Historic Core Walking Tour

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — This morning I took the LA Conservancy’s Historic Core walking tour. I’d previously taken the Historic Broadway Theatre tour with my mom, but then had been very remiss in taking advantage of any of the others. So yesterday I called up the Conservancy, signed up, and this morning showed up at the Biltmore at 10am. As I’m sure all of their tours are, the Historic Core tour was very informative.

Starting from the Biltmore we walked across to Pershing Square, then down across 6th to just look at the Oviat and the… the other building that’s on that corner of 6th and Olive… Oh well, I don’t have the little handout with me right now.

We walked in to the lobby of the Pacific Mutual Building, which is where the Conservancy has their offices. Up the block we talked about the Hilton Checkers building (originally the Mayflower Hotel) and then the Central Library. We walked into the lobby of the old Edison building on the corner of 5th and Grand. I had been in that lobby before, but it’s always amazing to see.

Next we headed east and talked about some of the buildings on the Subway Terminal Building block. Next the docent talked about Angel’s Flight and Grand Central Market. We took a few minutes here for people to get food if they wanted, look around the market, etc. A few more minutes talking about the Million Dollar Theatre (from the outside) and then we took a look at the murals on the Victor Clothing Co. building. Finally we went through the Bradbury (always incredible) and came out in Biddy Mason park. That’s where the tour officially ended.

I want to start hitting more of these. Then I think eventually I should really go through the training to lead the tours. I do my unofficial walking tour of Downtown often enough that I think I would do a pretty good job.