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Off-Ramp

Help us date and translate a trove of LA picture postcards

By Off-Ramp Staff
Published Apr 27, 2015
"Looking West on Seventh at Hill street ... in the heart of the downtown shopping district"
"Looking West on Seventh at Hill street ... in the heart of the downtown shopping district"
(
Hubert Lowman/HS Crocker Co
)
Broadway at night
Broadway at night
(
Hubert Lowman/HS Crocker Co
)
The Griffith Observatory looms over "a city of lights."
The Griffith Observatory looms over "a city of lights."
(
Wm. M. Graham/Western Publishing & Novelty
)
Pershing Square, "a delightful resting place for countless visitors and Southern Californians." And underneath, "the world's largest underground garage," with space for more than 2,000 cars.
Pershing Square, "a delightful resting place for countless visitors and Southern Californians." And underneath, "the world's largest underground garage," with space for more than 2,000 cars.
(
Wm. M. Graham/Western Publishing & Novelty
)
The Statler Center, "one of Los Angeles' smartest ultramodern buildings."
The Statler Center, "one of Los Angeles' smartest ultramodern buildings."
(
Hubert Lowman/HS Crocker Co
)
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, 'the newest and most modern sports arena in the country ... built at a cost of nearly six million dollars."
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, 'the newest and most modern sports arena in the country ... built at a cost of nearly six million dollars."
(
David Mills/HS Crocker Co
)
The Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl
(
Hubert Lowman/HS Crocker Co
)
Hollywood and Vine .. "Famous intersection in the heart of the entertainment capital of the world."
Hollywood and Vine .. "Famous intersection in the heart of the entertainment capital of the world."
(
Frank Thomas/Western Publishing 7 Novelty Co.
)
The four-level interchange
The four-level interchange
(
Frank Thomas/Western Publishing 7 Novelty Co.
)
City Hall, "the tallest building in Los Angeles."
City Hall, "the tallest building in Los Angeles."
(
Hubert Lowman/HS Crocker Co
)
Los Angeles Civic Center
Los Angeles Civic Center
(
Wm. M. Graham/Western Publishing & Novelty
)
The back of one of the cards. Can you translate this for us?
The back of one of the cards. Can you translate this for us?
(
Courtesy Gordon Henderson
)
(
Courtesy Gordon Henderson
)
(
Courtesy Gordon Henderson
)
(
Courtesy Gordon Henderson
)

About the Show

Over 11 years and 570 episodes, John Rabe and Team Off-Ramp scoured SoCal for the people, places, and ideas whose stories needed to be told, and the show became a love-letter to Los Angeles. Now, John is sharing selections from the Off-Ramp vault to help you explore this imperfect paradise.

Funding provided by:

Corporation for Public Broadcasting

My colleague Gordon Henderson recently bought a packet of picture postcards at the Pasadena City College flea market. It appears that they were originally purchased at Kennedy's Card Shop in Los Angeles.

(Google Street View of the building that would have included 331 W. 5th St, LA 13)

The cards show scenes from across L.A.: An Easter sunrise service at the Hollywood Bowl, downtown's sparkling new Civic Center and Hollywood Boulevard.

Some also have writing on the back.

Scroll through the slideshow above. Can you help us date and translate the cards? 

Also, let us know what's changed, what still remains, and any memories or thoughts of the time these postcards capture. The paper bag is a time capsule that you can help us unlock.

(And make sure to check out Loyola Marymount's massive postcard collection online!)

Credits