Title supplied by cataloger.; In episode #10001 of "California's Gold," Huell Howser visits the Los Angeles Public Library to see this collection of Ansel Adams photographs. Around 1939, Ansel Adams was commissioned by Fortune magazine to photograph a series of images for an article covering the aviation history of the Los Angeles area. For the project, Adams took 217 photographs showing everyday life, businesses, street scenes, aerospace employees, and a variety of other subjects, but when the article, "City of Angels," appeared in the March 1941 issue, only a few of the images were included. In the early 1960s, approximately 20 years later, Adams rediscovered all of the photographs among papers at his home in Carmel, and sent a letter of inquiry to the Los Angeles Public Library, asking if the institution would be interested in receiving the collection as a donation. In his letter, Adams expressed that, "the weather was bad over a rather long period and none of the pictures were very good" and "if they have no value whatsoever, please dispose of them in the incenerator [sic]." He went on to write that "I would imagine that they represent about $100.00 minimum value." In response, the Los Angeles Public Library gladly accepted the gift of 135 contact prints and 217 negatives, and the staff concluded that a fair value for the collection would be $150.00. A plea for peace entitled "Civilized Voices" by Anne Morrow Lindbergh is posted on a wooden billboard at Sunset and Vermont near Barnsdall Park in East Hollywood. It reads, "I speak for a patient, persistant [sic], intelligent, long range attitude toward peace. Not a peace maimed and in rags...not a peace built on bitter humiliation on one side and bitter arrogance on the other; but on a mutual desire for welfare. A bigger peace than ever been offered before, one which can bend with the need of men. For a peace that does not take into consideration change, and progress, will surely never last. There were things done under Nazi Germany which when they happened were like a blow in the face...but...public violence and national aggression are not new either...every great nation and every empire has forced its way up by these methods...The British Empire was built by the use of force. One has only to read the history of India, Africa, and Canada...our own country was built by use of force and aggression...and how else did we acquire from Mexico the west country of the Southwest." A bell indicating that the street is located on the route of the El Camino Real is seen in front of the billboard and the Griffith Observatory can be seen in the background.
Type
image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;26 x 21 cm. Photographic prints
Griffith Observatory Billboards--California--Los Angeles Streets--California--East Hollywood (Los Angeles) Observatories--California--Los Angeles Peace Barnsdall Park (Los Angeles, Calif.) East Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.) El Camino Real (Calif.) Ansel Adams Fortune Magazine Collection photographs Lindbergh, Anne Morrow,1906-2001
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.
