Author Archives: Nathan Marsak

So you’re flipping through your copy of Los Angeles Before the Freeways and thinking well, that’s a great old building, I wonder what’s there now? So, just for fun (if your idea of fun is a hefty dose of hiraeth) here are ten shots from Freeways, paired with a contemporary view: ABOVE: Looking north onContinue reading “Before the Freeways: What’s There Now?”

Fresh on the heels of this Instagram post, a nifty KCRW piece hit the airwaves this morning: https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/kcrw-features/before-freeways Check it out! And while I have you here— —I want to thank everyone who came out last Saturday to the book launch! We had a time!

Los Angeles Before the Freeways is officially out-and-in-stores as of this morning. Go grab yours! And if you do not as yet own Bunker Hill, Los Angeles, grab that too! And if you want to know more about Bunker Hill — specifically, its less savory aspects — might I suggest you pick up the quaintContinue reading “The Big Four”

********* There’s a terrific review of the book by Local News Pasadena‘s Robert Savino Oventile— —which you may read by clicking here: https://localnewspasadena.com/2025/picturing-history-in-las-architecture/ ******** Then, in HeySoCal! — Click →→ https://heysocal.com/2025/03/10/book-los-angeles-before-the-freeways-captures-images-of-lost-architectural-gems/ ←← here! ******** And check out this article in The Eastsider by clicking here!

As detailed in my last post, there’s a new book about old LA coming to stores near you (does it have Bunker Hill in it? Of course!)… And to celebrate, this Saturday March 22nd, we’re having a party! Why should you come to this party? I’ll give you five reasons! It’s at the Central Library.Continue reading “Come to the Book Launch!”

Greetings, friends! I began this blog in advance of the 2020 publication of Bunker Hill, Los Angeles. Since then I’ve self-published a couple more books about Bunker Hill — Bunker Noir! and Marsak’s Guide to Bunker Hill — and now it’s time to announce the new book from Angel City Press! (And believe it orContinue reading “Huge News! New Book! “Los Angeles Before the Freeways””

Everyone loves the boom-era mansions of Bunker Hill, which we know primarily through images shot as they neared their demolition, photographed in the 1950s and 60s by the likes of Hylen, Reagh, Conner, et al. More rare and important are those images captured of a house in its early years. Luckily, many of the mostContinue reading “The Weller House”

Happy Washington’s Birthday! Washington’s birthday is, of course, on the 22nd, but has, since 1971, been celebrated the third Monday of February. (Which is today, so happy Washington’s Birthday, and before you say “don’t you mean Presidents’ Day?” be advised I do not, because there is no such thing as Presidents’ Day.) What does GeorgeContinue reading “George Washington on Bunker Hill”

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all movies with Bunker Hill in them are better than others, that they are endowed by their creators to have lots of Bunker Hill in them, that among these include Angels Flight, Bunker Hill Avenue, and some pretty rare stuff once in a while. ************ Let’s lookContinue reading “The Shadow on the Window”

My buddy Bryan is a cool guy. He sculpts busts of Edgar Allen Poe and Bram Stoker and H. P. Lovecraft, and then makes Lovecraftian films. Plus he has a giant African sulcata. Oh, and drives a 1961 hearse (the mark of greatness indeed! …or so says the man who drove one himself). Should youContinue reading “Sally Brown at the Avalon Apartments”