The massive 500-room Ambassador Hotel, designed by renowned architect Myron Hunt, opened for business in 1921 on the site of a former dairy farm. It occupied 23.7 acres at 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, bordered by 8th Street, Catalina Street, and nearly to Mariposa Avenue. The hotel served as the stomping grounds for a staggering list of Hollywood legends, heads of state, and an endless list of famous personalities from the 20th Century. It is said that as many as seven U.S. Presidents stayed at the Ambassador, from Hoover to Nixon, along with heads of state from around the world. A pivotal moment in world history happened in 1968, when Robert F. Kennedy was shot in a pantry off of the Embassy Room (and died 25 hours later), following his California Primary victory speech. The death of RFK coincided with the beginning of the hotel's demise. The Schine family had owned the Ambassador for about 50 years, until its doors were closed on January 3, 1989 after 68 years of service, selling for 4 million. The landmark hotel was eventually demolished between late 2005 and early 2006. This was the Winter Wonderland setting in the Ambassador Hotel's Cocoanut Grove on December 12, 1952, as the Juniors of the Social Service Auxiliary presented their 17th annual Candlelight Ball. The grove's famous palm trees were festooned with white ribbons, make-believe snow and icicles, and glistening sequins. The climax of the evening came when 6000 white balloons cascaded from the ceiling.
Cocoanut Grove (Los Angeles, Calif.) Ambassador Hotel Social Service Auxiliary (Los Angeles, Calif.) Hotels--California--Los Angeles Nightclubs--California--Los Angeles Dance--California--Los Angeles Los Angeles Evening Herald Express photographs Herald-Examiner Collection photographs
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