Today I'm posting two unrelated "mystery photos." The first (top) comes from "Gangster Story," a 1960 movie starring and directed by Walter Matthau. This week, Thomas Rupp has been trying to learn if the busy scene above was one of the many shot here in Orange County. Does anyone recognize the location? (You can watch the whole movie online, if you're into that kind of thing.).
The second mystery photo comes to me from the L.A. Conservancy. Someone wrote to them trying to identify it, and the Conservancy folks didn't know either. They theorize that it was taken in Southern California in the 1950s. In the background, there appears to be some sort of WPA-ish tribute to pioneers. Do you know more?
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If you were a Boy Scout in Orange County, you'll probably enjoy Phil Brigandi's new blog, "Notes From A Lost Valley." Although located in the mountains of northeastern San Diego County, Lost Valley has been a Boy Scout camp for O.C. since 1959. Today, it's officially known as the "Schoepe Scout Reservation at Lost Valley" - in honor of early Anaheim industrialist (and Scouting benefactor) Adolf Schope.
If you were a Boy Scout in Orange County, you'll probably enjoy Phil Brigandi's new blog, "Notes From A Lost Valley." Although located in the mountains of northeastern San Diego County, Lost Valley has been a Boy Scout camp for O.C. since 1959. Today, it's officially known as the "Schoepe Scout Reservation at Lost Valley" - in honor of early Anaheim industrialist (and Scouting benefactor) Adolf Schope.
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Stan Oftelie provided more clues regarding Sunday's post about the 1905 Duro. It turns out that my theory about it being Tom Talbert's car may have something to it. According to Stan, in 1909, Tom Talbert and George W. Angle (Chairman of the O.C. Board of Supervisors) drove around the whole county together, calling on every member of the O.C. Republican Central Committee, to make sure they had their support. (That was a LOT of driving in 1909!) Their headquarters for this venture was Angle's gas station - the Try-Angle Service Station - located in Myford (now part of Irvine). Is that Angle sitting on the running board and Talbert fixing the tire?
The second was taken at the 'This is the place monument' in Salt Lake City.You Can compare to the photo at that website.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the top picture I thought of Anaheim. Then I looked at the IMDB entry for Gangster Story and it says that the film was shot in Anaheim in the homes of the crew members. Could be an amazing coincidence. It would be hard to verify by actually going to Anaheim now, though, because the city saw fit to completely demolish their historic downtown years ago.
ReplyDeletebrianp: I initially thought it was Anaheim too. The scale of the buildings and everything looks right. But I couldn't find any landmarks that confirmed it for me. It's still possible that it's from another SoCal city, or is just stock footage from somewhere else entirely.
ReplyDeleteanonymous: Thanks for solving the mystery. I'm forwarding your reply along to the Conservancy folks.
re: First photo - is there any way to find out if there was a "Dalton Hotel" or "National Paints" in ANA?
ReplyDeleteThe mural in the second photo looks like the ones on old Home Savings & Loan buildings (now WaMu). There's one at Main and Washington in Santa Ana, and at Lincoln & Harbor in Ahaiem.
ReplyDelete2nd photo I reminds me of the paintings inside Home Savings in Santa Ana. I remember wanting to stay and enjoy the art even after my mother was done banking.
ReplyDeleteMillard Sheets was the art director for Home Savings. It showed.
ReplyDeleteMy vote on the second picture is the Home Savings and Loan building on Beach near Knott's Berry Farm.
ReplyDeleteThe first picture is a view looking east on 4th Street in Santa Ana from Spurgeon Street.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rob! I'll forward that information along to Mr. Rupp.
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