Downtown History in Spoon Form

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

Dave Bullock

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.

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

Dave Bullock writes:

Hmm now the interesting part... how to get a photo from that vantage point!

# on May.31.2007 AT 12:16 PM