Skip to main content

Image / LAPL Central Library construction, north elevation

Have a question about this item?

Item information. View source record on contributor's website.

Title
LAPL Central Library construction, north elevation
Alternative Title
Los Angeles Public Library Institutional Photo Collection
Date Created and/or Issued
1925
Contributing Institution
Los Angeles Public Library
Collection
Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection
Rights Information
Images available for reproduction and use. Please see the Ordering & Use page at http://tessa.lapl.org/OrderingUse.html for additional information.
Description
Title supplied by cataloger.
Central Library, located at 630 W. 5th Street in downtown Los Angeles, was designed by architects Bertram G. Goodhue and Carlton M. Winslow. Constructed between 1922-1926, it was designed to mimic the architecture of ancient Egypt, complete with a tiled mosaic pyramid tower and many beautiful murals throughout. Tragic fires in 1986 destroyed part of the building along with 20 percent of the library's collection, prompting a closure for 6 years while restoration took place. The renovation was completed in 1993, and the library reopened on October 3, 1993. The Los Angeles Public Library is the third largest public library in the United States in terms of books and periodical holdings, boasting over 6 million volumes. It was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1970 - Building #70000136.
Photograph shows the construction of the Los Angeles Public Library, located at 630 W. Fifth Street; view is of the north side of the building. The structure is well under way and beginning to take shape as construction workers use thousands of pieces of plywood to make the frame. It appears the construction method being used is Balloon Framing, which was a method of wood construction used primarily in the United States up until the mid-1950s. This technique utilized long continuous framing studs that ran from the sill plate to eave line with intermediate floor structures nailed to them; wall sheathing, usually a plywood, was applied to the framing thus eliminating the need for scaffolds. A makeshift ladder "leans" along the side of the wooden frame. A row of cars can be seen parked along 5th Street in the foreground. Photograph dated: February 26, 1925.
Type
image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;14 x 24 cm. on sheet 21 x 26 cm.
Photographic prints
Identifier
00084917
Los Angeles Public Library Institutional Collection;
LAPL_IPC_b003_f5; A-002-719 4x5
CARL0004766996
http://173.196.26.125/cdm/ref/collection/photos/id/113050
Subject
Central Library (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Los Angeles Public Library
Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments
Building construction--California--Los Angeles
Wooden-frame buildings--California--Los Angeles
Library buildings--California--Los Angeles
Balloon framing--California--Los Angeles
Building sites--California--Los Angeles
Automobiles--California--Los Angeles
Libraries--California--Los Angeles
Winslow, Carleton M.,1919-
Goodhue, Bertram Grosvenor,1869-1924
Downtown Los Angeles (Los Angeles, Calif.)

About the collections in Calisphere

Learn more about the collections in Calisphere. View our statement on digital primary resources.

Copyright, permissions, and use

If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.

Share your story

Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.

Explore related content on Calisphere: