Category Archives: Uncategorized

After a couple of solid weeks out in Chavez Ravine, let’s get back to Bunker Hill. And do you know what was on Bunker Hill? Fire Stations! There were two engine companies on Bunker Hill, and images of neither made the book Bunker Hill, Los Angeles (though there is a passing mention of the HopeContinue reading “The Fire Stations of Bunker Hill”

The story so far: we introduced our subject in Part I by detailing how Chavez Ravine’s Master Narrative, from which came the Reparations Bill, is equal parts unsupportable claims and outlandish disinformation. Part II made sure you knew Chavez Ravine’s history. Part III provided a snapshot of life in Palo Verde, La Loma and BishopContinue reading “Chavez Ravine, Pt. VII: What Have We Learned”

The story so far: we introduced our subject in Part I by detailing how Chavez Ravine’s Master Narrative, from which came the Reparations Bill, is equal parts unsupportable claims and outlandish disinformation. Part II made sure you knew Chavez Ravine’s history. Part III provided a snapshot of life in Palo Verde, La Loma and BishopContinue reading “Chavez Ravine, Pt. VI: The Arechiga Family”

Our story so far: we introduced our subject in Part I by detailing how Chavez Ravine’s popular mainstream narrative is aggressively counterfactual. Part II answered the question of “what is this Chavez Ravine?” Part III gave a rough sketch of what life was like in Palo Verde, La Loma and Bishop during the postwar era,Continue reading “Chavez Ravine, Pt. V: Here Come the Dodgers”

The story so far: In Part I, we outlined how the habitual narrative—including most everything that made it into the Reparations Bill—is a mixture of urban legend, conspiracy theory, manipulated facts, confirmation bias, and outright nonsense. In Part II, we examined the area’s genesis and growth into the 1940s. In Part III, we looked atContinue reading “Chavez Ravine, Pt. IV: The Rise and Fall of Elysian Park Heights”

The story so far: In our introductory Part I, we saw how, when it comes to that fabled place called Chavez Ravine, what you likely believe is untrue, your having been fed the disinformation-heavy Regime Narrative. In Part II, you were given an outline as to the area’s location, genesis, and evolution. Today: a quickContinue reading “Chavez Ravine, Pt. III: Calm Before the Storm”

Welcome back! The story so far: Last time, in our introductory Part I, I pointed out that the whole “Chavez Ravine was destroyed by right-wing real estate developers who illegally evicted everyone because they hated Mexicans and violently displaced them and gave them no money for the homes they had been in for generations inContinue reading “Chavez Ravine, Pt. II: What is Chavez Ravine?”

I’m here today to write about Chavez Ravine, which is not on Bunker Hill, true, but their stories share commonalities: postwar government says “we know what’s best for you” and seizes property, removes the residents, and redevelops. There are countless instances of this in Los Angeles’ history, but in the case of Chavez Ravine, itContinue reading “The Truth About Chavez Ravine, Pt. I”

My esteemed friend and Angels Flight co-operator Will, AKA saturdaystationagent, does great work on his Instagram regarding the Flight, like his timelapse photography (with longer vids of Life in the Station House uploaded to YouTube) as well as all manner of other Flight-flavored IG nuggets, one of my favorites being this. Plus, he documents theContinue reading “Angels Flight in Cinema”

There are three books about Bunker Hill and you’re going to want to get all of them! *********** MARSAK’S GUIDE TO BUNKER HILL Bunker Hill is an open-air museum of modernism, showcasing sterling examples of all the major postwar building styles, including Corporate Modern, Postmodern, and today’s contemporary architecture. Incredibly, it also still contains touchstonesContinue reading “The Bunker Hill Book Trilogy”