THE LACHS GALA
By AdAm G. LindEr, LACHS BoArd mEmBEr & mEdiA TEAm CHAir
One of the last events hosted by the Los Angeles City Historical Society before the world shut down for the Coronavirus pandemic was the 2020 Annual Gala. Some of our members will always remember that as the last time they were able to see each other before the Stay-at-Home order. Unfortunately, that was also the last time many would see each other ever.
If there’s one thing we have learned through this all, it’s the importance of coming together. The Gala may come and go like many of the events in our lives, but after a three-year break, this year felt like a new begin-
ing. On May 19th a room full of historians, members, friends, and family gathered to celebrate. We toasted those we’ve lost, and we honored many of our community who have used their days to promote and enrich the culture of Los Angeles’ deep history.
The LACHS Board of Directors has had a long history at Taix Restaurant, for many years having met for the monthly Board Meeting in the Champagne room. It was an honor that Michael Taix worked together to bring this year’s Gala to fruition, with our very own Claudine Ajeti, who passed away just the weekend before our event. Claudine raved about her memories in the establishment and personally negotiated to get the Sole Meunière on the menu for our members to enjoy.
After a lovely introduction to the event by our own Programs Chair, Danny Jensen, our Vice President, Michael Holland, began with honoring our history, toasting our lost friends, and speaking about the newest members of the Board who are helping usher the Society into these new beginnings. After a surprise showing of the world-famous pea soup, and as the drinks kept flowing, Geraldine Knatz took the stage to introduce our Awardees. Geraldine worked tirelessly with the nominations and coordinated with the winners, to ensure that they and their guests were properly honored.
Former Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky was the first honoree for our Special Recognition Award, speaking about his professional history with our own President, Charlie Mims, and their long-running discussions regarding Union matters. Zev spoke about his book, Zev’s Los Angeles: From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power. A Political Memoir, and used it to segue way to our next Special Recognition Awardee. Zev spoke about how honored he is to be standing there, in his 70s, awarded in the same year as DeMarco Smith, a 30-year-old, who is changing the world already.
DeMarco Smith, cheered on by his friends and family
EdITor’S mESSAGE
elcome, and happy Autumn to you all! I hope your summer was filled with relaxation, joy, and quality time with those you hold dear.
As we transition into the crisp, colorful days of Fall, I am thrilled to share some exciting updates and changes that have taken place over the summer months. Our team has been hard at work refreshing our digital presence, and we are proud to unveil a new look for our website. We believe the updated design will make it easier for you to stay informed and explore the areas of interest that matter most to you. We hope you find it engaging and user-friendly!
In addition to our digital makeover, I am delighted to report that the LACHS Gala Awards Dinner 2024 was a resounding success. After a long hiatus due to COVID, we were able to gather once again at the historic Taix Restaurant. The event was held to a sold-out crowd, and it was heartwarming to see our community come together to celebrate and honor those who have contributed to Los Angeles’s history.
Our summer events were also noteworthy. We had the privilege of touring the historic Tom of Finland House in Echo Park, exploring the legacy of the iconic LGBTQIA+ artist. We also enjoyed the return of the Tour of the Official Los Angeles City Archives, and celebrated the awarding of our LACHS scholarships to two outstanding students from California State University, Long Beach. Additionally, we presented a special webinar titled “The New Suburbia: How Diversity Remade Suburban Life in Los Angeles After 1945” in August.
Looking ahead, there will be new webinar on October 24th with author James Tejani on his book “A Machine to Move Ocean and Earth: The Making of the Port Los Angeles and America”; and on November 2nd, there will be an in-person tour of the newly reopened Clifton’s Republic. We plan on more webinars and tours (watch your in-box for emails from LACHS). The ever-popular Marie Northrop Lecture Series will continue to feature many exciting presentations in 2025. And lastly, we hope you all come visit our booth at the Archives Bazaar, hosted by USC on October 19th.
Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for our Society. We look forward to a vibrant and enriching Fall season with many more events and updates in the future.
Pebbla Wallace
truly deserves this honor. Through his brand “Maintain the Mystery,” he is being honored for his book South Central is Mecca Vol. 1. Recounting his personal history with South LA, and the love of it his grandmother entrusted to him, DeMarco shared with us his plans to create further books bringing the history of the rich neighborhood further to today.
Bobby Green and the 1933 Group were up next and received the honor of the David G. Cameron Preservation Award. Bobby spoke about his own history as a 10-year-old coming to LA, gawking at programmatic architecture, and with hearts in his eyes honoring how special it is that he was able to restore and carry these important landmarks, including Tail O’ the Pup and The Formosa Cafe, into LA’s future.
Christina Rice was next to the podium, honoring her work with the Los Angeles Public Library. She thanked her fellow Librarians, honoring the fact that she now holds the award named after one of the most well-loved librarians, the J. Thomas Owen History Award. Our own Board Member, Nicholas Beyelia nominated Christina, and rightfully so. Her dedication and contribution to Library Studies deserve to go down in their own history.
Unfortunately, Judy Baca was unable to attend the ceremony, as she is currently live-streaming the creation of the next chapters in the Great Wall of Los Angeles over at LACMA. Her coworkers were there to accept on her behalf, and we’re honored for the chance to recognize such an important visual history of our city’s history and culture.
Finally, Elizabeth Gaydowski took to the stage to honor her late husband, Todd Gaydowski, the longtime President of LACHS. In its inaugural year, this award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated leadership in the field of historic research, authorship, publishing, grant-making, records, or historic site management. We are truly honored to have Elizabeth stay so involved with the Board, even providing this year’s beautiful flower and centerpiece arrangements for the Gala.
In addition, we are very grateful for the three Sponsors for this year’s event, which without the night would not have been possible; the Los Angeles Profes-
STARTING AT THE TOP(L-R) Michael Holland (VP); DeMarco Smith (Special Recognition Award); Geraldine Knatz (Board Member) Christina Rice, J. Thomas Owen History Award.
sional Managers’ Association as a Silver Sponsor, and both the Los Angeles Police Museum and GPS Security, Inc as Bronze Sponsors.
Overall, the ceremony and dinner served not only as our return to our Annual Gala, but a chance for everyone to acknowledge our history, both the City’s and our Society’s. Looking to the future for more programs and opportunities, this event bridged generations of History lovers and will act as a moment in time for us all as we bring the Los Angeles City Historical Society into its next and greatest chapter!
Tom of finland Tour
-by danny Jensen
Los Angeles City Historical Society members and friends recently enjoyed a special tour of the historic Tom of Finland House, the former studio and residence of the influential queer artist in Echo Park, in honor of Pride Month.
The beautiful 1911 Craftsman house was once home to artist Touko Laaksonen (aka Tom of Finland), internationally renowned for his distinctive and influential erotic illustrations. In 1980, Durk Dehner, the owner of the now private-public residence, invited Laaksonen to live in his recently purchased Echo Park home.
Tom of Finland’s home in Los Angeles is recognized for its historic architecture and as a cultural resource of the City of Los Angeles. Tom of Finland lived there during much of the last decade of his life, an era marked by a particularly productive period in his career with his contributions to erotic art and Gay culture. The home is designated as Historic-Cultural Monument #1135, granting it landmark status and solidifying its place in LGBTQ+ history.
Led by several volunteers, the guided house tour included Tom of Finland’s attic studio, largely preserved as he left it, as well as highlights from the Tom of Finland Foundation’s archive, including works by
Robert Mapplethorpe, John Waters, Arthur Tress, Hector Silva, Etienne and George Quaintance and more. As we were a rather large group, the volunteers divided us into smaller groups, which allowed us to move about the house more freely and hear fascinating insights from the different perspectives of the volunteers.
In 1984, Dehner and Tom established the nonprofit Tom of Finland Foundation (ToFF). Initially founded to preserve his vast catalog of work, but later the scope was widened to offer safe haven for all erotic art in response to rampant discrimination against art that portrayed sexual behavior or generated a sexual response. Today ToFF continues in its efforts of educating the public as to the cultural merits of erotic art and in promoting healthier, more tolerant attitudes about sexuality.
ToFF bills itself as the world’s largest repository of erotic art, with more than 100,000 images and materials — 3,500 of which belong to the iconic artist himself. The house also hosts an Artist-in-Residence program, which is open to artists from around the world.
If you weren’t able to join us, we highly recommend booking a tour soon. More information can be found here: https://www.tomoffinland.org/
LOS ANGELES JUSTICE AND THE BUILDINGS THAT HELD IT
BY PeBBLA wALLACe
Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to work and do business in downtown Los Angeles in the early days? I have spent most of my adult life working in downtown Los Angeles –more specifically, the Superior Court of California in downtown Los Angeles. As such, I have often imagined what the judicial system and the courthouses that hold this system would have been like in the past. Here is a historical look at the judicial system in early Los Angeles.
THE EARLY LOS ANGELES JUDICIAL SYSTEM Pioneer Judges
Prior to California statehood, the early pioneer judges’ courtroom in Los Angeles included a vast area of land and cattle ranches from Los Angeles to San Diego. They were the arbitrators of disputes regarding animal brands and had the authority to arrest cattle thieves. Their duties also included set-
tling property, farm animal disputes, and even more horrific issues like murder. In many ways, they were the law. They traveled on horseback armed with shotguns over their shoulders and carried bowie knives on their belts.
After California’s statehood in 1850, California was divided into 27 counties. At the time, Los Angeles County included parts of what is now San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, Inyo, Tulare, and Ventura (later splitting up into their separate counties). The first judicial system included a District, County, and Justice of the Peace Court. The first judges were Judge Oliver S. Witherby (District Court), Judge Agustin Olvera (County Court), and Judge Jonathan R. Scott (Justice of the Peace Court).
Judge Agustin OlveraFirst County Judge (1850-53)
Agustin Olvera was born in Alta California. Before 1841, Olvera held various offices during the Mexi-
Photo Of An Early Pioneer Judge On Horseback
can administration and helped to bridge the gap between the government of Alta California and the United States. As a commissioner, he helped negotiate the Treaty of Cahuenga. In 1850, he was nominated as County Judge and served in a jurisdiction covering forcible entry and detainers, insolvency, actions to prevent or abate nuisances, probate, and criminal jurisdiction. Judge Olvera was well respected and made great efforts to protect the rights of Spanish-speaking Californios – allowing them to hear their cases in their native language. In 1877, Wine Street was renamed Olvera Street as a monument to Judge Agustin Olvera.
Judge Oliver S. Witherby –First District Judge (1850-53)
Oliver S. Witherby was born in Ohio where he trained as a lawyer. He served in the First Regiment of the Mexican-American War and moved to California in 1849. In 1850 he was elected the first
Judge (1850-53) of the Southern District (Los Angeles - San Diego) under the first California constitution after statehood. In 1853, he left his judicial position, citing the exhaustive traveling on horseback covering his large district.
Judge Jonathan R. Scott –First Justice of the Peace (1850-53)
Jonathan R. Scott was born in New York and moved to Missouri to study and practice law. He moved to Los Angeles in 1849, and in 1850 he was elected to the Justice of the Peace Court. The Justice of the Peace hears misdemeanor cases, small debts, landlord and tenant disputes, and other petty criminal infractions. Proceedings before Justices of the Peace were often faster and less formal than the proceedings in other courts. He was a landowner and owned a large portion of the Rancho San Rafael section of Los Angeles. He later sold it to the dentist David S. Burbank, the area of which is now named Burbank.
CLOCKTOWER COURTHOUSE (1861-1871)
The Clocktower Courthouse was originally built as a market house by businessman John Temple in 1859. It was located near Spring, Main, Court, and Market Streets (near today’s City Hall). Shops sold their wares on the first floor while acting troupes performed in the theater space on the second. It was later purchased by Los Angeles County and converted into the Courthouse in 1861. The building also functioned as the County headquarters for storing records, as well as levying and collecting taxes.
The two-story brick building featured four large clocks—one on each side of its rectangular tower. However, the clock was not the most reliable. According to many newspaper articles of that time, there were many complaints about the clock. In 1872, the Los Angeles Daily Star called the building “a shaky old elephant” and suggested the juries couldn’t deliberate for fear the clock tower would fall through the building.
In 1890, the Courthouse was sold to a private businessman, as Los Angeles prepared to open a
new majestic courthouse to accommodate its rapidly growing population. The hands and numerals of the old courthouse’s four clocks were transplanted onto the tower of the new “Red Sandstone Courthouse.”
Juror’s Pastime. At the Clocktower Courthouse, court procedures were informal, and Jurors (who were made up of men only) were allowed to bring their knives and pieces of wood to whittle the time away, while other Jurors played poker. Also, when calling jurors, witnesses, or lawyers, who were seated downstairs, the Bailiff would stick his heads out of the second story court windows and yell the party’s name. Courtroom disputes between opposing attorneys were often hit with various flying debris, inkstands, chairs, and an occasional gunshot. Due to multiple incidents of injuries during court proceedings, in 1867 courtroom etiquette was established.
THE RED SANDSTONE COURTHOUSE (1891-1933)
Although there were many buildings in Los Angeles’ early days that were used as courthouses, the Red Sandstone Courthouse was the first courthouse in Los Angeles that was built for this exclusive purpose. It served the County from 1891 to 1933 and was located
Clocktower Courthouse, 1861: Security Pacific Nat’l Bank Collection/Los Angeles Public Library
near Temple and Broadway (near where the Criminal Justice Center now stands). The courthouse derived its name from the red stone used to cover the exterior of the building. It was considered one of the best examples of Romanesque architecture in the West and was the jewel of Los Angeles for many years. When doors opened in 1891, it served a county population of over 108,338, but by 1933, the County population had soared to more than 2,380,870 and was now ready for a bigger courthouse.
The Clock Tower. In 1918, the Red Sandstone Clock Tower began to show noticeable signs of stress. The red bricks from part of the tower started falling to the sidewalk, endangering the public. In one instance, after a heavy rain, a large slab of sandstone crashed through a courtroom nearly missing a person. After years of various fixes, several architects concluded that the 60-foot clock tower needed to be removed. After the clock tower was removed in 1932 (referred to as the Clockectomy at the time), two of the clocks were donated to the Los Angeles History Museum, and a set of clock hands and numerals were installed on top of our current Stanley Mosk Courthouse on Hill Street, providing a continuing link to the past.
The Last Straw – An Earthquake. The Sandstone Courthouse remained standing for almost another year after the Clockectomy. But on March 10, 1933 at 5:54 p.m., a 6.4 magnitude earthquake shook Los Angeles County. The earthquake resulted in 120 fatalities and $60 million in damages, and the magnificent Red Sandstone Courthouse sustained major structural damages. Because the sandstone structure was built with no major steel frame-work, engineers indicated that what was really left was only a “shell of bricks”, and extensive repairs would need to be undertaken. The Board of Supervisors ruled that the
repair costs would be too expensive to undertake – so on October 5, 1933, the Board of Supervisors ordered the Red Sandstone Courthouse to be demolished. It stood empty for another few years before being demolished in 1936.
TEMPORARY COURTROOMS
During the 25-year gap between the closing of the Red Sandstone Courthouse, in 1933, and the opening of the current County Courthouse, in 1958, Los Angeles used and improvised many temporary court locations. City Hall provided some of these courtrooms. In one case, Superior Court Judge Clarence L. Kincaid heard a civil case on the stairs of City Hall in 1936. The plaintiff was unable to make the trip to the 17th floor courtroom, so the judge brought the “court” to him. Included among the other temporary court locations scattered throughout the city were: Hall of Records, Hall of Justice, Brunswig Building, Patriotic Hall (at 18th and Figueroa), Lincoln Heights Jail Court, the State Building, and the old Municipal Courts Building.
TODAY’S JUDICIAL SYSTEM
From Los Angeles’ early beginnings with judges traveling on horseback, to the Clocktower and Red Sandstone Courthouses, our judicial system has expanded more today than our pioneers would have even fathomed. When the Red Sandstone Courthouse was built in 1891, it initially served a small population of 108,338 Angelenos. Today the Los Angeles Superior Court system is the largest court system in the United States and the free world – with 36 courthouses serving a population of almost 10 million people over an area of 4,000 miles. Before I retired from the Court, I worked with hundreds of Judges throughout our vast County. I can guarantee you that not one of these dedicated judges would ever consider getting on a horse today to serve their District. Sorry Your Honors :)
“Courtroom disputes between opposing attorneys were often hit with various flying debris, inkstands, chairs, and an occasional gunshot”
LEVEL I
Contribution:
$1,500 pEr yEar
- LOGO PLACEMENT ON ThE sPONsOR wEbPAGE OF LACiTYHiSTorY.org.
- RECOGNiTiON iN ThE MONThLy NEwsLETTER
- 2 TICKETs TO ALL EVENTs FOR ThE yEAR.
*REsERVATIONs REQUIRED
LEVEL II
Contribution:
$2,500 pEr yEar
- ALL PREVIOUs MENTIONED bENIFITs
- RECOGNiTiON PLAQUE DURiNG sPECiAL LiVE EVENTs, LECTUREs AND ExhibiTiONs.
- OPPORTUNiTy TO sPONsOR A wEbiNAR wiTh LOGO ON sCREEN
LEGaCy LEVEL
Contribution:
$5,000 pEr yEar
- ALL PREVIOUs MENTIONED bENIFITs
- RECOGNiTiON iN ALL PROMOTiONAL MATERiALs AssOCiATED wiTh ThE sOCiETy’s EVENTs.
- OPPORTUNiTy FOR AN ExCLUsiVE iNTERViEw OR FEATURE ARTiCLE ON ThE sOCiETy’s bLOG OR NEwsLETTER.
The Virginia Robinson Garden features a mixture of native and rare plants. There are so many at great maturity it is a testament to their great stewardship.
The Garden also has a well-maintained herb and vegetable garden off the kitchen. The Mature King Palms are featured in the background. Gone are the monkeys that Virgina and Harry once had living in a huge Avery style 1900s structure in the back. No doubt it was the result of the frightened neighbors that caught the monkeys watching them through their windows.
Virginia Robinson Gardens Tour
recap by Meridith Major
What a beautiful day we had touring the Virginia Robinson Gardens in Beverly Hills. Is the very first luxury estate in Beverly Hills setting the tone for Los Angeles Gardens in 1911. The Virginia Robinson Gardens are taken care of by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, with help from a group called the Friends of Virginia Robinson Gardens.
While approaching the estate you are struck by the Palm Grove that flocks the right side of the estate. Once you are in the driveway leading into the back pool and garden entrance, you’ll find that the Palm trees (you are only seeing the tops of), go on for what seems like hundreds of feet down to a lower lush and tropical garden. I was not shocked to find out that the garden has the largest King Palm Forest in the continental U.S.
The house is also home to a unique feature you will not find often “Musical Stairs”. This is rain water flow that is directed over various inverted terra cotta tiles. The inspiration for Virginia Robinson’s design came from the Court of the Lions in the Alhambra palace and fortress located in Granada, Spain.
The lions also are prominently featured flocking the sides of the staircases seen above.
Thank you to the Friends of Virginia Robinson Gardens for the personal tour and time taken to show our members the Garden and Entertaining areas of the Estate.
tHank you to aLL tHE partiCipantS, tHE Staff at LapL, anD tHE auDiEnCES wHo joinED uS.
wE’LL bE baCk in fEbruary 2025.
MariE nortHrop SEriES 2024 rECap
by MiCHaEL HoLLanD – LaCHS ViCE prESiDEnt & La City arCHiViSt
I have moderated three presentations at the Central Library’s Taper Auditorium for the 2024 series. The topics ranged from city infrastructure such as street lighting, the library and its photo Collection and included a historical look at the early winemaking in the Los Angeles area. All three presentations were recorded for posterity and can be found on the LACHS YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/@lacityhistory.
Ever since we discussed the history of the various designs of street lights in LA, I must admit to looking for them every time I’m on the roads. India Mandelkern brought the utilitarian fixture out of the darkness –bad pun intended – into the spotlight. I find it amazing that the city still has some of the older designs atnd I hope they will continue to care for them.
I will admit that the history of winemaking in LA is a specialty of mine and I appreciate the turnout as we discussed the involvement of the indigenous peoples during the period of our viticultural prominence. The book is a good read and the conversation was very productive.
The librarians at LAPL demonstrated on their home turf why they are some of the best in the business. We were very fortunate to capture Christina and Wendy as they led us through the Verzi photo collection and the level of thought that goes into making the research process as productive for the user as possible.
The upcoming 2025 series is in the very early planning stages and your suggestions are always welcome for topics that are of interest to you. Authors of historic research are always welcome but we want to be able to include other areas of interest to our membership in our programming. We will be consulting with Angel City Press for upcoming releases that may be good presentation material. The Save the Dates will be announced soon with details to follow.
uPcomIng eVenTs
uPcomIng eVenTs
SATurdAY, novemBer 2nd AT 5 Pm
A guided tour of Clifton’s Republic with owner Andrew Meieran. The historic, California-themed venue has once again reopened, and members will be among the first to explore the newly revitalized 5-story Downtown destination to learn about the legendary location founded by Clifford Clinton in the 1930s. The tour will conclude with a visit to the famed Pacific Seas “adventure bar” for tropical refreshments.
SATurdAY, oCToBer 19, 2024
10 A.m. - 3 P.m.
19TH AnnuAL LoS AngeLeS ArCHiveS BAzAAr
Doheny Memorial Library USC University Park Campus *Important: due to security you must obtain a QR Code that is available on our website.
We WoULd LIKe to hear
FroM yoU
Members, what would you like to see more of on our blog and newsletter? Also, is there a specific type of lecture series you would like to see the LACHS organize? Please drop us a line at info@lacityhistory.org and let us know what you would like to see.
Your feedBACk iS
imPorTAnT To uS.
uPcoming WebInars
THurSdAY, oCToBer 24 AT 7 Pm - “A Machine to Move Ocean and Earth: The Making of the Port Los Angeles and America,” a talk with author James Tejani. (More details for now: https://www.amazon.com/Machine-MoveOcean-Earth-Angeles/dp/1324093552)
PAST weBinArS AvAiLABLe on our weBSiTe:
The New suburbia: how DiversiTy remaDe suburbaN life iN los aNgeles afTer 1945 – A Talk with Author Becky Nicolaides. The webinar featuring historian and author Becky Nicolaides and her new book about How the suburbs of Los Angeles have transformed and/or disappeared.
mArie norTHroP LeCTure
SerieS - “laPl PhoTos: The JohN verzi ColleCTioN” with Christina Rice and Wendy Horowitz – A discussion with Christina Rice, head of the Los Angeles Central Library’s photo collection, and Wendy Horowitz, the library’s archivist, about the library’s recent acquisition of photographs by the late photographer John Verzi. The collection includes hundreds of never-before-scene photos of Hollywood stars, big and small, throughout the decades.
Passage to Eldorado – The Earliest Known Photographs of the American Desert West. Jeff Lapides discusses Rudolph d’Heureuse, a photographer of the early American west who captured some of the earliest known photographs of the region in 1863.
LACHS OFFICERS/ BOARD
MEMBERS
Los Angeles City Historical
Society Founded 1976
NEWSLETTER
Pebbla Wallace, Editor & Contributor
Newsletter Design by Meridith Major
CONTRIBUTORS
Michael Holland
Danny Jensen
OFFICERS
Charley Mims, President
Michael Holland, Vice President
Veronica Gutierrez, Secretary
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Roberto Alaniz Jr.
Nicholas Beyelia
Bee Garcia
Danny Jensen
Geraldine Knatz
Adam Linder
Meridith Major
Lilly Morcos
Moremi Okoroh
Pebbla Wallace
ADMINISTRATOR
Adam Linder
LACHS • P.O. Box 862311 • Los Angeles, CA 90086-2311 For more information, please visit: LACITYHISTORY.ORG
Please submit any comments or questions to:info@LACityHistory.org
PHOTOS FROM GALA RECAP CONT. FROM FRONT COVER TOP: Danny Jensen, Program Chair BELOW: Bobby Green, David G. Cameron Preservation Award