Tuesday Tube: Bunker Hill in Downtown L.A. 1940s and Today

The New Yorker’s YouTube channel has a clever new video that lines up 1940s film footage on downtown L.A.’s Bunker Hill with contemporary video. It is a great peek into the heyday of L.A. transit, and, frankly, the anti-urban results of late 20th Century “urban renewal.”

7th Street then and now - part of the xxx
7th Street then and now – part of A Fare to Remember up now at El Pueblo. Images via PERHS website.

If readers enjoy that video, plan to catch a similar series of still photo juxtapositions in the “A Fare to Remember” show at El Pueblo‘s new El Tranquillo Gallery at 634 N. Main Street in downtown L.A., located right next to La Golondrina Restaurant on Olvera Street. The free exhibition is open now through July 28. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Details at Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society.

  • Kenny Easwaran

    One thing I found amazing was how often the old footage was actually more smoggy and auto-dominated than the new footage! Certainly the buildings look more urban-friendly in the old footage, but the density and the street trees in the new footage often appear to make up for it.

  • BJToepper

    I once found a diary from a guy who lived in Long Beach during the 1950s. Many, many entries started with something like, “The smoke was real bad today.” That’s the smog that eventually led to California’s emission control laws, which made L.A. (mostly) livable again.

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

This Week in Livable Streets

By Joe Linton |
Metro Bike Share kicks off this Thursday! Plus High-Speed Rail, train memorabilia, bicycling in Watts and Monrovia. Tuesday 7/5 – tonight! The East Side Riders Bike Club host their Taco Tuesday Fundraiser every Tuesday at the ESR CoOp at 11321 S Central Avenue in Watts. This includes from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight. Details at Facebook event. […]

This Week In Livable Streets

By Joe Linton |
With Metro and the L.A. City Council in recess, it is a bit of a midsummer lull, but nonetheless there are still a few livable streets events going on. Give your input at two city planning meetings along the Metro Orange Line. Dialogue on housing affordability. Bike the annual Tour de Laemmle. Get a glimpse of […]

Today’s Headlines

By Damien Newton |
Carlsbad Video Promotes Livable Streets (YouTube, Above) AEG Calls Farmers Field “Largest Urban Tailgate” (Blog Downtown) Measure R+ Bill Moves Through Assembly Committees (The Source) New Bike Lanes on Vermont in South L.A. (BIKAS) Arrests Made in Case of Cyclists Beaten at Mel’s Drive In (Biking In L.A.) Simi Valley Businesses Beat Back Bike Improvements (Curbed) Don’t […]

This Week In Livable Streets

By Joe Linton |
This week there are meetings about Vision Zero and the L.A. River bike path. Rides include Clitoral Mass, downtown L.A., and Griffith Park. Those and more in this week’s calendar. Monday 8/1 – Bike-share improvements: Metro Bike Share is open to walk-up customers, with a $1.75 introductory rate available through October 1. New Breeze bike-share rates in effect. Monday […]