Michael Patris Collection

Michael Patris Collection

C. C. Pierce & Co. Photographers, Los Angeles, Cal., USA, negative # 2863. Written on the back, "Fourth Street from Main, looking west, about 1887. The Farmers and Merchants Bank now occupies the lower left corner. Across the street where the tree is where the Van Nuys Hotel was built." While there are no trolley tracks or cars in this image, it is rare we get to see what Los Angeles looked like before any major development took place.

Michael Patris Collection

Michael Patris Collection

F. H. Maude Photo #150 depicting City Hall, Los Angeles, Cal. is written on the front of the image, but the back is stamped C. C. Pierce & Co., Photographers, 313 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles, Cal. Written in pencil reads, "The City Hall on Broadway between 2nd and 3rd Streets. These were the days of the horse and buggy and cable cars, built 1888-9." Closer inspection confirms there is no overhead wire, so the cable car statement is correct.

Michael Patris Collection

Michael Patris Collection

C. C. Pierce, Photographer, 1572 West Pico Street, Los Angeles, Calif., Phone EX 3132. Written on the back is Negative # 7361, Dated 1912, "The S-E corner of Grand and 7th after the Main Post Office moved across the street." While there is nothing on the double tracks, it is obvious this is a trolley route and while it is difficult to detect in the photo, there is overhead trolley wire. To the left of the corner, beginning at the far left, is the Crystal Cafe and then Candy Laundry at the address 532. At 532-1/2 is the White House Photo Company, specializing in Kodak Finishing, enlarging and developing of roll film. At address 534 is the Busy Bee Lunch Room and also a window sign store. To the right of the corner is Japanese Abba Employment Office, an unnamed fine tailor shop (for ladies and gentlemen), two barber shops (one with a barber pole), the other named Dupee's Barber Shop, and a real estate office.

Michael Patris Collection

Michael Patris Collection

A panoramic image capturing the corner of 5th and Spring Streets captured by C. C. Pierce & Co., Los Angeles.

Caption on the back reads:

Corner of 5th and Spring Streets, April 1910. All Day and Night Bank [sic - it is "Night and Day Bank" based on the window lettering and signage]. President Skinner faced a run on the bank. Negative #5768.

By the looks of the crowd at the corner, it is apparent this photo is actually capturing all the depositors trying to get into the bank to get their money out. It also has apparently stopped traffic; in both directions the double street car track is blocked by pedestrians. The two store fronts to the left of the bank are occupied by Howe Brothers and the next store front is "Pierce Kodaks." Further left is Frese Optical Company, 546 South Spring Street, R. D. Bronson Desk Company (top two floors) 542 South Spring Street, and further down the block to the left are ads for the Library Bureau, the Lissner Building, Ralphs Grocery Company, and Security Savings Bank in the Security Building. To the right of the bank is another store front with "Pierce & Co. Kodaks" and 127, possibly the street number.

Michael Patris Collection