Snow in El Sereno, January 12, 1949
75 years ago, on this day, a SoCal blizzard hit El Sereno.
Thanks to Joy Lane for sharing these photos of snow in Gravois Elementary.
Gravois Elementary is a long gone school that was located on what is today Cal State LA's main parking lot.
Joy Lane attended Gravois from 1944 to 1949. Her mother, Esther B. Sangor, took these pictures. Ms. Sangor was the school secretary for many years until the school was taken over by LA State College (now CSULA) and demolished.
Growing Up in El Sereno, by George Rivera
Courtesy of George Rivera, who shared this photo and caption with us.
"These are the kids I grew up with on 4417 Garden Homes Ave. 1947
Last house on the block.
Becky Rivera on left, Bobby Rivera in middle and me, George Rivera with letterman sweater."
El Sereno's Fire Station # 47 Patch
Shout-out to our first responders, proudly serving our community.
Fire Station 47, the Pride of El Sereno. It's pretty cool that the station patch has a Ram as it's mascot.
Alta Pines Restaurant, 1929
Located on top of the Lombardy Blvd and Eastern Ave Hill. Alta Pines served chicken or rabbit dinners for $1 in 1929.
The ad is from 1929 and the photo is from 1970. The red arrow points to the original location of the restaurant, which was still surrounded by pines in the 1970s.
Trivia: The ad states the address as 2608 Eastern Ave, formally El Sereno Ave.
Originally, El Sereno Ave ran from Huntington Drive to Valley Blvd.
The Golden Chicken Restaurant
The Golden Chicken restaurant was located on Lombardy Blvd, near Eastern Ave. Photo circa 1964.
You can see part of the Alta Pines Restaurant at the top of the hill in the background.
I wonder what happened to the rooster?
Big thanks to ESHS board member Louis Salcido for finding this amazing photo!
Legion Ascot Speedway Entrance
El Sereno's Legion Ascot Speedway Alhambra Avenue entrance, 1932.
Alhambra Avenue was renamed Valley Blvd, as we know it today.
Portola Expedition crosses through El Sereno, July 31, 1769
On July 31, 1769, the Portola Expedition made their way to present-day El Sereno.
The diary explains, "The soldiers continue on to a place to the west [of present-day Alhambra,] where they find ample water and forage for the horses and mules."
West of Alhambra is El Sereno, and the water and forage was very likely to be along the historic Arroyo Rosa de Castilla, a perennial spring which still runs beneath El Sereno. The Native American village of Otsungna was located along the arroyo.
You can still see part of the historic arroyo when you enter the 710 south on Valley Blvd.
El Sereno's Portola Avenue is named after the Spanish explorer.
The expedition had a profound impact on the Native-American throughout California.
Bairdstown becomes El Sereno
On August 21, 1917, the official name of our community was changed from Bairdstown to El Sereno.
In 1821, with Mexico's independence from Spain, El Sereno became a rancho. It was named after the historic stream, Arroyo Rosa de Castilla, that was the lifeline since the days of the Native American village of Otsungna. It became the Rancho Rosa de Castilla.
From the 1880s to the end of the century, the community was known as Farmdale. Then, in 1904, real estate development boomed with the arrival of the Bairds brothers, and the community became known as Bairdstown.
Exactly 107 years ago, Bairdstown was renamed El Sereno.
Thanks to ESHS board member Louis Salcido for sharing this find.
P.S. Eastern Ave used to be El Sereno Avenue.
#otsungna
#sangabrielmission
#ranchorosadecastilla
#farmdale
#bairdstown
#elsereno
#elserenohistory
#calstatela
#calstatelafcu
Honoring African American architect Paul R Williams.
New mural at Wilson Senior High honors the legacy and work of African American architect Paul R Williams.
PAUL REVERE WILLIAMS
(1894-1980)
Often referred to as the "Architect to the Stars," designing luxury homes for celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Quincy Jones, and Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, American architect Paul R. Williams designed or collaborated in the design of over 2,500 homes and iconic buildings including the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Los Angeles International Airport, St. Jude Hospital in Memphis and our beautiful Woodrow Wilson High School.
In a career that spanned over five decades, Paul R. Williams proved to be an innovative and influential architect whose genius transcended social and racial barriers, paving the way for architects of color.
Wilson High School proudly honors the legacy of Paul R. Williams and thanks him for our beautiful campus where we come together each day to be inspired, to live and to learn.
African American architect Paul R Williams, who designed Wilson High School.
PAUL REVERE WILLIAMS
(1894-1980)
*First African American to be admitted to the American Institute of Architect's College of Fellows in 1957.
*First African American to become a member of the American Institute of
Architects(AIA) in 1923.
*Posthumously awarded the American Institute of Architects' Gold Medal in 2017.
Thank you, Principal Verbera, for your contributions to the wording on the mural and for making this possible.
#elsereno
#paulrwilliams
#elserenohistory
#wilsonseniorhigh
#wilsonmules
#whs_lausd
#wilson_alumni_la