Hello from London uk I just wanted to say bravo on such a fascinating and enjoyable video - have immediately subscribed - I have wondered about the signage of the Beverly Hills hotel for years wondering if it was someone’s actual handwriting but never got around to searching for the answer - and just now you’ve answered it / bravo - keep up the good work.!
That was really interesting Brad, thanks for taking the time to provide us with people and history of West Adams. Love it when youtube recommends channels I might like
I was born in L.A,. in 1946 and had relatives who lived in West Adams. I remember driving by these magnificent homes. Imiss the L.A. of the '50s, '60s., and'70s.
I wasn’t born there but lived from South Central, West Adams❤, to just outside Beverly Hills to The Inland. I moved out of Californiain 2017 and have no desire to go back.
I pass by that yellow building everyday on my way to catch the 10 fwy and never knew there was a memorial there. I'm born and raised in that area and never knew the history. Thanks for this video.
When I was born in 1953 we lived in "the little house" behind my grandparents house on west 17th street. Both parents USC alum., moved to "the valley" in 1957. Lots of memories here.
As a teenager i loved jumping in our family car an old Plymouth Valiant and driving all the way from Altadena to 5162 West Adams Blvd... Sam's Jazz Record Store!!❤ 🎷🎹🎺😮
I was born in Los Angeles 1957-- My grand parents lived on Arlington in those historic homes. My grandma made clothes for celebrity Singers , I and maybe even H M...This is so jaw dropping. I love hearing history like this. I never new this history of West Adams. I lived in the area in my 20's, never knew this. I would like to hear about Arlington as well...Even a story on the famous Golden Bird Chicken located on Adam I think or Western/Adams.. We drove from San Fernando valley to Los Angelss to get this famous chicken. I think now China owns. everything about it changed. Not the same. popularity all gone. Amzin
Nicely done historical tour of West Adams. The iconic AAA headquarter building and St. Vincent Catholic Church at the intersection of Adams and Figueroa Street are also historic in the West Adams neighborhood.
Brilliant! I so lament beautiful Old Los Angeles specially for us natives the transplants do not appreciate history it's only a house in an area that might be convenient!!
So beautiful thank you so much for sharing. I know where the W,est Adam's District is and have viewed a lot of the old gorgeous homes, please keep your videos coming. I have subscribed. ❤
I went to 24th st elementary school! It had over 2000 students in the 60s when me and my sister all went to. The surrounding neighborhood was rundown and poor that's why this is eye opening for me. I walked past some of these home as a small child. I lived on 22nd st.
It's always interesting to listen to the subject of Los Angeles history! I'm originally from Brooklyn, NY, but I grew up in the suburbs of the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. Hollywood and Los Angeles are amongst the most interesting places on the entire planet! As a result, I enjoy reading 📚 true crime novels by the greats James Ellroy and Walter Mosley. As an organized crime historian, LA also has an interesting history as well. Thank you for also sharing the history of the talented and affluent Black American entertainers and professionals that gave this affluent community a great history and prominence. Paul Williams was a brilliant architect! It's a shame that society only focuses on Black entertainers and athletes! West Adams is a very interesting location in Los Angeles! I hope that it will stand the test of time.
When I was in 5th and 6th grade my sister and I would walk past the Golden State Mutual Life Building every day. A sharp dressed bookie named Sam use to give every single kid that passed that side of the street a shiny quarter. Which back then was enough to get a few things from the store. The actress Yvette Wilson who played Andell Wilkerson on the Moesha TV show and later The Parker's TV show walk to and from school with my sister and I. There was a short cut going past the First AME Church where we would all walk in between the old buildings back then. Everything was run down at that time. All the kids were told, that big house in the center of the street was where the Black Panthers use to hang out in the 60s
@@gloriousjohnson1807 Lol Nice. We lived on LaSalle also. Two blocks south of Adams. My cousins lived on the block behind the Hattie McDaniel's house. The apartment building diagonally south, across from First AME is where they made the finale scene from Cleopatra Jones. That building was vacant for almost 15 years
@@bradbell3744Wonderfull job !!!!! I appreciate you for giving Mr. Williams ALL of his propers !!!!!Look forward to seeing the rest of videos. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Another celebrity who lived in West Adams was Big Mama Thornton. She made the songs "You Ain't Nothing But A Hound Dog" or just "Hound Dog" famous. She lived a few houses from my house. Same side of the street.
@@bradbell3744 Lol yep. Us kids on the had no idea she was a woman because she wore mens suits with a big fedora covering her eyes. She had a big belly and she was tall for a woman. We were all afraid of her until one of the adults told us it was Big Mama Thornton. There were TV commercials on selling her oldies at that time, so we realized she was ok lol. It was a great neighborhood. A 7 bedroom house cost 20k back then.
@@bradbell3744 And isn't it a terrible shame what these vultures are trying to do to the Presley Estate. They're trying to steal it. I wish I or someone could start a fund raiser to keep the Presley Estate (Graceland) in the hands of the Presley family. The Carpet baggers coming to pick the bones clean. My aunt sang background for Elvis when he performed in Vegas and on several of his songs he recorded in the late 60s to the 70s. She was part of the group called The Sweet Inspirations, so I have personal feelings about that
Thanks, for the wonderful tour and history of the West Adams neighborhood. I used to work at Mount Saint Mary’s University for many years and spent a lot of time in the Doheny mansion. The whole campus is nice. An oasis!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video. It wasn't until I read a book about Fredrick Rindge and found out he had a home in the West Adams neighborhood that my interest was piqued. I had always known that there were famous mansions in the neighborhood. Then around this same time I made several trips Earle's sandwich shop on Crenshaw to help Cary sell a car. See my video: "Restored Vehicle for Sale". Thanks for the comments pivotshot6121.
I'm commenting as the video goes by. Paul Williams also designed my grandfather's church on Central Avenue. New Hope Baptist Church. Its more art deco style like the Shine Auditorium or LA City Hall
Thank you so much for sharing a wonderful part of history. Paul Williams was ABSOLUTELY THE BEST !!!!!!! I would love to own one of the homes he designed . I've already included this on my vision board and with FAITH..... I will OWN one of those homes.
@@cocoaorange1 Paul Williams was the first black Architect certified west of the Mississippi. In the 1920s he experienced that some white people didn't want to sit next to him while he sketched out the drafts for their homes or other buildings so he learn to draw everything upside down. That way he could sit on the opposite side of the table and draw the building so the image was right-side up for the customer but upside down for him. He grew up in Los Angeles and went to USC.
Thank you so very much Mr.Bell for this very informative architectural video.I had the privilege of living in Hancock Park,LA for 6years and walked every block of it admiring the various archiectural styles....still I knew nothing of the West Adams neighborhood!
I would have loved to have taken a tour of the interior. But I did get an interior tour of Greystone mansion 20+ years ago. There was, however, a tour of the mansion with Huell Howser.
Not sure, but the Doheny house looks like the house in Captains and the Kings, the mini series based on Taylor Caldwell's novel, as Joseph Armagh's house. Also, maybe, the Fred Ridge house. At least, maybe, designed by the same architect.
That might be true. There are several sources that clarify the boundaries for the West Adams neighborhood, and they differ slightly. If you look at "West Adams, Los Angeles" on Wikipedia, then scroll down to Geography you'll find differing opinions. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Adams,_Los_Angeles
@@bradbell3744 I understand. But I lived there for 30 years and learned the history of West Adams from those who lived there since the 50s. I also put very little trust in Wikipedia. Sugar Ray Robinson lived on Adams Blvd, on the corner at the light just before you get to Crenshaw, until his death, and he used to say, West Adams was his home
Am disappointed that you did not include what is today the home of the LA84 Foundation and Olympic Library. That is the one mansion in the West Adams neighborhood I am familiar with and fond of.
You left out one of Paul's most magnificent structures the Darby hotel which housed the presidents of the United States and even Marilyn Monroe right on west Adams.
I had never heard of the Darby Hotel before, but was able to find photos online. It appears to have been built in 1910 so Paul Williams was not the architect. It was beautiful though. If you find links to the hotel or information regarding it's history, please share. I was able to find out that this building is still there and the exterior is still the same. It is now called the Grace Apartment Hotel.
The campus follows no rhyme or reason in regards to address. They consider the whole campus as 10 Chester Place, with numbered buildings. Those numbers do not correlate to surrounding address measures. They should fall under the 700 block, or 2300 block numbering.
@bradbell3744 I've seen references to both 8 and 10 Chester Place. I think the distinction is that when the home was the mansion of Edward Dohney the address was 8 Chester Place, but now, the mansion is part of Mount St. Mary’s University which has a 10 Chester Place address.
I don't know. But you call call Mount Saint Mary's University (Doheny Campus) and inquire. Here's a video by Huell Houser about the mansion: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wGfnhHt7sek.html
I tend to agree. But, Maude Delmont, his main accuser, had a police record for extortion, blackmail and prostitution. Those interested can take a look at this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Rappe
