Etan Does LA - Page 11 of 13 - Exploring Los Angeles history, one landmark at a time

#43: Mission San Gabriel Arcángel (San Gabriel)

#43: Mission San Gabriel Arcángel (San Gabriel)

November 20, 2021

Mission San Gabriel Arcángel is the grandaddy of LA historic sites. Legend has it that the 44 “pobladores” set out from here the day they founded Los Angeles in 1781. For three years, it was closed to visitors due to the pandemic and a devastating arson. On July 1, 2023, the Mission finally reopened, with a reimagined museum that tells the Mission's complex story of deracination and development.

#42: Burbank City Hall

#42: Burbank City Hall

November 19, 2021

One of the few reasons to go to downtown Burbank: a streamline moderne masterwork of civic architecture Me @ Burbank CIty HallNRHP plaqueFountain detailBas relief sculpture @ Burbank City[…]

#41: Downtown Burbank Post Office

#41: Downtown Burbank Post Office

November 16, 2021

A WPA-era post office building that turns dropping off a package into a trip into California's mission past That's a genuine grin. I love this post office.NRHP plaque @[…]

#40: Little Tokyo Historic District (Downtown)

#40: Little Tokyo Historic District (Downtown)

November 15, 2021

Once the center of social and commercial life for LA’s huge Japanese community before the internment camps of WWII, Little Tokyo is now a business hub and tourist destination grappling with its difficult history.

#39: Million Dollar Theater (Downtown)

#39: Million Dollar Theater (Downtown)

November 14, 2021

Sid Grauman's original movie palace, opened downtown in 1918 – years before Grauman's Chinese, El Capitan and the Egyptian moved the movie industry's commercial epicenter to Hollywood Million Dollar Theater,[…]

#38: Angels Flight Railway (Downtown)

#38: Angels Flight Railway (Downtown)

November 13, 2021

The shortest railway in the world, carrying folks 298 feet up and down a downtown LA hill in the same cars since 1901 Added to the National Register of[…]

#37: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Storer House (Hollywood Hills)

#37: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Storer House (Hollywood Hills)

November 12, 2021

One of the master architect's four textile-block homes in LA, restored (re-Storered?) to its original glory.

#34-36: West LA Veterans Historic District

#34-36: West LA Veterans Historic District

November 11, 2021

Massive VA complex helping disabled and homeless military veterans since the late 19th century, including historic chapel & streetcar depot In honor of Veterans Day, my family visited the[…]

#33: Colonial House (Hollywood)

#33: Colonial House (Hollywood)

November 9, 2021

West Hollywood apartment tower with a storied actor clientele, by architect-to-the-stars Leland Bryant https://youtu.be/DkHcn7vTfe8 Added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 15, 1982 Got $5500 a month[…]

#30-32: Zwebell Courtyard Apartments (Hollywood)

#30-32: Zwebell Courtyard Apartments (Hollywood)

November 8, 2021

A trio of fanciful, Spanish-influenced courtyard apartments designed in the '20s by the untrained husband-and-wife duo Arthur & Nina Zwebell Celebrating my return to the office for the first[…]

#29: Andrew McNally House (Altadena)

#29: Andrew McNally House (Altadena)

November 7, 2021

Famous mapmaker combines Victorian England and Ottoman Turkey to Millionaire's Row in Altadena Andrew McNally House entranceMe, my mom and the NRHP plaque at the Zane Grey EstateA moment[…]

#28: Zane Grey Estate (Altadena)

#28: Zane Grey Estate (Altadena)

November 5, 2021

The Zane Grey Estate is an inspired Mediterranean Revival home once occupied by the author of the classic western Riders of the Purple Sage

#27: Christmas Tree Lane (Altadena)

#27: Christmas Tree Lane (Altadena)

November 4, 2021

A 100+ year holiday tradition that began with a handful of deodar cedar seeds from Altadena's founding family, the Woodburys Added to the National Register of Historic Places on September[…]

#26: Case Study House 20B (Buff, Straub & Hensman – Altadena)

#26: Case Study House 20B (Buff, Straub & Hensman – Altadena)

November 3, 2021

Buff, Straub & Hensman's post & beam home for one of Hollywood's all-time great graphic designers

#24 & #25: Walter D. Valentine Cottage B & Keyes Bungalow (Altadena)

#24 & #25: Walter D. Valentine Cottage B & Keyes Bungalow (Altadena)

November 2, 2021

A luxe cabin by 1/2 of Greene & Greene and a pristine craftsman "airplane" bungalow, both in Altadena Altadena is chock full of great, and occasionally important, residential architecture.[…]