Christian Science Church will have the largest dome west of Chicago

Tourists and visitors flock to Laurel Canyon — and to Lookout Mountain

Cartoon character Mutt thinks he can get lucky at the track; he finds otherwise

Los Angeles in the 1900s

February 1909

by
George Garrigues
Los Angeles Examiner, February 7, 1909

LARGEST AND COSTLIEST CHURCH ON THE COAST NEARS COMPLETION

Massive Concrete Dome Is a Marvel to Builders Throughout the Country

When the Second Church of Christ, Scientist, on West Adams Street, near Hoover Street, is finished, Los Angeles can boast of having the largest and most magnificent church west of Chicago.

Of Roman Corinthian architecture, it will be an imposing structure and will cost nearly a quarter of a million dollars.

Built almost exclusively of reinforced concrete, the reinforcement consisting of lattice steel frame work, the structure, which will be completed in a short time, will be of wonderful strength.

One of the most attractive features of the building is the dome, which is also of concrete, with a covering of metal lath.

The trusses supporting the dome are said to be the largest in the United States, while the dome itself is surpassed by none.

There are four trusses, which are supported by

 reinforced concrete columns.

The former are 70 feet in length, carrying a load of 1,500 tons, the weight of the dome.

The dome will reach 130 feet from the level of the lot.

The building will be faced with white glazed brick and terra cotta trimmings. It stands on a lot 200 x 250 feet, and its dimensions are 107 x 158 feet.

With a seating capacity of 1,200, the auditorium, which is 90 x 106 feet, is the feature of the interior. . . . The finishing of the interior will be in marble and mahogany.

A.F. Rosenheim is the architect. . . . He says the work is progressing rapidly. The pillars in the front will be finished next week, and the dome will be completed within the next month.

The structure will be ne of the attractions of Los Angeles. It will be of interest to sightseers as well as to architects and builders.
Photo made shortly after the church was opened in January 1910. It was declared a City of Los Angeles Historical Monument in 1968.
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Los Angeles Examiner, February 7, 1909

VISITORS FLOCK TO LAUREL CANYON
These 'trackless trolleys,' or 'trolley buses' served Laurel Canyon some time after the story below was printed.

HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 6 — That Laurel Canyon is fast growing in popularity as a year-around resort is shown in the great increase in the number of visitors which frequent it every day.

From early in the morning until after sunset, numerous tourists and local people may be seen along the canyon road either going to Lookout Mountain or returning from a trip to the famous view-point.

During the past year a county road has been built from the mouth of the canyon to Bungalow Inn, which is situated about halfway through the pass, which will make it one of the most famous drives of Southern California.

The roadbed is composed of decomposed granite, which was taken from the sides of the hills when the cut to widen the trail was made. It is about 30 feet wide, with an extra width around the many pretty curves along the way.

Nestled close to the side of the high mountains and with vine-like windings on account of which it is impossible to see more than 50 yards of the road at a time, the roadfills the merry traveler with great romance which is never forgotten.

Clustered about Bungalow Inn, a little city has sprung up within the past two or three years, which adds much to the pleasure of the visitor.

Like the typical mountain homes, these hug closely to the sides of the mountains, while numerous terraces
The road to Lookout Mountain in the early 1900s.
 
lead up to them from the little stream below. Everything is planned to meet the
 intricacies of nature builders.

Among the pretty little homes, Kennith Redpath has one of the most beautiful, while that of County Supervisor Eldridge is elegant in the extreme. Mr. Eldridge's home is built snug against the side of the mountain, while the frontage is a series of terraces from the little mountain stream below.

Above the little bungalow city, the road makes a rapid ascent to the top of Lookout Mountain. Until a few weeks ago this was only a trail, but it is now being fast graded into a wide roadbed which will admit of the passing of two vehicles. A large cut has been made so as to make the ascent more gradual.
A fire in Laurel Canyon in 1979. Photo from the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Regarding the article from 1909 that mentions the Bungalow Inn about halfway through Laurel Canyon, I think it may have been in the same building, or at least the same site, currently occupied by the Canyon Country Store on the upper level.

The lower level contains the Mann Realty office, and a restaurant, now called Pace (as in the Italian word for peace). Before it was Pace, it was known as Caiotti's, which still exists elsewhere in the city. While it was Caiotti's, just inside the entry, they proudly displayed an antique reservation ledger that was purportedly used at the restaurant in 1902. That, if true, would possibly have been the Bungalow Inn.

The Canyon Country store is interesting from a later era of Laurel Canyon: Jim Morrison referred to it in a song as "the store where all the creatures meet." He lived on Rothdell Trail at the time.

James van Scoyoc, March 3, 2004

[Links to the Canyon Country Store here.]
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Los Angeles Examiner, February 5, 1909
It Takes More Than a Couple of Right Hooks to Stop Mutt

By "Bud" Fisher
MUTT: Well, I didn't go broke yesterday anyway. I won my place bet and only lost $11.50 on the day. I got $38.50 left. My luck may be changing. MUTT: If I could only get a live hunch for today I might gather. MUTT: Oh! Pipe yon colored gent. I've heard said 'tis lucky to touch the knob of a spade. MUTT: I shall touch this shining ebony sconce and get lucky.

MAN: I'm so mad, I'm perspiring with indignation.
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MUTT: Pardon the intrusion, sir, but my name is A. Mutt, and I want to get lucky by touching your bean. MAN: Lucky, huh? Using ma bean for a luck jinx, are yuh? I wan' yo to understand I'm no voodoo man. I'm a Pullman car porter. MUTT: Now. let me see. The last words I remember were Pullman car porter. Oh! Joy! Babby Pullman is in the third. MUTT: 5 bucks, Babby Pullman a place, and 20 on Snail.

[This doesn't make much sense; it 's hard to read the print, but you get the idea.]
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