More Information
“Know Your City” tested readers’ knowledge of L.A. landmarks– 70 years later, can you keep up?
“Know Your City” was a daily photograph series featured in the Los Angeles Times from 1955 to 1956. The premise was for readers to guess which L.A. landmark appeared in photographs with little additional information besides a small clue.
The first installment, published Nov. 18, 1955, announced the new series:
“How well do you know your city? Beginning today, The Times will run a series of photographs of familiar buildings, parks, statues, bridges and other objects.”
The series is archived in The Los Angeles Times Photographic Collection, which is stewarded by UCLA Library Special Collections. In the UCLA Library Digital Collection, users can review over 100 entries from the photo series.
Nearly 70 years later, some landmarks have been erased while others have been preserved, providing an example of the historical value of the L.A. Times Collection.
Let’s take a look at some of the images and original captions! Can you still identify these Los Angeles landmarks?
How well do you "Know Your City"?
(opens in a new tab)The original caption for this image appeared in The Los Angeles Times on February 23, 1956:
“KNOW YOUR CITY, NO.98 -- A lot of people are going to go crazy trying to figure out this one. Particularly with familiar landmark at lower left. Best hint: Designed by famed architect, it used to be private, now is public. See Page 30, Part ll.”
“ANSWER: Shown in the photo is a corner of the fabulous Barnsdall residence, designed by Architect Frank Lloyd Wright, which sits atop the knoll near the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and Vermont Ave. The knoll was given to the city for a park, the residence becoming a city art gallery. That landmark in the lower left corner of the photo is, of course, the Griffith Planetarium.”
This is an image of what readers may know as the Hollyhock House located in Barnsdall Art Park in East Hollywood. The house was designed by the highly influential 20th-century architect Frank Lloyd Wright and completed in 1921. In 2019, it became L.A.’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
(opens in a new tab)The original caption for this image appeared in The Los Angeles Times on December 5, 1955:
“KNOW YOUR CITY, NO. 18 -- This is a familiar symbol to people who go bowling. But don't look for any tenpins, because it was built when a lot of people were in the alleys. It still refuses to dance the music. Just for fun, What? Answer will be found on Page 32, Part 2.”
“ANSWER: Sure, it's the artistically modern statuary that overlooks the entrance to Hollywood Bowl. You've seen it hundreds of times. Its construction in 1940 was one of the last acts of the depression-- a WPA art project, the statuary entitled "Muse of Music, Dance, Drama" was designed by sculptor George Stanley”
As the summer entertainment season kicks off in L.A., you may have recognized this image of the "Muse of Music, Dance, Drama" statue outside of the entrance to the Hollywood Bowl.
(opens in a new tab)The original caption for this image appeared in The Los Angeles Times on February 19, 1956:
“KNOW YOUR CITY, NO.94 -- Named after a philosopher, this imposing structure is one of the original buildings of a rapidly expanding institution. There were a lot of sad people around here last Jan. 2. Surely you know. See Page 14, Part 1A.”
“ANSWER: For the few who didn't recognize it, the structure in the picture is Royce Hall on the UCLA campus in Westwood. Named after Philosopher Josiah Royce, the building houses liberal arts classrooms and a 3000-seat auditorium, largest on the campus.”
Okay, this is a softball in case you missed the first two! Readers of this blog should have easily identified this image of Royce Hall looming above Janss Steps (also known as Tongva Steps).
(opens in a new tab)The original caption for this image appeared in The Los Angeles Times on December 2, 1955:
"KNOW YOUR CITY, NO. 15 -- This may be a toughie. Because these are pretty lionesses. They've been here since 1910. And never bitten anyone. Rather remotely, the last letter of the alphabet is involved. Answer on Page 32, Part ll."
"ANSWER: The photo is of one of the ornate arches that formed the entrances to the old Selig Zoo, adjacent to Lincoln Park. Here, many early-day movies were made. Then, it was a regular zoo. And, at present, an inactive amusement park. But, nevertheless, down through the years and despite fallen plaster, it remains one of the most impressive entrances in town."
You'd have to be well-versed in the zany history of Los Angeles' entertainment industry to know this one. The "Selig Zoo," also known as Luna Park Zoo, California Zoological Gardens and Zoopark, was founded by William Selig, a filmmaker and entrepreneur, in the early twentieth century. The 32-acre property near Lincoln Park housed Selig's collection of wild animals and acted as a set for "jungle pictures" produced by his film company. The zoo opened to the public as a tourist attraction in 1915 and operated until the 1930s.
(opens in a new tab)The original caption for this image appeared in The Los Angeles Times on November 25, 1955:
"KNOW YOUR CITY, NO. 8--This is very familiar to its 2300 members. And to thousands more. Even gives you the address: 119 N Central Ave.,near corner of E 1st St. Just for fun of it, can you guess what it is? Find answer on Page 28, Part II."
"ANSWER: As you might suspect from its Oriental architecture, the building in the picture is the Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, a religious center in the heart of the city's Little Tokyo. It has been around a long time, since 1927."
This site is the original Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles. It was constructed in 1925 and declared Historic-Cultural Monument #313 by the City of Los Angeles in 1986. Today, the location no longer hosts congregations but remains a landmark at the Japanese American National Museum.
(opens in a new tab)The original caption for this image appeared in The Los Angeles Times on February 4, 1956:
“KNOW YOUR CITY, NO.79 -- You can do a series like this just so long and then you work yourself into a hole--or a series of them. Surely you can see through this picture. In more ways than one. Just for laughs where is it? Page 8, Part 1"
“ANSWER: Sure, sure, sure-- all it is is a photo of the Figueroa St. tunnels on the Pasadena Freeway. Sorry to be such a bore…”
The four Figueroa Street Tunnels were constructed between 1931 and 1935 and designed by municipal engineer Merrill Butler, famous for other Los Angeles landmarks including historic bridges over the L.A. River. Every day hundreds of L.A. drivers and commuters go through the tunnels, which now serve as the northbound lanes of the Arroyo Seco Parkway.
How many landmarks could you guess?
About the Los Angeles Times Photographic Collection
The Los Angeles Times Photographic Collection includes an estimated 4 million images dating from approximately 1918 to 1990. The collection documents events, personalities, movements and institutions that were covered by the L.A. Times during this period. Founded in 1881, the L.A. Times continues to operate today as the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country.
The collection consists of photo negatives as well as photographic prints, including glass negatives (circa 1918-1932), nitrate negatives (circa 1925-45) and safety negatives (circa 1935-1990). The scope of the collection is a near-comprehensive representation of events, personalities, movements and institutions covered by the news in twentieth-century Los Angeles. The documentary material reflects L.A. growth, politics, built environment, arts and culture as it was interpreted by the newspaper.
Selections from the Los Angeles Times Photographic Collection have been digitized and can be viewed through UCLA Library Digital Collections. While digitization is ongoing, the digital catalog contains nearly 22,000 items for users to browse online.