purchases was not a book, but a spoon. This sterling silver spoon made by Watson Company depicts Downtown circa 1910. Several street cars can be seen along with a wide assortment of buildings. I would guess that the street is Main street, but I am not quite certain.

So I pose three questions to you all:

What street is shown on the spoon?
What major buildings can you recognize?
From what vantage point was this "picture" taken?

Click on the photo to view it larger.

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Comments

dj ernie pearl writes:

Hmmmm.... kinda hard to tell. I do see The tallest building which was The Continental Building on the right. I do see old city hall on the left. I even see Angel's Flight. So from the angle of Angel's Flight I think We're on Los Angeles St looking west to Bunker Hill or on Bunker Hill looking down to downtown?

# on May.27.2007 AT 01:23 AM

Tim Quinn writes:

I am pretty sure the tower with the pyramidal top on the left is the old city hall on Broadway. I would also guess that the tallest building, right of center, is the Bralley, now the Continental, at Fourth and Spring. It was the tallest building downtown for a long time. I have a little pewter vase, an old tourist memento, that features it.

I bet Brent Dickerson could identify the whole thing.

Welcome to BlogDowntown Dave, and congratulations.

# on May.27.2007 AT 01:23 AM

Scott writes:

The view is from the highest point on Bunker Hill looking east down 3rd street. The Bradbury Building (note the skylight) is center-left. Bottom left may be the old exchange building at Hill & 3rd. That's definitely the old City Hall at right on Broadway, midblock between 1st and 2nd, besides the top the tall narrow windows are a giveaway.

# on May.27.2007 AT 09:25 AM

shannon writes:

agreed with scott's assessment...except i think he meant city hall to be to the LEFT. nice find.

# on May.27.2007 AT 09:43 AM

Scott writes:

Whoops, yes left!

# on May.27.2007 AT 02:05 PM