Historic Pacific Electric Viaduct: Realigning Riverside Drive At Fletcher, 1928

Photo: LA City Engineering September 13, 1928.  Riverside Drive had a whole new alignment in many areas through our neighborhood, as the roads were paved in 1927-28. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Fletcher didn't exist under the viaduct when it was first built of all wood trestle construction in 1904. In 1927 the center section was replaced with steel & the roadbed lowered so Fletcher could be paved through from Atwater to Glendale Blvd in Silver Lake.  

Riverside used to follow the curve of the slope more closely prior to paving.  Note the flat dirt lot to the left across Fletcher. That would be the new alignment for Riverside Drive (compare with photo below).  

Yesterday, LA Observed broke the news, LA City Dept of Engineering archive photos were coming online, on the LA City Historical Society website.  The photos are a treasure trove of missing pieces from our neighborhood.  So many hillsides, streets & homes disappeared when the 2 & 5 Freeways were built through our neighborhood, in addition to the channelization and concreting of the LA River, it is difficult to even recognize the some parts of the same neighborhoods today.   

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 2004.  City of Los Angeles Cultural Historic Landmark #770, the Pacific Electric Viaduct Footings are all that remains of the once imposing viaduct on the east side of Fletcher.

Over the past 20 years, we've collected neighbors' family photos, as well as historic photographs.  So we'll bring you periodic historic updates to our collection with these newly discovered photos from the LA City Historical Society.