How was California in the past? (Los Angeles, San Diego: house, wedding, construction)

[Charles]

Now:


Then:

That's Topanga Plaza under construction in the background on the top right. View is looking west over Victory in 1963. The street with the pepper trees running left and right about in the middle is Canoga. Now Warner Center is where all those fields are. The biggest building was May Company anchoring the north side with the Broadway (not built yet in this photo) anchoring the eastside. "Monkey" Wards was in the middle.

The railway which goes up from the bottom and and curves to the right is now the busway.





The 405 in the Sepulveda Pass 1962.


Now Less smog
Now I think it is more expensive for housing per earning dollar but not sure
Now traffic on the 101 in the west San Fernando Valley (to the Conejo Valley and the Oxnard Plain) flows east to west in the mornings and west to east in the afternoon. It used to be the opposite.
Then many more aerospace companies in the San Fernando Valley: Lockheed, Hughes, Teledyne. Rocketdyne and Litton (Northrop Grumman) are basically the last of the glory days.
There was no such thing as a snowboard.
Then Dodger Stadium was about $3 for top deck and the outfield pavilions.
Then Anyone could afford a hockey ticket.
Air Raid sirens were tested last Friday of the month at 10AM.
One area code 213
LAX was single deck


Reseda (Gilmore and Jumilla streets looking north) Late 1950s



Hollywood Bowl Late 1950s



Tampa and Victory looking northwest early 1960s


Sherman Way and Topanga looking North East 1953



Chatsworth Park South 1955




Hidden Hills 1953



"Hey dad, did you get our Dodger Dogs?" (Dodger Stadium 1962)



Wrigley Field in Los Angeles where the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League played 1926 to 1957. It was located at at 42nd Place and Avalon Boulevard, basically on the other side of the 10 freeway from the Coliseum. The Los Angeles Angels of the American League (completely different franchise from the LA Angels of the PCL who moved to Spokane in 1958) played their first season here in 1961 then moved to Chavez Ravine (the Angel organization didn't call it Dodger Stadium) in 1962 where they played until Anaheim Stadium was built in 1967. I think it was then that the Los Angeles Angels (AL) became the California Angels.



Night Game at Los Angeles Wrigley Field




Demolition of Wrigley Field. Downtown Los Angeles in the background behind left field.




Anaheim Stadium (The Big "A") under construction. It was later enclosed for the Rams and then re-opened in the outfield to its present configuration. Amongst the most spotlessly clean stadiums I have ever been to.





Gilmore Field in Los Angeles, Home of the Hollywood Stars. Gilmore Field sat between Gilmore Stadium (a football field) and the famous Pan-Pacific Auditorium, along Beverly Boulevard. Must have been tough for a pitcher like at this time of the day as he is almost looking into the sun and pitching into a shadow. Left field points east.




Here's a good shot of Farmers Market, Gilmore Stadium, and Gilmore Field. CBS Television City is about there now. That is 3rd and Fairfax in the immediate foreground.




Mt Baldy Ski Lifts maybe 1959. The woman in the lower center of the picture is my mom.



San Gabriel Mission late 50s early 60s

[Curmudgeon]

IU was born in San Diego in the 40s to a military family and spent an impressionable part of my youth in Newport Beach in the 50s. In a way, those times were magical. Traffic was almost an unknown. We children played outside, mostly on the beaches, from dawn to dusk and there was no fear. Every adult was a parent and they all watched out for all of us, and reported us to our parents if we did something wrong. Neighbors knew and socialized with neighbors and houses and cars remained unlocked.

Orange County was aptly named. With the exception of Santa Ana it was a collection of small towns and villages separated by massive orange groves and you drove on two-lane roads to get from place to place. The air was filled with the perfume of the blossoms and fruit. You could see Catalina Island from the Newport Pier on most days of the year. Immigrants were invisible -- either working as dishwashers in restaurants or as maids and cooks who disappeared in the evening for the most part. Gangs were things in Chicago and New York and blacks knew their place which wasn't where the rest of us were.

Of course, it was an era of discrimination, the Korean War, the cold war, bomb shelters, almost universal smoking, constant cocktail parties and other unhealthy pursuits. Families appeared to be like those on Leave it to Beaver, Father Knows Best and Ozzie and Harriet but likely there was abuse. It just never got reported. Appearances were everything. Television was wholesome, if a bit violent (westerns), and you could tell the good guys from the bad guys by the color of their hats.

Then came the 60s and by the middle of them the impact of the late-50 freeways, the Vietnam War and massive social and moral changes began to be felt. This was followed by the major declines to the defense industry in the 70s, base closures in the 80s, massive migration, much of it illegal, oil embargos and shortages, the era of greed (on-going), strict and unrelenting bipartisanship, political correctness, social engineering, "celebrating our diversity"resulting in a loss of state and national character and the Golden State has continued to tarnish unabated.

My wife and I, both of us natives and in our 60s, are leaving the state of our births and youth forever by early Fall.

[Mvn2nc]

Then came the 60s and by the middle of them the impact of the late-50 freeways, the Vietnam War and massive social and moral changes began to be felt. This was followed by the major declines to the defense industry in the 70s, base closures in the 80s, massive migration, much of it illegal, oil embargos and shortages, the era of greed (on-going), strict and unrelenting bipartisanship, political correctness, social engineering, "celebrating our diversity"resulting in a loss of state and national character and the Golden State has continued to tarnish unabated.

My wife and I, both of us natives and in our 60s, are leaving the state of our births and youth forever by early Fall.




You have got it!You are so dead on. Its sad, i was born and raised in Calif. and left almost three years ago now. I miss my family, friends the beauty of it but not at all the part that had changed and continues to change and it is not for the good.

[cleosmom]

I was born in the mid 1960's and grew up in Fresno, central California.

Back then we knew our neighbors, up and down the entire block. Not only did we know them, we spent enough time with them that we knew they layout of their homes, along with who had pools and didn't, priceless information when you're a kid

We didn't bother locking doors or closing windows as there was no need.

Traffic wasn't even worthy of discussion!

We walked to and from school, not only did we go to the neighborhood school, but it was safe enough.

Block parties were were not something planned in order to meet your neighbors, they were impromptu because you knew your neighbors.

Most families were single income until the late 1970's early '80's.

Hearing of a divorced couple was a mind blower, taboo even.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

IU was born in San Diego in the 40s to a military family and spent an impressionable part of my youth in Newport Beach in the 50s. In a way, those times were magical. Traffic was almost an unknown. We children played outside, mostly on the beaches, from dawn to dusk and there was no fear. Every adult was a parent and they all watched out for all of us, and reported us to our parents if we did something wrong. Neighbors knew and socialized with neighbors and houses and cars remained unlocked.

Orange County was aptly named. With the exception of Santa Ana it was a collection of small towns and villages separated by massive orange groves and you drove on two-lane roads to get from place to place. The air was filled with the perfume of the blossoms and fruit. You could see Catalina Island from the Newport Pier on most days of the year. Immigrants were invisible -- either working as dishwashers in restaurants or as maids and cooks who disappeared in the evening for the most part. Gangs were things in Chicago and New York and blacks knew their place which wasn't where the rest of us were.

Of course, it was an era of discrimination, the Korean War, the cold war, bomb shelters, almost universal smoking, constant cocktail parties and other unhealthy pursuits. Families appeared to be like those on Leave it to Beaver, Father Knows Best and Ozzie and Harriet but likely there was abuse. It just never got reported. Appearances were everything. Television was wholesome, if a bit violent (westerns), and you could tell the good guys from the bad guys by the color of their hats.

Then came the 60s and by the middle of them the impact of the late-50 freeways, the Vietnam War and massive social and moral changes began to be felt. This was followed by the major declines to the defense industry in the 70s, base closures in the 80s, massive migration, much of it illegal, oil embargos and shortages, the era of greed (on-going), strict and unrelenting bipartisanship, political correctness, social engineering, "celebrating our diversity"resulting in a loss of state and national character and the Golden State has continued to tarnish unabated.

My wife and I, both of us natives and in our 60s, are leaving the state of our births and youth forever by early Fall.

My parents are your age. My dad grew up in Santa Ana and when his childhood friends come over and talk about the old days, it sounds like what you wrote above. It was a much simpler time without so many of today's problems. Now if I could only get my parents to come with my wife and I when we abandon the sinking ship. Unfortunately, OC's mild weather has spoiled them.

[gabc4]

It was wonderful! I have fond memories of growing up in CA. It was slow, beautiful, much fewer people, nice people, community, MUCH LESS showy. It is shameful how people show off there money now, very low class. I grew up in a very wealthy community and we never spoke of our houses and all the material things we had. Parents drove very practical cars and the ones who drove Rolls Royce's, Mercedes, whatever actually could afford them. But it was never a topic of conversation. You worked hard for what you had!

[Mvn2nc]

Originally Posted by Italian (x)lurker

Hi , this question is directed especially to elders but not only to them , I'd like to know how was living in Cali in the past decades , say in the 60s or 70s but in the 50s too...
how was the schools , the jobs , the relationships bewteen husbands and wives , were there so many commuters like today?
and what about the concern for environmental issues , were they discussed on newspapers and tv like they are today?
and how about immigrants , was it big problem once?
as a kid how did you imagine the future of Cali?has it been better or worse?

thank you , Rob

In the 60's and 70's for me it was the best of times for Calif. I lived in a town with a very tight knit Italian community, there was a sense of pride amongst our heritage and community which actually still remains in that town as of today.Schools were good, jobs were plentiful. Calif. was on top of enviromental issues so it seemed. The immigrants that came to Calif. appreciated it and worked hard. There was no goverment handouts at that time the way there is today.
I never imagined Calif.where it is today. I left it 3 year ago after being born and raised there. It's beautiful but out of control on so many different levels.
But times as a whole have changed for Calif. and it's proggresivly getting worse.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by gabc4

It was wonderful! I have fond memories of growing up in CA. It was slow, beautiful, much fewer people, nice people, community, MUCH LESS showy. It is shameful how people show off there money now, very low class. I grew up in a very wealthy community and we never spoke of our houses and all the material things we had. Parents drove very practical cars and the ones who drove Rolls Royce's, Mercedes, whatever actually could afford them. But it was never a topic of conversation. You worked hard for what you had!

My grandfather did tell me that even in 1940s/50s L.A. there were people who lived beyond their means - especially in Laurel Canyon, the Hollywood Hills, Sunset Strip, and Beverly Hills - who had gorgeous residences and fancy cars, and lived high on the hog, but who were dead broke from keeping up their lifestyles. He said that upon coming out to Los Angeles he didn't even know there were so many people like that who existed. I guess at that time it was strictly confined to the areas of the west side under entertainment industry influence, rather than being in all of SoCal. The phenomenon of showing off is nothing new - it just grew a great deal.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by Charles

http://www.city-data.com/forum/los-a...s-changed.html

http://www.city-data.com/forum/los-a...most-good.html

http://www.city-data.com/forum/los-a...ared-15-a.html

http://www.city-data.com/forum/calif...nostalgia.html

As I stated there are posts in this thread about SoCal nostalgia but not much on SF/Bay Area nostalgia - it would be interesting to hear from some SF oldtimers, as well as those from the East and South Bays. (It would be interesting hearing about Oakland before the decline and decay set in, or when Silicon Valley was rural)

[mono#9]

A few reactions to some of the first responses:

I lived on Balboa Island as a child, back when poor people lived there--it was heaven on earth.

I graduated from John Muir in Pasadena in 1962--about a third of the students were black--our student body president included--and just about everyone I knew, black and white, went on to college of some sort. The movie "American Graffiti" was like home movies of that time--so true to the era. We spent Friday nights on the Sunset Strip, either cruising or going to this great pizza place whose name escapes me--and always went to Hollywood to see first run films. Wonderful days.

And California is still pretty darn good--despite the fact that it's being ruined by this insane state gov't.

About busing--to say that Nixon (who I never voted for) imposed busing to pit the races against each other is about the strangest thing I ever heard. Busing was promoted by liberals and civil rights activists--very few citizens, black or white, actually wanted it--which is why it died a quick death in most places.

California-- a little tarnished, but still the Golden State. Let's hope for a rebirth of common sense.