Apparently rainy days cause people to reminisce. We've have a couple of items about the not-always-good old days.
Paul Ayers' father collected the first section of the LA Times during historic incidents. Today, he shared with us pictures of mud and debris flows in the Montrose area on Jan. 2 and 3, 1934.
[This picture] is described in the LAT as “Honolulu avenue [sic] in Montrose.” Based on the mountain profiles in the background, the fact that an intersection is depicted and that one of the major debris flows came down just to the west of Rosemont at or near where the present flood control channel is I think the view is looking west down Honolulu from a point just east of Rosemont and Honolulu.
Described in the LAT as “Montrose Avenue, in Montrose.” I think this view was shot on Montrose Avenue looking east at a point between Rosemont and Briggs. I think you can see Holy Redeemer’s spire and the rectory house in the background. Note man on horseback to the left.
[This picture] is described in the LAT as “Living–room of home at Ethel and Mountain avenue [sic], Glendale, after storm waters swept through house”. This house still stands [on] Mountain. I have attached a present day photo of the house showing the arched window, the small square window and the fireplace/chimney depicted in the LAT photo.
The house is now unlived in and in a state of disrepair. It is looked after by the neighbors across the street who park cars in the driveway to give some sign of life. They related the following: The owners of the house at the house at the time of the flood took many photos of the flood and damage to the home; these photos are still in the house along with a great deal of other material. Apparently a piano that was in the house at the time of the flood was carried 2 miles downstream from the house. The home was inherited by a daughter who passed away in the last ten years; the house is now owned by her husband who lives out of the area. I asked them to ask the husband if he would consider donating the historically significant material. That was two weeks ago and I haven’t heard anything yet and kinda doubt that I will.
Our second blast into the past is found on Radigan Neuhalfen's site (he lives in Mongolia???) and takes us a few years ahead: Altadena resident and future Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling suffered a graffiti attack on his home in 1945. Why? He hired George Miniaki, a young Japanese-American whose parents lived in a relocation camp, as a gardener. Click on the link for a fascinating walk through a not-always-proud past.
