Sunday, May 3, 2009

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.