Doheny Memorial Library, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189 Public Domain. Release under the CC BY Attribution license--http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/--Credit both “University of Southern California. Libraries” and “California Historical Society” as the source. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library; From the California Historical Society Collection at the University of Southern California Send requests to address or e-mail given USC Libraries Special Collections specol@usc.edu
Description
Photograph of an exterior view of the lit Pico Building on Main Street at dusk or dawn, showing streetcar tracks, ca.1938. A multi-story commercial building, constructed in the Second Empire style of architecture, lines a paved street streetcar tracks run through the center of the street. The shops' interiors are lit, as is the streetlamp on the paved sidewalk, though the sky is not dark, indicating that the image was made at either dusk or dawn. The Farmers and Merchants National Bank is at center, with the Grand Central Hotel to its left and the Bella Union to its right. A man stands on the sidewalk in the left centerground. This building, shown as 318-322 Main Street, was once 44 Main street, known as Pico's Building. Regarding the building, F.B. Putnam, assistant cashier at the Farmers and Merchants National Bank, is quoted as saying "I am almost certain that it was erected between June 1 and Sept. 1, 1868 and on the latter date Hellman, Temple & Co. opened its banking business here. It was succeeded by Hellman & Co. on Feb. 1, 1871, and then by the Farmers & Merchants Bank of L.A. on April 10, 1871. From 1874 to 1876 it was occupied by the Los Angeles County Bank". Legible signs, from left to right, include: "Café 324", "C.T. Sun Co. Herbs. Yerbas Chinas", "Arizona Café", "Pearlson Loan & Jewelry Co. Money to Loan. [?] Jewelry. Physical Instruments. Established Over 30 Years", "Azteca Restaurant. Restaurant Para Fam[?]".
Type
image
Format
2 photographs : photonegatives, b&w 21 x 26 cm. negatives (photographic) photographs
Arizona Cafe Azteca Restaurant C.T. Sun Company Herbs Cafe 324 Pearlson Loan & Jewelry Company Pico Building Los Angeles--Streets--Main Street--Temple to 4th Streets Restaurants, lunch rooms, etc Banks and banking Commercial sites Roadways
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