It's always been an "Arts District"
Ed Fuentes
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — In September of 2005 Puelte Homes broke ground on Mura, a 190-unit development in the Arts District. Construction did away with a parking lot on the site, but the lot's history goes much farther back. It was the discovery that this site used to house a printing company that led me to start saying that this has been the Arts District for over one hundred years.
The Los Angeles Lithographic Company and the Western Lithographing Company announced on January 19, 1902 that the two companies would merge and become Western Lithograph Co., their combined operations settling at 2nd and Rose. The firm expanded from that corner to 600 to 610 E 2nd Street on July 16, 1911 to become, as the LA Times wrote, "One of the largest and most complete buildings devoted exclusively to printing, lithographing and bookbinding in the West."
In December of 1920 Western Lithograph, sometimes known as Western Litho, opened a 103,000 sg ft. three-story loft building described as "the biggest printing plant this side of Chicago." The site added storage and off street parking to it's offices, printing facility and a staffed commercial art department.
In the decades following 1902, Western Litho crafted financial bank notes, magazines, books, art prints, film posters, stationary and product labels. Many of the finished pieces reflect California's cultural and industrial growth and can be seen as artifacts in museum collections around the West. For many, Western Lithograph is one of the major suppliers of a romantic myth with it's citrus labels sending illustrated images of California on wooden crates to the rest of the U.S.
By World War II, the whole block at Hewitt, 2nd, Rose and Stephenson (now Traction) was "on the edge" of Little Tokyo. The printing industry continued to shift and in 1953, Western Litho was purchased by Minnesota based advertising and calendar specialists, Brown & Bigelow.
Photographer Tom Kelley, Sr., was called by a Western Litho salesman to purchase any "extra shots" to use in one of the many calendars they produced. Kelley had something in his archive that he had taken a year earlier, a favor done for an aspiring actress. He sent over a 8X10 transparency of a young Marilyn Monroe, nude, on a red velvet back drop.
Like many industries located in what was then called the warehouse district, the company later relocated to larger facilities leaving behind empty spaces that started to see life in the 60s with "art happenings." A few years later artists began to settle in the area.
This all came to mind when I found this lithographed ad for Western Lithography Company in a 1909 Los Angeles City Directory last weekend. I trust you can picture the Marilyn Monroe photo on your own.
Photos: EF
Los Angeles Lawyer on August 15, 2007, at 07:50PM – #1
As a long time Los Angeles Lawyer I have seen the transformation of the downtown area. I hope the changes will keep in mind the arts roots and not become another Orange County.
Bert Green on August 15, 2007, at 08:43PM – #2
As long as the lawyers behave, that should be possible :)
John Crandell on August 15, 2007, at 10:02PM – #3
In the very late 1880s, a distinctive arts district emerged roughly centering on Second and Broadway. This lasted till not long after the turn of the century. Many artists then decamped for the wilds of the Arroyo Seco. Gutzon Borghlum and Guy Rose proceeded to France and became members of the Rodin and Monet ateliers and became famous following their returns to California. However, before he left for Europe, Borghlum had had a loft on the west side of Broadway, just north of Second.
Bert Green on August 15, 2007, at 10:24PM – #4
John, that's very cool. Are there any books on this subject? The book "Bohemian Los Angeles" covers the period from 1920 onwards, but not before.
John Crandell on August 16, 2007, at 12:31AM – #5
Back in the '50s, a writer name of Henry Splitter delved into microfilms of the city's early newspapers (primary source material) and wrote a series of articles for the 'Southern California Quarterly' published by the Historical Society of Southern California. He even caught an editor of the Times in a 1902 hype of the area adjacent to the top of the newly opened L.A. Incline Railway (Angel's Flight) purportedly as becoming the newest arts district (nevah happened). An artist had recently established his studio thereabouts, so the editor thought he was on to something. The boom of '04 to '06 likely drove the artists out of the central business district. Numerous dealers had set up shop as well; paintings by famous European artists were sold and exhibited in galleries at the Yosemite Block, the Bryson-Bonebrake Block, the California Bank Block and other buildings. Splitter's articles were published in the March, June and September editions of SCQ, 1959. They can be found in the history department's reference section, bottom floor of the central library. - close to the department desk.
Bert Green on August 16, 2007, at 01:00AM – #6
That's great, thanks. I'll check it out.