Hotel Clark Los Angeles.

Cartographer(s): PGB Morris
Date: 1938
Place: Los Angeles
Dimensions: 43.5 x 28 cm (17 x 11 in)
Condition Rating: VG+

Out of stock

SKU: NL-01208 Category: Tags: ,

1930s Bird’s-eye-view of Los Angeles, advertising Hotel Clark.

Details

This illustrated bird’s eye view of Los Angeles offers a glimpse into what the city would have looked like in the 1930s. It is not a realistic depiction of the city per se, but it does show the urban sprawl in a manner that makes both the whole and individual features immediately recognizable.

Looking north, we see the city stretched between Santa Monica and Pasadena. The view was originally compiled as an advertisement for the iconic Hotel Clark, located on Fifth and Hill St, but no longer in function today. The skyline is deliberately drawn so that the hotel dominates the view. Hollywood also receives considerable emphasis, partly because of its nationwide fame, but just as much to stress Hotel Clark’s proximity to this part of the city.

Despite the ephemeral style of the illustration, quite a few attractions and essential buildings are discernible and labeled. The center of the composition is, of course, Hotel Clark itself. Still, among the other noticeable elements, we find the famous Warner Bros. and Paramount theaters just a stone’s throw away across Pershing Square.

On the verso, a range of images from within the hotel gives potential guests an impression of both rooms and facilities. The images are surrounded by information about room rates, hotel features, luxury offerings, and special discounts.

Cartographer(s):

Condition Description

Very good.

References