Flashback Fridays – The Fate of Echo Park

Dial Torgerson, Los Angeles Times, Sept. 19, 1971

Both Kelly and I (on separate occasions) dug up a rather interesting article from the L.A. Times circa 1971. The article, entitled “Which Way for Echo Park – Inner City Oasis or Slum?”, describes Echo Park at the dawn of the ’70s as:

…the hilly, multiracial, multiethnic home of both the poor and better off. Echo Park is becoming a near slum and a much-in-demand middle-class community at the same time. It is going up and down simultaneously. Newcomers from from poorer areas are crowding into substandard housing and youth gangs have become active. At the same time, there is a different influx: that of the middle class. Older couples who sold homes in distant suburbs and young marrieds with college degrees are seeking homes and rentals in the hills.

From what I’ve learned about Echo Park, it seems that it’s always been home to a mixture of different cultures and incomes. It’s interesting to see proof of this and to see an argument similar to the one happening today, taking place almost forty years ago. The same racial tensions that bubble beneath the surface of today’s arguments were there in the ’70s as well and, presumably, the ’60s. For example:

‘The rapidly changing ethnic composition of the Silver Lake-Echo Park communities will soon transform Echo Park into a Mexican-American barrio,’ said a UCLA study for the city’s new general plan. ‘We strongly urge that, via the process of community organizations and related efforts, steps be taken to avoid further ghettoization.’ Many long-time residents of Echo Park, members of its Latin community, object to experts’ blaming Latins as the bringers of the slum.

Eek! Yeah, I think an objection to that study is justified. The article also brings up some interesting bits about the cultural differences between certain residents of Echo Park. Some of these descriptions sound vaguely familiar…

The Hip community calls it “The Other End,” the other end of Sunset Blvd. from the Strip. Barefoot hippies buy food with food stamps in the same supermarket lines with young deputy public defenders with mod clothes and lavish mustaches. Chicano street types dress in a uniform of neat jeans (or overalls) and clean white T-shirts; they haven’t learned, as have their Anglo contemporaries in the suburbs, to believe that dirt is somehow revolutionary.

Read the full article here (PDF download).

802 replies
« Older CommentsNewer Comments »
  1. joker123 says:

    Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and internet stuff and this is actually irritating. A good web site with interesting content, that is what I need. Thanks for making this web site, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  2. manga batoto says:

    Hello there. I found your website via Google even as looking for a similar matter, your website came up. It seems to be great. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.

  3. batoto says:

    Hey there. I discovered your site via Google while searching for a related topic, your site came up. It seems to be great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.

  4. RajaaduQQ says:

    Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this info. Today bloggers publish only about gossip and net stuff and this is actually annoying. A good blog with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for making this web-site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  5. sbobet.com says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and internet stuff and this is actually frustrating. A good web site with interesting content, that is what I need. Thank you for making this web-site, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  6. manga seinen says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish only about gossip and internet stuff and this is really irritating. A good blog with exciting content, that’s what I need. Thank you for making this web site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  7. kanopi surabaya says:

    Awesome write-up. I am a regular visitor of your blog and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the excellent site. I’ll be a frequent visitor for a really long time.

  8. sbobet says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I have found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and internet stuff and this is actually annoying. A good website with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for making this site, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  9. www.droidxgame.com says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this info. Today bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is actually frustrating. A good site with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for making this web-site, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  10. nonton film says:

    Awesome write-up. I’m a regular visitor of your blog and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I’ll be a frequent visitor for a long time.

  11. dominoqq says:

    Awesome post. I am a regular visitor of your blog and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I’ll be a regular visitor for a long time.

  12. jne terdekat says:

    Awesome write-up. I’m a normal visitor of your web site and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I’ll be a regular visitor for a really long time.

  13. Daftar Sbobet says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this info. Today bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is actually irritating. A good blog with exciting content, this is what I need. Thank you for making this web site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  14. jne terdekat says:

    Awesome write-up. I am a regular visitor of your website and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the excellent site. I will be a regular visitor for a long time.

  15. Pokerid.app says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this info. Today bloggers publish only about gossip and net stuff and this is actually annoying. A good blog with interesting content, that is what I need. Thank you for making this site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  16. joker 388 says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I have found this information. Today bloggers publish just about gossip and internet stuff and this is actually annoying. A good website with exciting content, that’s what I need. Thank you for making this web site, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  17. The BP says:

    After looking into a handful of the blog articles on your web page, I really appreciate your technique of blogging. I book marked it to my bookmark webpage list and will be checking back in the near future. Take a look at my web site as well and tell me your opinion.

  18. joker 8868 says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I have found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish only about gossip and net stuff and this is really irritating. A good website with interesting content, that’s what I need. Thank you for making this site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  19. joker 388 says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is really irritating. A good web site with interesting content, this is what I need. Thank you for making this web-site, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  20. joker188 says:

    Awesome write-up. I am a normal visitor of your site and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the excellent site. I will be a frequent visitor for a really long time.

  21. joker8868 says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I have found this information. Today bloggers publish only about gossip and net stuff and this is actually irritating. A good blog with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for making this site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  22. joker 777 says:

    Awesome write-up. I’m a normal visitor of your site and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the excellent site. I’ll be a regular visitor for a long time.

  23. joker188 says:

    Hi there. I discovered your blog by the use of Google whilst looking for a related topic, your web site came up. It appears to be good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.

  24. Merrill Ours says:

    I also didn’t care for the over-the-top “final mission” where this particular platoon, led by the initially realistic but ultimately too heroic Aaron Cleftjaw, manages to locate (spoiler) and destroy the inevitable mothership.

  25. joker 777 says:

    Hiya, I’m really glad I’ve found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and internet stuff and this is actually frustrating. A good blog with interesting content, that’s what I need. Thanks for making this web-site, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  26. joker 123 says:

    Awesome post. I am a normal visitor of your blog and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the excellent site. I will be a regular visitor for a long time.

  27. Judi Bola says:

    Hi there. I found your blog via Google whilst searching for a similar matter, your web site came up. It appears great. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.

  28. koki77 says:

    Hey there. I discovered your website via Google at the same time as looking for a comparable topic, your site came up. It seems to be great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.

  29. Produk HDI says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I have found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish only about gossip and web stuff and this is really annoying. A good site with interesting content, this is what I need. Thank you for making this site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  30. Bee Propolis says:

    Hey there. I discovered your website via Google even as looking for a related topic, your web site came up. It seems good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.

  31. idwinner says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and web stuff and this is really frustrating. A good web site with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for making this site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  32. Member HDI says:

    Awesome write-up. I am a normal visitor of your web site and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I will be a frequent visitor for a really long time.

  33. bandar36.com says:

    Hey there. I discovered your site via Google while searching for a related matter, your web site came up. It seems to be good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.

  34. sentronclean.com says:

    Hiya, I’m really glad I’ve found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish only about gossip and internet stuff and this is actually annoying. A good site with exciting content, that’s what I need. Thanks for making this website, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  35. MatadewaQQ says:

    Hey there. I found your site via Google at the same time as looking for a related subject, your site came up. It appears to be great. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.

  36. s128 apk says:

    Hiya, I’m really glad I’ve found this info. Today bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is actually irritating. A good blog with interesting content, that is what I need. Thanks for making this web site, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  37. apk s128 says:

    Hiya, I’m really glad I’ve found this info. Today bloggers publish only about gossip and internet stuff and this is really annoying. A good blog with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for making this web site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  38. login s128 says:

    Awesome post. I am a regular visitor of your web site and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I’ll be a regular visitor for a really long time.

  39. s128 login says:

    Awesome post. I am a regular visitor of your web site and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I will be a frequent visitor for a long time.

  40. instal s128 apk says:

    Hey there. I found your site by means of Google at the same time as searching for a related subject, your site got here up. It appears to be great. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.

  41. John Deere Technical Manuals says:

    The care about this fundamental standard of knowledge further than the strategy that most experts provide. Your article informed me to thinking that I had previous skipped. In the event you keep this up blogging I think you may be a force in this industry.

  42. s128 download says:

    Hiya, I am really glad I have found this information. Today bloggers publish only about gossip and net stuff and this is actually irritating. A good blog with interesting content, this is what I need. Thanks for making this site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  43. s128 asia says:

    Hi there. I found your website by means of Google at the same time as looking for a comparable topic, your website got here up. It looks great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.

  44. s128.live says:

    Hello there. I found your site by means of Google even as looking for a related matter, your web site came up. It appears to be great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.

« Older CommentsNewer Comments »

Comments are closed.