The Los Angeles River

Yes, Los Angeles does have a river, it flows year round and local leaders are trying to restore it, or at least make it less like it is now, which is paved in concrete and pretty lifeless in areas.  In the neighborhood where I live, the L.A. river has bike paths, trees, a natural bottom with islands.  It also has a lot of homeless encampments that forces cyclists to slow down to avoid hitting the campers, their shelters and their possessions. 

On the back, "IRA SWETT---Standard Collection"  I found a bit about Swett.  He was born in L.A. in 1913 and died, also in Los Angeles, in 1975.  I couldn't find any evidence that he ever worked for a railroad or interurban company, but I did find plenty of proof of his love of light rail.  He was the author of a number of booklets and news letters about L.A. area traction companies, and a few things about transit in Seattle.  He was stationed there during World War 2.   Basically, he was born at the height of interurban transportation  in Los Angeles and lived to see it die.  Since Swett's death L.A. county has added a number of new light rail lines and a subway, with a number of extensions are  being built.

 Also stamped on the back, "J737"  A best guess, either June or July 7, 1937.  The Los Angeles River was paved in 1938.  I don't know exactly where this picture was taken, but the large building in the background is a hospital that's still there. 

Things Fall Apart

What would you do if your life suddenly fell apart?   Right now, at least in Los Angeles where I live, one of the fastest growing segments of the homeless population is people who work, but don't make enough money to pay rent.  Most of us accumulate a certain amount of stuff.  If you suddenly found yourself living on the streets, which objects from your life would you try and save? 

I recently took a walk along the L.A. River after one of our periodic "clean-ups" a nice way of saying a force out of a local homeless encampment.   There, I found these two old football cards.  I have to wonder if some guy who had spent years on his sports card collection, making sure he had every card from 1990, was he carting them around in a box?  When the clean-up crews arrived,  with only a few minutes to gather up the few remaining bits from his old life, did he drop Mike Tomczak and Pete Mandley? 

Views of the World, Palmetto Avenue, Los Angeles

I went through the junk in the hall closet and dug out my 2002 Thomas Brothers Guide,  (If you're not from my part of the world, you won't get the reference.)  and looked for Palmetto Avenue, L.A.  I found a Palmetto Ave. in Covina, a Palmetto Place in Pasadena, and a Palmetto Street in Los Angeles.  The one in L.A. is between the L.A. River and downtown. An area better known for warehouses, small factories, and scrap yards.  Things do change.

Click Views of the World in labels to bring up the rest of this collection.

Seeing Is Believing

I got this for free; I wouldn't have paid for it; I'm not going to post the advertising copy on the back.  I've posted this advertising card for one reason, and one reason only.  When I tell people  it's possible to kayak the Los Angeles River, they call me a liar.