Title supplied by cataloger; This collection is comprised of approximately 1,000 slides capturing buildings along Wilshire Boulevard. The slides were taken during Tuesday afternoon walks in 1978-1979 by Marlene Laskey and her 15-year old daughter Annie, who was the primary photographer. Marlene (1933-1989) was a Michigan native who moved to Los Angeles in the 1950s and became a Los Angeles historian and architecture enthusiast. At the time of her death from cancer, Marlene was working on a Master of Urban Planning degree at UCLA, and was an interviewer for UCLA's Oral History program. This photograph was taken in 1987 as part of a follow-up project. 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. Looking south across 5th Street towards Central Library from the Library Tower construction site. Visible buildings surrounding the library include, left to right, Crocker Bank Tower, Church of the Open Door, the Aon Center, the California Club and Pacific Financial Center.
Type
image
Format
1 slide :color ;5 x 5 cm. Photographic color slides
Central Library (Los Angeles, Calif.) U.S. Bank Tower (Los Angeles, Calif.) Crocker Bank Tower (Los Angeles, Calif.) Aon Center (Los Angeles, Calif.) Pacific Financial Center (Los Angeles, Calif.) California Club (Los Angeles, Calif.) Church of the Open Door (Los Angeles, Calif.) Los Angeles Public Library Libraries--California--Los Angeles Building sites--California--Los Angeles Construction workers--California--Los Angeles Construction equipment--California--Los Angeles Bank buildings--California--Los Angeles Office buildings--California--Los Angeles Skyscrapers--California--Los Angeles Streets--California--Los Angeles Central business districts--California--Los Angeles Church buildings--California--Los Angeles Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments Lost architecture--California--Los Angeles Fifth Street (Los Angeles, Calif.) Downtown Los Angeles (Los Angeles, Calif.) Los Angeles Photographers Collection photographs Marlene Laskey/Wilshire Boulevard Collection photographs Slides Goodhue, Bertram Grosvenor,1869-1924 Winslow, Carlton M Pereira, William L.,1909-1985 William L. Pereira and Associates
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