This story didn't happen at Union Station. It was about four years too early for that. But at least in reading the story, we can imagine that it happened there, as all good noir stories should. It was 1931, and something fishy was going on. The train from Phoenix had pulled in on time, now all the luggage was gone, except two trunks -- that stank so badly, the porters wished it was fish. It......

Taken in Encino | Photo by fotonomous via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr On Monday, we observed Los Angeles' birthday (really, it was Labor Day), but today is the actual birthday of Los Angeles. In an LA Times' editorial today, they ask an important one: "where do L.A. natives go to reconnect with the city's history?" Not Chinatown they say, the original one is where Union Station stands today. And both Chinatown and Olvera......

While we're talking about train stations, a man by the name, Fred Harvey forged a partnership in 1876 with the railroads to open chains of hotels and restaurants along the railways, they continued to be built and operated through the 1940s, though Fred Harvey himself died in 1901. They became a civilizing force in the wild west. Food was served on china, and coats were required in the dining rooms. It's thought that blue......

There are few places in Los Angeles where you can feel the history, where if you squint hard enough, you could easily be in the 1930s, and yet that have a key place in Los Angeles' future. That place is Union Station, one of the most beautiful buildings in our city. Most of it is open to the public and it's central to anyone who wants to take a train, bus or subway (which makes......

For a long time it seemed like Bob's Big Boy was going, going, and almost gone. But the end of an era has been halted, thanks to the new owner of the site of the old Johnie's Broiler in Downey, who is set to build a new Big Boy based on old designs. The LA Times reports that "the new owner plans to restore the original 1958 plans" which include a car-hop. "The builders of......

In 2007, Curbed LA named Hollywood and Highland the ugliest building in Los Angeles. From many (if not most) angles, they have a point. But In the center of this ode to modern consumerism is a secret, a reference to the glamor and debauchery that are Hollywood's past. It started, as all the best secrets do, a long, long time ago. In 1916, D.W. Griffith made Intolerance, his response to the widely maligned Birth of......

On the night of August 8th, 1969, three young women and one young man traveled from their "family" compound following the instructions of their group leader to the Cielo Drive home that had once been the residence of Doris Day's music industry-affiliated son Terry Melcher, but was now the rented home of director Roman Polanski and his pregnant wife Sharon Tate. Once on the premises the four initiated a bloodbath that cost the lives of......

A historic piece of property has just gone up for sale: The redwood hangar where eccentric millionaire and aviation icon Howard Hughes (pictured) built and housed the "Spruce Goose." The hangar was set up in the early 40s when Hughes was awarded a wartime government contract, and, according to the LA Times, "is now used mainly for movie and television shoots." It is located in what is now the Playa Vista Development. In 1998, when......

A Quick Look at the History of the Cost of a Trip to Anaheim's Disneyland The high cost of living has hit everyone hard, and now Mickey Mouse is feeling the pain, too. That's why the price of coming to visit him and all his friends at the "Happiest Place on Earth" will be even more expensive, starting tomorrow. KNBC explains: At Disneyland in Anaheim, one-day prices will rise from $66 to $69 for those......

We're well into Shark Week 2008! Last night was a lot of fun and there's more to come tonight, I've highlighted the "Greenland Shark Quest" below as the one to watch. If TV sharks aren't enough, of course Discovery Channel's Shark Week website has a bunch of news, scientific info, and games all tied into Shark Week - my fave is "Go Shark Yourself" which is creepy gross and fun at the same time. Once......

Photo by colros via Flickr Since the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, architect Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House at Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood has been damaged closed and has been awaiting repairs and retrofitting over the last 14 years (however, it is still open for tours). Some of the work has been done, thanks to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds that went towards the first phase of seismic retrofitting, repairs, and restoration, but the......

Last month, Col. Griffith J. Griffith's grandson and the Griffith J. Griffith Charitable Trust put in an application has applied to formally preserve the park by getting it designated as a historic landmark. "We're doing it to stop commercialization," the grandson told the Daily News. "They want to build aerial trams, hotels and build restaurants. "We don't need any of it. I believe my great-grandfather would be turning over in his grave." Lots of people......

On October 28, 1966, commuters between Malibu and the Valley were surprised by the image of a large, running depiction of a naked woman. Sixty feet tall, painted in pink house paint, she was quickly dubbed The Pink Lady. At first, there was much speculation as to the artist and the purpose of such an image. Due to the subject matter, it was assumed to be a man. It turned out that this mysterious image......

Think LA's relationship with underground rail transit began with the first tunnels blasted out to make way for the Red Line? Think again! LA's first subterranean transit system was a short stretch of tunneling dubbed the "Hollywood Subway," which moved its first passengers under the city in 1925 via electric interurban rail cars. Opening Day in Toluca Yard (end of the Hollywood Subway at 1st and Glendale); original source unkonwn, via California Trolleys The idea......

Photo by Omar Omar via Flickr Late last month, Tribune Company chairman and CEO Sam Zell said in a memo that he was considering selling the iconic Times Mirror Square (along with the Tribune Tower in Chicago). If it does sell, Zell says moving out won't be immediate (they could sell and lease back some of the space), but come five years down the road, moving day may arrive. So the question remains, what......

The Dominator ran aground on March 13, 1961 at the point between Lunada Bay and Malaga Cove, near Rocky Point. Carrying a load of wheat and beef from Vancouver, B.C, the vessel was trapped by the current after coming too close to the cliffs. Residents have watched over the years as the sea slowly destroyed the wreckage, until finally just a few bits of the hull and bow remain scattered on the shore. More of the boat is visible at low tide. There are two routes by which to access the wreckage today. Experienced hikers and climbers can make their way down the steep cliffs, but must be cautious of the rocky terrain. It is recommended you go at low tide, be prepared to get wet, and keep an eye out for interesting tide pools. ...

Undoubtedly, some of the best things about living in Los Angeles are our varied terrain, eclectic architecture, landmarks, and fascinating history. That's why when you've hit treadmill and Stairmaster burnout and can't take another day of watching Montel on closed captioning in your gym, taking things outside and into the city's beautiful hills can be a welcome respite from workout drudgery. One great workout walk combines the best of the city with some kick-ass cardio--and......

In addition to providing you with an excellent cardio and lower-body workout, the Hollywoodland Staircases Walk also has amazing views of the city, the landscape, and two major landmarks (the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Observatory). Throw some local history (concrete staircases joining hilly residential streets installed in 1923 as part of the Hollywoodland real estate development) and a wide variety of architecture and you have more for your eyes to drink in than you bargained......

Saturday night was hopping in Chinatown, from Hop Louie's to the Lindy Hop on the dance floor as the iconic neighborhood celebrated their 70th anniversary. A big band was on hand to provide the tunes, folks in 30s and 40s garb milled about, the shops were open, and the Central Plaza was abuzz with young and old alike celebrating Chinatown's history. To learn more about the area's features and stories (like why it's called "New"......

The 31st annual Echo Park Lotus Festival is only two weeks away, but something--something central to the event--is missing: The Lotus. The past few years have seen a disturbing and rapid decline in the lotus blooms and leaves that typically spring up in the lake and bathe the water's surface in beautiful pinks and whites. But it's not just a temporary stall in flowering--some believe that the lotus will not be back, and the Lotus......

LAistory is a series that takes us on a journey to what came before to help us understand where we are today. So far we've been to Val Verde, Thelma Todd's Roadside Cafe, a house in Beverly Hills, Echo Park's Bonnie Brae House, Marineland of the Pacific, and Grand Central Air Terminal in Glendale. Now we're going to take you out to the ballgame, some decades back... The arrival of the Dodgers in Los......

LAistory is a series that takes us on a journey to what came before to help us understand where we are today. So far we've been to Val Verde (the "Black Palm Springs"), Thelma Todd's Roadside Cafe, a house in Beverly Hills, Echo Park's Bonnie Brae House, and the long-gone Marineland of the Pacific. Now we're taking to the skies and flying back to the Golden Era of air travel right here in Glendale.........

TMZ got hold of the 911 call when the fire Universal Studios was reported. It's amazing how calm everything sounds. &righticonhover=0x333232&text=0x333232&slider=0xF2F2F2&track=0xFFFFFF&border=0xFFFFFF&loader=0x838383&soundFile=http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_audio/060308_universal_911.mp3"> It's interesting to note that Universal Studios is never mentioned in this call, only Universal City, which is often incorrectly thought of as Universal Studios and the neighborhood of Cahuenga Pass (it's only a general area). The reason she asks for the address first is that she can easily dispatch fire engines to the......

See more photos here | Photo by Tom Andrews/LAist Yesterday's all-day fire at Universal Studios, which engulfed two city movie-set blocks (destroying a part of the King Kong tour and one of the Back to the Future sets), was finally knocked down late in the afternoon. An investigation will be going into what caused the blaze, but also one is being called to look into the low-pressure water system that ultimately hindered firefighters in......

The AP reports that the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) have cut a 3-year deal with the studios so now the pressure is really on the SAG. AFTRA runs a distant second in terms of size (70,000 vs 120,000+) compared to the SAG but if that organization could find enough terms to their liking in the offer from the studios, the SAG is going to have a hard time pushing away from......

Reader Apollo Sputnik was down in Vernon and happened upon this treasure. Thankfully, he shared with us so we could share with you: "I was happy to discover La Villa Basque in the middle of industrial Vernon. I have never seen a better kept mid-century diner. They're only open for lunch during the week -- but it's worth the effort... The place is full of a cast of characters -- I passed by a 70+......

Although Los Angeles is by most standards a young city, it is a city full of history, regardless. In LAist's past we've looked at the mysterious Spider Pool ruins, the life of James M. Wood, and Campo de Cahuenga, but have barely scratched the surface. Today we're introducing a new feature on the site, LAistory, which will take us on a journey to what came before to help us understand where we are today. We......

“Early morning, April 4 A shot rings out in a Memphis sky. Free at last, they took your life They could not take your Pride.” -U2, “Pride (In the Name of Love)” It’s now been 40 years since Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated. This weekend, the “news” will look back on the turbulent 60’s and see how far we’ve come since then, but they often take the wrong perspective. They look at cultural advances......

Photo by _ gianni's_ photography _ AKA *Prime Imagery* via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr In part to honor the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr and in part to "increase the peace" a 40-hour moratorium on violence goes into effect for the City of Los Angeles starting at 6:01 p.m. tonight. Do your part! Because "You can't fire me...I QUIT!" lacks that certain je-ne-sais-quoi, perhaps? An employee in......

Legend says that Echo Park got its name from workers building the original reservoir said their voices echoed off the canyon walls. However... After years of searching, LAist has found the “echo” of Echo Park. And wouldn’t you know, it wasn’t even in that neighborhood. No, Echo Park’s “echo” has been trapped at the birthplace of Los Angeles: at Olvera Street. In the plaza there, inside the only bandstand in the City, an echo lives......