Ralph’s Market, Five Points-Lincoln Heights circa 1920’s
From the Los Angeles Times, September 16, 1919:
STATION RENAMED
Old East Side Police Quarters Now “Lincoln Heights”
The name of the East Side Police Station is to become a matter of ancient history. Henceforth this place is to be known on all official records as the Lincoln Heights Police Station. The Police Commission yesterday complied with the request of improvement associations in Lincoln Heights and officially changed the name.
In 1917 a section of East Los Angeles was renamed “Lincoln Heights.” As endearing as the new name was to become, it was still common for residents to refer to their neighborhood as “The East Side.” To this day, when older Angelenos talk about the Lincoln Heights, they’ll often say “You know, The Eastside.”
Another remnant of the name “Eastside” was the “Eastside Brewery” (near my old neighborhood “East Side Clover”), which then became Pabst/Eastside Brewery, then Pabst Blue Ribbon Brewery, and now a residence for artist’s called “The Brewery” whose artist residents don’t want to be considered part of Lincoln Hts but a separate local called “The Brewery”.
Weird Times we live in, wish I could still toast these elitist’s at “The Brewery” with a cold long neck of “Eastside Beer”, it was really good stuff, and cheap too.
Don Quixote, I love your reminisces! Please keep them coming! By the way, Joe from Frieden’s really liked your comment regarding the store. He was surprised someone remembered the x-ray shoe sizer.
Al- I remember the area being called “Bella Vista”, Im not an expert but I’ve only heard that ELA starts East of Indianna St., Indianna St. is the Los Angeles City Limit, I believe. Growing up in ELA, we never considered anything east of Bradshawwe ELA!! Sometimes we got territorial and said, nothing east of “Gerhart”!
Al- my dad told me about the old “Bevedere Furniture Store” on 1 st St. Back in the early days when most folks did not own a tv , they would stand on 1st St in front of the Belvedere Furniture Store, and watch Televisison!! He also told me about the “Unique Theatre” down the street and how the owner, a Mr. King lived right around the corner from the theatre. He also said their was a store that would measure your feet, and you would see an x-ray of your foot!!
History of Lincoln Heights Area in Original East Los Angeles
Formally
East Los Angeles Park
Eastside Park
East L.a Skill Center
& Eastlake Park (East Lake Park)
ELA Park
East L.A Plaza
East L.A Winery
Eastside Brewary
Eastside of DownTown Los Angeles Area Code(213)
Lincoln Heights has long been the recreational center of East Los Angeles.
From humble beginnings, City Council created the Department of Parks in 1889. At that time the city owned several pieces of land that were believed suitable for park purposes. They turned over these properties to the newly organized Department of Parks. In a generous mood during Christmas of 1896, Colonel Griffith J. Griffith offered to donate five square miles of the Los Feliz Rancho to the City as a park. He said, “it must be made a place of recreation and rest for the masses, a resort for the rank and file, for the plain people…” What followed was the development of several more parks including the original pueblo lands of the old plaza, Elysian Park, Pershing Square, and later Lincoln Park, MacArthur Park, Echo Lake Park, and Hollenbeck Park.
While these parks were available in the early years of the 20th century, there were no planned and supervised recreation activities in the parks. Children were forced to find their play on public streets and vacant lots that were hardly suited for organized games. These conditions triggered a civic movement to officially establish a Playground Commission and Department. Their plan was “for the prevention and control of juvenile delinquency and to provide wholesome and constructive play and recreation for youth, in supervised playgrounds, as an alternative to play in the city streets.”
Today, the City’s Department of Recreation and Parks manages all municipally owned and operated recreation and parks facilities within the City and has been the human face of the City of Los Angeles. Rooted in the goals of our predecessors, we continue to bring people together to celebrate, to compete, to learn new skills, and to relax with family and friends.
History of Lincoln Heights Area in Original East Los Angeles
Formally
East Los Angeles Park
East L.a Skill Center
Eastside Park
& Eastlake Park (East Lake Park)
ELA Park
East L.A Plaza
East L.A Winery
Eastside Brewary
Eastside of DownTown Los Angeles Area Code(213)
Lincoln Park has long been the recreational center of East Los Angeles.
From humble beginnings, City Council created the Department of Parks in 1889. At that time the city owned several pieces of land that were believed suitable for park purposes. They turned over these properties to the newly organized Department of Parks. In a generous mood during Christmas of 1896, Colonel Griffith J. Griffith offered to donate five square miles of the Los Feliz Rancho to the City as a park. He said, “it must be made a place of recreation and rest for the masses, a resort for the rank and file, for the plain people…” What followed was the development of several more parks including the original pueblo lands of the old plaza, Elysian Park, Pershing Square, and later Lincoln Park, MacArthur Park, Echo Lake Park, and Hollenbeck Park.
While these parks were available in the early years of the 20th century, there were no planned and supervised recreation activities in the parks. Children were forced to find their play on public streets and vacant lots that were hardly suited for organized games. These conditions triggered a civic movement to officially establish a Playground Commission and Department. Their plan was “for the prevention and control of juvenile delinquency and to provide wholesome and constructive play and recreation for youth, in supervised playgrounds, as an alternative to play in the city streets.”
Today, the City’s Department of Recreation and Parks manages all municipally owned and operated recreation and parks facilities within the City and has been the human face of the City of Los Angeles. Rooted in the goals of our predecessors, we continue to bring people together to celebrate, to compete, to learn new skills, and to relax with family and friends.