I’m not sure if I’ll ever get out to Los Angeles again… I have visited twice, 28 years apart, in 1962 (when I was four and have little recollection) and again in 1990. I hear you get looked at quite suspiciously if you’re caught walking around, with a camera or without. LA has improved its public transportation (when you think LA public transit, you always thought of Dennis Hopper’s jury rigged bomb bus in Speed) but in the year since then, miles of Metro Rail track have been constructed. Till I do get out there, I depend on Street View…
…which revealed this ancient neon billboard on South Vermont off of West 90th. There are actually two signs, facing north and south. It was installed in 1932 and optimistically numbered the goods in a long-gone hardware store.
Check out the ForgottenBook, take a look at the gift shop, and as always, “comment…as you see fit.”
6/21/18
6 comments
Hello, I was raised in Woodhaven, born in 1934. For some reason I was thinking about the Bushwicks baseball team and I somehow discovered this site. I remember going to Dexter Park when I was about 10. I remember seeing Satchel Paige at the Park before he went to the “Majors”.
I went to high school in Brooklyn and traveled on the “L” with the open gated platforms at each end. They must have been the original cars.
We moved from Woodhaven when I was 16. When I last visited I was about 40 and was not happy to see all the businesses with razor wire protecting their property. I’ve lived in Lancaster, Pa for 40 years and there is nothing I miss about New York.
This New York boy moved to LA over five years ago, and loves it. You should come out Kevin! It’s surprisingly easy to get around. The Metro is clean, fast, inexpensive ($1.75 a ride) and is supplemented by a very large bus system (free transfers). Lots to do, and the weather is awesome 350 days a year. Fly into Burbank (avoid LAX), stay in nearby North Hollywood where the Red and Orange lines terminate, and you can pretty much go anywhere in LA County from the San Gabriel Valley to Santa Monica using public transit.
Much like you in NYC, I walk around various parts of the city with a history book and map in hand, and have learned a lot about the history of the City of Angels. I probably know more about LA history than most native Angelenos do!
interesting post, Ferryboy. I have lived in the SOCAL area since 1985. The last five years in the VALLEY.
I have to disagree with your comment of having a history book in hand during your walk around of the City Of Angels as
in my humble opinion there is very little history of note to be found in the city of Angeles.
Enjoy your travels on Metro as there is no way in heck one should be advised to use that of course if one doesn’t mind sharing the experience with people who are not quite there if you catch my drift.
I am living for the day I can get out of CA if only I can convince my wife to do so ASAP!
Are you sure that this isn’t a monument dedicated to the most prolific reporter in the history of journalism?
My dad is 92, losing his memory, grew up near Million Article Thompson and never mentioned the store to me..until tonight. He can’t remember what he had for lunch so you can see my surprise when he told a detailed story of how his dad and him would go to this amazing hardware store with “Million Article Thompson” in neon. Why he remembered was the store had a giant rifle under the sign.. it also had neon..at least on one side. You can imagine how that would fascinate a kid. MAT sold rifles back in the day. Dad was born in 1926 and MAT was his dads favorite hardware spot his whole childhood. Thanks for the post..it was nice for him to see it was still there. :^)
I passed by Million Article Thompson at least twice a day, every school day, for 8 years as I walked to St. Michael’s School located on 87th off Vermont. However, I think I only went in the place twice in my lifetime!