September 15: This Date in Los Angeles Transportation History

1898:  Henry E. Huntington and a group of San Francisco capitalists arrive in Los Angeles and announce that they have purchased Los Angeles Railway.

Huntington is better known for having created the Pacific Electric Railway Company and its  regional system of red interurban electric train lines in the first decade of the twentieth century.

However, after 1911, his focus was Los Angeles Railway, the grandfather of today’s urban bus system, which continued to operate until 1945.

1936:  An electrical fire destroys the famous Mount Lowe Tavern.

The twelve room, Swiss-style chalet was built in 1896 as Ye Alpine tavern and served as the end of the line for the Mount Lowe Railway at the foot of Mount Lowe.  It was renamed Mount Lowe Tavern in 1925.

More information can be found in the October, 1936 issue of Pacific Electric Magazine.

1963:  The 6th and Main depot, a major transit hub for Pacific Electric Railway in operation since January 15, 1905, is shut down by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority.

Streetcar at 6th & Main Depot, Los Angeles, 1906 (Click to enlarge)

1995:  Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority staff begins moving into the newly constructed Union Station Gateway Headquarters Building, consolidating staff formerly located mostly at 425 S. Main St and 818 W. 7th Street.

Staff at smaller locations such as the Oviatt Building and 707 W. 7th Street were also included in the move.

The new headquarters, located at Los Angeles’ largest multimodal transit hub later becames a model for other cities moving toward transit-oriented development.