Old West Adams and
Nearby Neighborhoods, 1880s to 1919

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Title: Main and 12th in 1868

Description: Childs' orange orchard in 1868 at the corner of Main and 12th Streets. Ozro W. Childs had been given some thirty city blocks between 6th and 12th and between Main and Figueroa for his services in digging a zanja to provide water to the vineyards and orchards in the southern part of town.

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Title: Figueroa south from 6th, 1885

Description: Photo caption: "View on Pearl Street, south from Bellevue Terrace, showing banana and palm plants, and cypress hedges." Pearl Street became Figueroa Street, and Bellevue Terrace 6th Street.

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Title: Figueroa and 84th Street, [n.d.]

Description: A farm at Figueroa and 84th Streets.

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Title: West Adams Boulevard (n.d.) Judging from the mature trees, this was probably several blocks east of Figueroa.

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Title: Horse & Buggy on West Adams Blvd. viewed from Figueroa St. (n.d.)

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Title: Unpaved West Adams Boulevard (n.d.)

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Title: West Adams Blvd. looking west (n.d.)

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Title: Unpaved West Adams Blvd. (n.d.)

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Title: Victorian House on West Adams (n.d.)

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Title: Victorian House on West Adams Blvd. (n.d.)

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Title: Palm Ave. north from Adams Blvd., 1886

Note: Palm Avenue is one block east of Figueroa. Today it runs into the Orthopaedic Hospital grounds.

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Title: Victorian Mansion at 113 W. Adams Blvd. (n.d.), between Main Street and Broadway.

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Title: Figueroa St. at 23rd Street, looking south, with zanja (1889)

Description: Zanja (Spanish for ditch). The original water supply channel for the southwest part of the city was built in 1868 and rebuilt in 1885 with concrete. The original water supply for Los Angeles was delivered in open trenches, the zanja, despite serious problems with public dumping into the trenches. In the 1880s and 1890s gradually piped water was introduced into more expensive neighborhoods, and the zanjas were used for irrigation only.

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Title: Figueroa between Pico & Washington with zanja (n.d.)

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Title: Figueroa near 23rd Street with zanja (c. 1890s)

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Title: Figueroa with zanja  (n.d.)

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Title: Figueroa's mansions with zanja (n.d.)

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Title: Figueroa St. with zanja  (c. 1890s)

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Title: Hay load at Pico just west of Figueroa (c. 1890)

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Title: Figueroa and West Adams, 1896

Description: An 1896 view of Figueroa Street at Adams Boulevard.

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Title: African American family residence in Vernon at 3016 Joy St., c. 1897

Note: The Furlong Tract in Vernon was one of the first areas in Los Angeles that would sell homes to African Americans. It was owned by James Furlong, mayor of Vernon. His brother, Thomas Furlong, the city treasurer of Vernon, was a long-time resident of West Adams, living at the corner of 27th Street and Van Buren Place from 1921 until his death in 1950. We have added a section on Vernon and the Furlong Tract to the page on African Americans under People.

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Title: Figueroa at Washington, with zanja (1900)

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Title: Palm Ave. looking north from Adams Blvd., 1900

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Title: A 1926 view of Palm Drive north from Adams Boulevard.

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Title: Palm Ave. looking north from Adams Blvd., 1904

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Title: Multifamily residence, ca. 1905.

Description: Exterior view of a multifamily residence at 1207-1209 So. Hoover Street. Designed by architect John C. Austin in Craftsman style, it was built circa 1905.

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Title: Parade onMain & 20^th, 1906

Description: People in costume and horses and wagons decorated with flowers for a parade circa 1906 are located on Main Street south of 20th Street.

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Title: Looking west on Venice Blvd. from Western Ave., 1907.

Description: Looking west on Venice Boulevard (then known as 16th Street) from Western Avenue.

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Title: Lake Street north from 12th Street, 1907.

Description: Tree-lined but unpaved Lake Street seen north from 12th Street.

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Title: Woman with children in living room of boarding house on 21^st St., c. 1910

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Title: Figueroa and Washington in 1914

Description: Electric car tracks and overhead wires are seen running down Figueroa Street at Washington Boulevard in 1914.

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Title: Figueroa and Washington Blvd. Bicyclist (n.d.)

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Title: Trees on Figueroa Street (n.d.)

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Title: Parade on Figueroa  (n.d.)

Description:  A parade of decorated horse conveyances on Figueroa Street possibly near 11th Street.

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Title: Figueroa St. residence (n.d.)

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Title: Figueroa Street house looking south (n.d.)

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Title: View of St. James Park looking down tree-lined double road (n.d.)

Description: Looking down the double road we can see it is lined in the middle and on both sides by trees in St. James Park.

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Title: View of St. James Park showing ornate lamppost by road winding through trees (n.d.)

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Title: Chester Place in winter, off W. Adams Blvd. (n.d.) [The title is from a postcard, evidently meant to lure people from the frozen East to Los Angeles.]

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Title: Chester Place entrance, north of W. Adams Blvd.  Entrance is at 23^rd near Figueroa.(n.d.)

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