LA History

50 years of punk: the LA misfits who changed American music and culture

The punk scene in Los Angeles exploded in the 1970s and 80s after a community of art-driven, bohemian music fans decided to rebel against mainstream music of the time.

Listen 17:15

A black and white image of four people sitting on a stoop in front of a door, most with sunglasses, one of them smoking.

SoCal History: The Catholic sisters who helped remake the Church from Los Angeles

The Immaculate Heart Sisters of Mary (IHMs) has a long history of pushing back on Catholic church norms and many of those efforts happened right here in SoCal.

Listen 16:48

The rise and fall of the Marlboro Man that once ruled the Sunset Strip

There once was a giant cowboy cutout standing above L.A. at the entrance of The Strip.

Listen 4:12

A billboard with a cowboy smoking a cigarette for Marlboro above another billboard featuring a pair of legs.

To see how Koreatown has changed over the years, look at its restaurant menus

From European restaurants serving pasta to Korean restaurants inscribing menus on gourds, food can provide a lens to see Koreatown’s development over time.

Listen 5:45

A gourd with Korean hangul lettering painted on.

The 'Miller' brewery sign on the 210 Freeway might be gone, but its legacy in Irwindale lives on

A new brewery sign sprung up in its place recently. We dig into why.

Listen 4:30

A big blue sign that say "City Brewing & Beverage Irwindale" is seen at sunset. Lights illuminate the sign. Large clouds can be seen behind it. Palm trees and power lines are seen in the right hand corner.

SoCal history: Islamic Society of Orange County turns 50

ISOC, the largest Muslim community center in Southern California, serves more than 10,000 followers throughout the area. This year it turns 50.

From 750 books to Art Deco grandeur: How LA’s 100-year-old Central Library came to be

Before we got the iconic art deco building, L.A.’s main library collection practically couch-surfed for decades.

A wide view of the front of the Central Library under a blue sky. The tan building's orante roof, which is shaped like a pyramid with hints of blue and gold, along with tall bushes, steps and sculptures along the facade.

The Hollywood Center Motel fire burned down over 120 years of history

The motel was up for historic status before it was destroyed.

Listen 3:52

A wide view of the motel from the street. The gate between the breeze walls is closed. It's covered in heavy white and red graffiti. The dilapidated house is visible behind the gate, which is also covered in graffiti.

One of SoCal's most infamous roads has reopened, but locals don't want you to know — for good reason

'The Snake,' a 2.4-mile stretch of Mulholland Drive, is known for its hairpin turns and the legions of motorists looking to tame it.

A road sign that says "Mulholland Highway" on the side of a mountainous road.

The Stahl House is on the market for the first time ever. See it in its original light

The famed midcentury modern home, otherwise known as Case Study House #22, has become a kind of epitome of West Coast modernism. It's for sale for the first time in its 65-year history.

Listen 1:08

A mid-century modernist home with giant glass walls overlooking the city of Los Angeles. Two women dressed in white party dresses are sitting in the living room, chatting.

North Hollywood’s defunct Valley Plaza was once a West Coast legend

We look into its pioneering beginnings and why Angelenos were so fond of it.

Listen 4:57

A black and white archive view of a store front that say "Valley Plaza Surplus" in big lettering. The windows have words on them that advertise the merchandise such as blankets for two dollars. Three white men in button up shirts are standing in front of the doors and posing for the camera.

When German exiles found a home in the Pacific Palisades

Seeking refuge

A black and white picture of a man and a woman looking in different directions

Hey, LA listener!

LA History

Support local coverage of LA’s past