LA History

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

How the tiny city of San Fernando in the Valley avoided being swallowed up by LA

It all came down to one precious asset.

A black and white archival view from above looking down onto a main road with vehicles and rows of buildings. There are small sections of open land as well.

Spooky LA stories from beyond the grave to get you in the spirit of Halloween

In honor of Spooky Season, we're digging up scary L.A. stories to tell in the dark.

A large white mausoleum sits on the edges of a lake with palm trees in the background.

From LA’s Chinatown to the Disney lot: The life of 'Bambi' artist Tyrus Wong

The Sunland-Tujunga resident turned L.A. into his creative playground, creating art across the city.

Listen 5:45

A black and white photo of a smiling young Chinese American man holding brushes and standing with one leg propped up on an unseen step.

Looking beyond LA's Historic Filipinotown: The Valley Has a thriving Filipino community too

Filipinos settled in the San Fernando Valley in the 1920s to keep farms running. The community there has grown a lot since then.

A male presenting person stands in front of a bus stop. He wears a baseball cap.

What happened to Dairy Valley? How LA's top cow city became Cerritos

Farmers once banded together to save the area, which had more cows than people.

A black and white archival view of a row of cows lined up and sticking their heads out of a feeding enclosure to eat hay on the ground.

Public immigration sweeps in LA are not new — similar tactics were used in the 1930s

Similar tactics to today's ICE sweeps were seen in the city 100 years ago.

A black and white image of a Spanish newspaper from the 1930's. There is a grainy picture of men sitting on benches being watched by officials

Before the Queen Mary docked in Long Beach, the legendary ocean liner ruled the Atlantic

The British passenger ship was popular with luxury travelers for decades, but it was also a distinguished wartime vessel.

A view from above of a large black, white and red passenger ship that has three smoke stacks. It's docked in the water near buildings and rocks.

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