Photo of our family business made into a postcard around 1942.
Lodi, Wisconsin
Los Angeles, California
Pershing Square, Los Angeles
Postcard courtesy of Western Publishing and Novelty Company.
In 1866 the area known today as Pershing Square was dedicated as a public square called La Plaza Abaja (the lower plaza) by Mayor Christobal Aguilar. A year later people started calling it St Vincent’s Park since it was across the street from St Vincent’s College (now Loyola Marymount University). The name changed again in 1870 to Los Angeles Park and in 1886 it was 6th Street Park when it was redesigned by Frederick Eaton. It became Central Park during the early 1890s and had a bandstand pavilion.
In 1900 a statue of a Spanish-American War veteran was dedicated. In 1910 the park was renovated again by John Parkinson and featured a fountain by sculptor Johan Caspar Lachne Gruenfeld. In 1918, a week after the end of World War I, the park was renamed once again to Pershing Square to honor General Pershing. I believe this is the iteration pictured above.
The park went through many other iterations over the years including being demolished in 1952 in order to build an underground car park. By 1984 when the Summer Olympics were in Los Angeles, it had become so neglected, the city spent $1 million for temporary renovations.
Once again, in 1992, the park closed for a $14.5 redesign and renovation by Ricardo Legorreta and Laurie Olin. It re-opened in 1994 with a bell tower, fountains, a walkway, and concert stage. This design remains today. In 2000, a monument was dedicated to a highly decorated local Korean War veteran by the name of Eugene Obregon.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles County General Hospital, 1950’s
The County Hospital, costing 13 million dollars, is one of the largest and best equipped in the world. There are 123 buildings on 56 acres of ground. An average 4 thousand patients are treated daily.
(This particular building was finished in 1933, and was converted to office space. A new $1 billion dollar building opened in 2008.)
Albuquerque, New Mexico
July, 1975
We arrived here yesterday noon by plane and our friends drove in about 5 pm after a pleasant trip down. They leave by plane this afternoon to return home. This is a beautiful area – nice weather. Wish you were here!!
Love
Albuquerque, New Mexico. “The Duke City”. Night falls over the largest City in the State. Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway, longest clear span in North America. Shops and restaurants in Albuquerque’s Old Town Plaza. Sandia Mountains seen from downtown Albuquerque. Sandia Crest reaches a height of 10,678 feet.
Interesting fact, the city was named for the Viceroy of New Spain (1706), Francisco V (5th) Fernandez de la Cueva Enruquez y Fernandez de la Cueva, the 10th Duke of Albuquerque and Marquess of Cuellar. That’s a long name. Apparently the city was in the northern part of “New Spain”. The United States claimed the territory in 1846.
Tampa Bay, Florida
In 1924, Gandy Bridge between St Petersburg and Tampa, was said to be the longest automobile bridge in the world at six miles across. In 1956 it was re-built and used until 1997.
In 2000, the longest bridge, Bang Na Expressway in Thailand, opened at 34 miles across.
The Hague, Holland
August, 1981
This is a picture of the Queen’s refurbished castle in the Hague (Paleis Huis ten Bosch). She and family are moving in today so flags are flying, there is music and dancing all over the city. A “tub race” is going on in the park near my apartment. I’m going to walk over and see what it is.
Love
Postcard Buzz 