Kerr Building

The Kerr Building stands at the southwest corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Westgate Avenue, at 11850 Wilshire Boulevard.  It was built in the late 1950s, and here is an image of it taken May 4, 1958.  At some point in the 80s or 90s, someone decided to cover up the beautiful mid-century modern facade with some ugly glass wall.  It looks like the building is a Neutra-style structure, but I couldn't find anything else about it online.  The airy exterior courtyard remains, as do the staircases. 

Barrington Avenue, at Ohio Avenue

Here are three shots taken from a few yards north of Ohio Avenue, looking north along Barrington Avenue.  The first photo dates from April 14, 1934, before Barrington was paved.  The second photo is from the late 1930s after paving.  Some interesting details are visible: note that at some point between the first and second photos, the city figured out that there was too long a span on the telephone lines that run along the left side of the street.  The city added the fourth pole north of the lateral alley entrance (it shows up in the second photo as a darker-colored pole).  The only building definitively visible in the second and current photos is the small house at the right side of the frame.  The barracks-looking A-frame building on the hill at the left is still on that hill (part of University High) but is obscured by the stand of eucalyptus trees, which are also present in all three photos.  I wish the street wasn't always so full of cars on the sides so we could clearly see the sidewalks.

The Royal Theatre (formerly Tivoli Theatre)

The Royal Theatre located at 11523 Santa Monica Blvd., at Colby, used to be called the Tivoli Theatre.  The building includes a mixture of Federal and Colonial-style details.  You can see that the brickwork remains largely intact (no easy feat given local seismic events).  Note the thin horizontal layer of darker bricks between the first and second stories in both photos.  Unfortunately, today's awnings cover up the clerestory windows above the first floor storefronts.  Even though the marquee structure is entirely different, the building is readily recognizable.  Interiors have been updated periodically, but the theatre is basically the same as originally constructed.

Anawalt Lumber Co.

This is one of my favorite comparison sets.  The top shot is of Anawalt Lumber Co. in 1934.  Anawalt was and remains at the southeast corner of Sepulveda Boulevard and Pico Boulevard.  These shots were taken from the northeast corner looking south towards Anawalt.  Anawalt opened in this location on an unpaved intersection in the middle of lima bean fields in 1923.  The great bungalow style register building was demolished - wish I could figure out when.  Note the street light junction in the same location, as well as the remnant of the municipal electricity panel about 30 yards to the east of the lamp.  Anawalt is my local hardware store so I went yesterday to buy some stuff and look and ask around.  No trace of any of these structures remains today.

Lindbrook Avenue at Westwood Boulevard

This is the historic building that still stands today at the northeast corner of Lindbrook Avenue and Westwood Boulevard.  These photos were taken from the southwest corner of that intersection.  This building was built as a Ralphs supermarket in 1929 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  It is now a Peet's Coffee.  The eastern portion was converted into the United Artists Westwood Theatre in 1970 (now the Mann Festival).  The building is a great way to orient oneself when looking at old street images of Westwood since its unique profile is so noticeable.  At some point, the pretty shaded colonnade was glassed in and incorporated into the various businesses.  Note the street lamp junctions at the corner and the one to the right are still in use today.

Westwood Boulevard at Le Conte Avenue

This is a fascinating set of shots.  They are taken from the northeast corner of this intersection, looking at the southeast corner.  The first photo is from the mid-to-late-1920s (judging by the cars), when Westwood and the UCLA campus were first being built.  None of the buildings have been completed yet and constructon equipment can be seen along Le Conte in the foreground.  Note how the Fox Theatre spire is not yet visible, which means the first photo is for sure prior to August 1931 when the theatre opened.  The second photo is from the early 1930s (the Fox spire is visible), and the business are all open.  Look how the palm trees in the median have grown, and how the landscaping in the foreground is coming along.  From the contemporary image you can see how the street light junction in the foreground is still in use today with a modern lamp.  Finally, note how the decorative shutters have been removed on the corner building.

Kinross Avenue and Westwood Boulevard

This is the intersection of Kinross Avenue and Westwood Boulevard, looking northwards on Westwood.  The vintage picture is from the early 1950s.  The spire of the former Westwood Drug building (now Village Dentists) is visible in both shots.  Trees presently obscure the other edifices along Westwood.  Note the palm trees in the media north of Kinross.  Today, the Kirk Drug building is an Urban Outfitters that also occupies the site of the shop called "Betty Wales" in the vintage image.

Wellworth Avenue and Westwood Boulevard

I wish I had a higher-resolution version of this great vintage image.  Unfortunately, it's taken from a postcard I found.  The building stands at the southwest corner of Wellworth Avenue and Westwood Boulevard.  The pictures were taken from the northeast corner of the same intersection.  As you can see, as far back as the 50s this building was marred by the billboard structure that still sits atop it.  Note how at some point the basement level was remodeled into a parking entrance accessible from Wellworth.  The building's ground floor was also subdivided into two businesses at some point - today they are a small restaurant called Danube and a Papa John's pizza storefront.  Finally, the original plate-glass windows in front were all replaced at some point (perhaps after an earthquake) with the less-appealing versions that are present today.  

Westwood Boulevard and Weyburn Avenue

These images were taken from the southeast corner of Westwood Boulevard and Weyburn Avenue, looking directly at the northwest corner of the same intersection.  The vintage image is from the 1940s.  I did not frame my image exactly the same as the older image because the entire left side of the former Westwood Drug building is obscured by trees.  The former drugstore has been subdivided into a dentist office and a variety of subdivided small businesses along Weyburn.  Note the identical window and chimney positions on the north side of the building.  Note also how at some point the decorative exterior shutters and the metal weathervane at the peak were removed.  The 40s street lamp junction was replaced at some point with the traffic signal that stands in the same spot today.  Finally, the mature palm tree there today looks strikingly similar to the young one from the 40s - can't tell for sure but the tree looked very old when viewed up close.

The Intersection of Kinross Avenue, Broxton Avenue and Westwood Boulevard

These images are taken on Kinross Avenue looking northwards at the "Y" fork formed by Broxton Avenue (upwards to the left) and by Westwood Boulevard (upwards to the right).  The vintage image is listed as being from 1932.  The fountain in front of the bank is no longer there.  The Fox Theatre spire and the Westwood Drug spire are clearly visible in the distance.  Not sure if the palm trees in the median on the right side are the same, but it seems unlikely.  The drugstore on the left side of the image is now a Verizon Wireless store. 

Westwood Boulevard and Wilshire Boulevard

The intersection of Westwood Boulevard and Wilshire Boulevard seems to be historically one of the most photographed intersections of the Westwood area.  This striking color image from the 1940s was taken just south of the intersection, facing north towards the commercial district and the UCLA campus.  Note that the street lights are still located in the same places as they always were (though the hardware has been updated).  Note also how the Armand Hammer Museum obscures the previously unobstructed view of the famous Ralphs Building (now a Peet's Coffee and a Mann movie theater).  In the 40s, the spot on which the Hammer now stands was a small park fronting Wilshire Boulevard.  Finally, on the left side of the frame, you can see the lumber that was stacked to build the apartment building that was on the southwest corner of this intersection until it was torn down in 1980 to build the Murdock Plaza building that stands there today.

Jimmy Stewart Goes to War

These photographs were taken just east of the intersection of Westwood Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard, looking westbound on Santa Monica.  The older image is of the small crowd gathering to see the actor Jimmy Stewart taking the Los Angeles railcar east towards downtown in 1941.  A corner of the Pontiac dealership on the southwest corner of Westwood and Santa Monica can just be seen - on that spot today is a Cost Plus World Market store.  The northwest corner of the intersection was, and remains, a gas station.