Opening Hours
Daily: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
Closed on Tuesdays
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
Visual Materials
Visual Materials
Daily: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
Closed on Tuesdays
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
Image not available
Visual Materials
This collection contains 131 black-and-white photographs (including some duplicates) of views of building exteriors and streets scenes in Old Chinatown and neighboring residential and industrial areas of downtown Los Angeles, California, that were taken prior to the demolition of the area beginning on December 23, 1933, to make way for the Los Angeles Union Station railroad terminal. The photographs consist of eye-level street views focused on the area of downtown Los Angeles, around Apablasa Street (spelled Apalabasa or Apalabassa on the images), that was bordered by Alameda Street to the west, Aliso Street to the south, Date and College Streets to the north, and Lyon to the east. The views include images of industrial and commercial areas; retail storefronts; warehouses; manufacturing; utility and railroad buildings; houses and apartments with balconies; dirt streets and alleys; children; automobiles; and dilapidated and vacant buildings. The signage on retail buildings often reflects the Chinese and Hispanic heritage of residents and shop owners in the area. The photographer is unidentified, but presumably the photographs were created to aid in planning for the project, perhaps as part of the process of determining property valuation.
photCL 502
Visual Materials
View of attached brick buildings on Apablasa Street in Old Chinatown, Los Angeles, with an automobile at right. Brick building across street has balcony.
photCL 502 (29)
Visual Materials
View of a dirt lot and an alley with a brick building and some wooden sheds west of Cayetano Street and north of Apablasa Street in Old Chinatown, Los Angeles. A truck is parked in the foreground and laundry is hung in front of the brick building.
photCL 502 (48)
Visual Materials
View of attached brick two-story buildings, with balconies and drying laundry, on Apablasa Street in Old Chinatown, Los Angeles, with automobile in front. Building at left reads Chee Kung Tong Co. 1900, and the windows below read "Hoy Sun Ning Yung Benevolent Association".
photCL 502 (31)
Visual Materials
View of two-story attached brick buildings on Apablasa Street in Old Chinatown, Los Angeles. There is laundry hung outside one building and two children on the sidewalk. A sign with Chinese characters hangs on one balcony.
photCL 502 (38)
Visual Materials
View of attached brick buildings and pedestrians on Apablasa Street in Old Chinatown, Los Angeles.
photCL 502 (28)