The First Microwave Tower, 1962-1967

For reasons now lost to me — I spend way too much time falling down internet rabbit holes — I came across the 1964 Loyola High School yearbook, on classmates.com. Their theme that year was “Communication” and as such begins with this sterling image:

Which is, of course, the tower atop the Bell Telephone building at 420 South Grand Ave. Isn’t this an incredible shot? In LIVING COLOR!

We shall pierce the sky and beat the Soviets with our atomic Bunker Hill doohickeys!

And you’re like oh, yeah, when I’m in and around Bunker Hill I gaze up at that thing

Via Googlestreetview. Fun fact: don’t tell anybody, but 420 South Grand is now west coast base of the NSA’s Operation Fairview

— but today you are in fact gazing up at the later second tower atop that building.

You know this, of course, via your copy of Marsak’s Guide to Bunker Hill:

which is available by clicking here

Some notices about the tower’s evolution —

Look, even Valley Knudsen liked the tower! Valley Knudsen is the greatest person in the history of Los Angeles and do not THINK of disagreeing.
From the Society of Architectural Historians
The tower under construction in 1967, and in its now-familiar finished form (late 1968-early ’69, from the Huntington)

In the early-’60s era of enthusiastic Bunker Hill demolitions, most structures were about sixty years old. With our beloved microwave touchstone now reaching that age, let’s begin thinking about the recognition and preservation of this absolutely important landmark.

One thought on “The First Microwave Tower, 1962-1967

  1. Yet another stellar addition to your already monumental ouvre’ of all things Bunker Hill, my man.

    You never fail to inspire me in Los Angeles history and writing.

    Keep going. We need you.

    Like

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