Flashback Fridays: Jensen’s Recreation Center Sign
Photo by Echo Park Now
The Jensen’s Recreation Center building has always been a favorite Echo Park monument of mine. A historic cultural monument since 1998, the 86-year-old building has undergone quite a few changes inside.
The old bowling alley at Jensen's. Flickr photo via Mary-Austin & Scott
The building was built by German immigrant Henry Christian Jensen in 1924 and designed by architect E.E.B. Meinardus. Originally, it was a bowling alley with a pool hall at street level with 46 apartments on the other two floors. The Echo Park Historical Society website describes the space as catering to mostly males throughout the 1930s and ’40s. Even though the storefronts might not look exactly the same as the original structure, thankfully the Beaux Arts and Italianate inspired ornamentation that wraps around the outside of the building still exists.
The bowling alley is no longer there, but the sign featuring a bowling figure remains on the roof of the building. The 28 feet wide x 17 feet tall sign has 1300 red, green and white incandescent lightbulbs. An interesting fact: even though neon was a more popular application for signs in the 1920s (especially this size!), this one maintains the incandescent light bulbs.
Relighting of the sign. Photo from Paul Furlong
In 1997, after 50 years of neglect and the sign unlit, it was restored and relit through a cultural affairs grant. We’re not exactly sure how long the sign was lighting up the Rec Center roof, but we do know it was fixed and relit again in 2005. However, that lasted only one month, and the sign has been dark ever since.
Lately there’s been some great headway to relight the sign. The Echo Park Historical Society received $5,000 from an LA County Historic Preservation Society grant. Echo Park residents, fans of history, and Echo Park Improvement Association members have also privately donated to fix and maintain the sign as well. And just this week, the Greater Elysian Echo Park Neighborhood Council approved the allocation of $2,500 to the Historical Society for the restoration of the sign.
Hopefully we’ll see the sign relit (and maintained) some day soon!
If you’d like to donate to the Echo Park Historical Society for the restoration and upkeep of the sign, click here for the EPHS website.
I was looking at some of your articles on this site and I believe this internet site is really instructive! Keep on posting .
I got what you mean , thanks for posting .Woh I am happy to find this website through google. “Food is the most primitive form of comfort.” by Sheila Graham.
I conceive this web site holds some real superb information for everyone : D.
I must say got into this article. I found it to be interesting and loaded with unique points of interest.
I’m still learning from you, as I’m trying to reach my goals. I certainly love reading everything that is posted on your website.Keep the aarticles coming. I enjoyed it!
Cheers, great stuff, Me like.
I must say, as a lot as I enjoyed reading what you had to say, I couldnt help but lose interest after a while.
I am glad to be one of the visitors on this great website (:, appreciate it for posting .
google got me here. Cheers!
Intresting, will come back here later too.
Great read to see, glad that duckduck led me here, Keep Up nice job
Hi! Would you mind if I share your blog with my twitter group?
There’s a lot of folks that I think would really appreciate your content.
Please let me know. Thank you
Enjoyed examining this, very good stuff, thanks .
This web page is really a walk-via for the entire info you wanted about this and didn’t know who to ask. Glimpse here, and also you’ll undoubtedly uncover it.
I truly enjoy looking through on this web site , it holds superb content .
Ni hao, i really think i will be back to your site
This is awesome!
Today, I went to the beach front with my kids. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is totally off topic but I had to tell someone!
I simply want to mention I’m newbie to blogs and definitely enjoyed you’re blog. Likely I’m want to bookmark your blog post . You amazingly come with really good articles and reviews. Bless you for revealing your website page.
I simply want to mention I’m new to blogging and site-building and really loved you’re web page. Very likely I’m likely to bookmark your website . You surely have exceptional article content. Thanks a lot for sharing with us your website page.
Awesome, this is what I was searching for in yahoo
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you writing this write-up and also the rest of the website is really good.
You made some good points there. I did a search on the topic and found nearly all folks will consent with your blog.
There is perceptibly a bunch to know about this. I suppose you made various nice points in features also.
This does interest me
My bestfriend and I want to create a blogging site, but we dont know which one to use. We basically will just be uploading random stuff about anything but we want the site to be fun and decorative, not just a plain layout..
I am not sure where you’re getting your information, but great topic. I must spend some time finding out much more or figuring out more. Thanks for great info I was on the lookout for this info for my mission.
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we communicate?
I happen to be commenting to let you know of the cool experience my wife’s princess encountered using your site. She realized such a lot of details, including how it is like to have an excellent teaching style to have the others clearly fully grasp chosen advanced matters. You truly did more than our desires. I appreciate you for presenting the good, dependable, explanatory as well as unique guidance on that topic to Tanya.
Im curious about how much it costs to start websites such as Facebook or Twitter. I have been thinking about starting a website for a while now, but i feel as though the initial prices that website design firms give you are for a very low tech and sparsely populated website..
Heya i am for the first time here. I found this board and I find It truly useful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to give something back and help others like you aided me.
I’m an experienced pro author (of science fiction) based in the UK, and I’m looking into setting up a creative writing course at a local arts centre focused on sf and fantasy. Are there any resources out there in book form or otherwise I might find useful in teaching about both science fiction/fantasy and creative writing in general?.
I currently am running 2 blog sites, one is for style & growth and I have a pagerank of 4 on it as well as I have loads of good articles. And also I have an additional blog where I have tirades, health and wellness suggestions as well as digital photography … Should I merge them or should I keep it seperate?.
What is your opinion of individual blogs as well as on-line journaling?
Thanks for this nice post. …
Fantastic website. A lot of useful info here. I am sending it to some friends ans also sharing in delicious. And certainly, thank you in your sweat!
I simply had to say thanks yet again. I do not know the things I would have made to happen in the absence of those ways contributed by you relating to such a theme. It previously was a real terrifying circumstance in my circumstances, but noticing your specialized fashion you processed the issue forced me to jump with gladness. I’m happy for your information and then believe you comprehend what a powerful job that you’re getting into educating some other people through the use of a web site. I know that you have never come across any of us.
Undeniably believe that which you said. Your favorite reason seemed to be on the net the simplest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed while people think about worries that they just don’t know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top as well as defined out the whole thing without having side effect , people could take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks
Can I simply just say what a relief to uncover someone
who really knows what they are discussing on the net.
You definitely understand how to bring an issue to light and make it important.
More people need to look at this and understand this side of your story.
I can’t believe you aren’t more popular given that you most certainly possess the gift.
What organizing sites will allow my blog to earn money off includes being positioned on my blog?
Today, I went to the beachfront with my kids.
I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell to her ear and screamed.
There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go
back! LoL I know this is totally off topic but I had to tell someone!
Hey, how’s it going?
I want to pass along some very important news that everyone needs to hear!
In December of 2017, Donald Trump made history by recognizing Jerusalem as the captial of Israel. Why is this big news? Because by this the Jewish people of Israel are now able to press forward in bringing about the Third Temple prophesied in the Bible.
Jewish Rabbis have publicly announced that their Messiah will be revealed in the coming years who will be a leader and spiritual guide to all nations, gathering all religions under the worship of one God.
Biblical prophecy tells us that this Jewish Messiah who will take the stage will be the antichrist “who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4). For a time, he will bring about a false peace, but “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (Matthew 24:15)…then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21).
“Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour” (1 John 2:18).
“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).
More importantly, the power that runs the world wants to put a RFID microchip in our body making us total slaves to them. This chip matches perfectly with the Mark of the Beast in the Bible, more specifically in Revelation 13:16-18:
“He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.”
Referring to the last days, this could only be speaking of a cashless society, which we have yet to see, but are heading towards. Otherwise, we could still buy or sell without the mark amongst others if physical money was still currency. This Mark couldn’t be spiritual because the word references two different physical locations. If it was spiritual it would just say in the forehead. RFID microchip implant technology will be the future of a one world cashless society containing digital currency. It will be implanted in the right-hand or the forehead, and we cannot buy or sell without it! We must grow strong in Jesus. AT ALL COSTS, DO NOT TAKE IT!
“Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name” (Revelation 14:9-11).
People have been saying the end is coming for many years, but we needed two key things. One, the Third Temple, and two, the technology for a cashless society to fulfill the prophecy of the Mark of the Beast.
Visit http://WWW.BIBLEFREEDOM.COM to see proof for these things and why the Bible trul is the word of God!
If you haven’t already, it is time to seek God with all your heart. Jesus loves you more than you could imagine. He wants to have a relationship with you and redeem you from your sins. Turn to Him and repent while there is still hope! This is forever…God bless!
Nice post. I learn something new and challenging on blogs I stumbleupon on a daily basis.
It will always be helpful to read content from other authors and use a little something from other web sites.
Are there any kind of good poetry websites that you understand of to ensure that I can have an account that has lots of room to type out stories/poems on? Or do you know of any type of composing websites in all that I could post blog sites on, type of like having a whole internet site to myself?.
I’m looking for apparel as well as style concepts at a sensible prices for a female over 25 … Anyone recognize any good sites or blogs?. Appears like everything I discover is either tailored towards teens or is hugely expensive couture … Thanks!.
Hello! Do you know if they make any plugins to protect against hackers?
I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any tips?
I have a blog with blogger. I have actually registered my blog site utilizing a gmail account. Currently, I intend to make use of a brand-new gmail account and I intended to import my whole blog together with the messages and comments to this brand-new gmail id … Please tell me, is this feasible as well as how can it be done?.
Hmm it looks like your blog ate my first comment (it was super long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I had written and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to everything. Do you have any recommendations for newbie blog writers? I’d certainly appreciate it.
baby strollers with high traction rollers should be much safer to use compared to those with plastic wheels-
What’s up to every body, it’s my first pay a visit of this blog; this weblog contains amazing
and actually good information in support of readers.