Seeing “People’s” Los Angeles by Transit

There’s an unusual new guidebook to Los Angeles. A People’s Guide to Los Angeles highlights 115 sites that aren’t necessarily tourist attractions, but are important to the political history of Los Angeles. Some of the sites are included in Car Free Los Angeles and Southern California, like La Placita/the cathedral; the Roosevelt Hotel, Mercado La Paloma and Eso Won Bookstore.

Since A People’s Guide doesn’t include transit directions, I took a sample of sites included in the book that aren’t in CFLASC, and provided directions for them. I’ve picked one from each of the six areas of Los Angeles that the authors write about. I’m not doing much description here, for that you’ll have to go to the People’s Guide or other sources. All of the sites have at least one frequent transit line, many have more.

North Los Angeles—Biddy Mason Park—333 S. Spring St (between 3^rd & 4^th Sts.)., Downtown LA—A small park in the Historic Core of Downtown LA commemorating the life and works of Biddy Mason, a major African-American property owner in 19^th Century Los Angeles.  In the area covered by CFLASC Chapter 4—Downtown Los Angeles.

Transit: Direct (no transfer) bus or train service to most parts of Los Angeles, except the western San Fernando Valley. Numerous lines including Metro Red/Purple Lines at Pershing Square station, Silver Line; Rapid buses 720 (Wilshire-Whittier), 728 (Olympic), 730 (Pico), 733 (Venice), 740 (Broadway-Martin Luther King), 745 (Broadway), 770 (Garvey); Silver Streak; Montebello 40 &50; Torrance Transit 2;

East Los Angeles—Mariachi Plaza—1^st St. & Boyle Ave.—Plaza where mariachi musicians gather to look for work, an East LA community focal point.

Transit: Main transit is Gold Line light rail Mariachi Plaza station north  to Downtown LA, Pasadena and south to East LA stations—connections at Union Station to Red/Purple line and buses. Also at site, Metro local bus 30 (1^st St.-Pico to Pico/Rimpau), Montebello bus 40 (Beverly Blvd.). One transfer needed for most locations in Downtown LA,  South LA, Westside (Gold Line or Metro 30, then bus).

South Los Angeles—Dunbar Apartments—4225 S. Central Ave.(at 42^nd Pl.)—The leading hotel for Black visitors—including jazz musicians and writers—in the 1930’s and 1940’s, now a historic landmark senior apartment building. 

Transit:  Closest bus is 53 Central Ave. bus north to Downtown LA (connecting to Red/Purple Line) and south to  Cal State Dominguez Hills (connecting to Green Line), also close are 105 local & 705 rapid to West Hollywood, connecting to all north-south routes as far west as La Cienega Blvd., and east to Vernon, connecting to rapids 751 and 760. One transfer to most areas except San Fernando Valley.

Harbor Area—Bixby Park—130 Cherry Ave., Long Beach—An oceanfront park that hosted a huge Ku Klux Klan rally in the 1920’s (though the park’s murals don’t show it) in what is now a very multi-ethnic central city neighborhood.  In the area covered by CFLASC Chapter 16—Long Beach

Transit: . Numerous lines (Long Beach Transit 21, 22, 111, 112, Passport A & D) connect the site  to Long Beach Transit Mall, where service includes  Blue Line light rail to Downtown LA, Metro 232 bus to LAX. Passport D east connects at CSULB  to Metro 577X  bus  to El Monte. Direct or one transfer service within Long Beach, two transfers required to reach most other areas (Long Beach Transit/Blue Line/bus)

Westside—Ballona Wetlands—Jefferson Blvd. & Lincoln Blvd., Playa Vista—A rare parcel of undeveloped wetlands where Ballona Creek comes to the ocean. Near the area covered by CFLASC Chapter 15—Venice.

Transit: At site, Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines (Big Blue Bus) Lincoln Blvd.  local 3 and rapid 3 south to LAX Transit Center and Aviation Green Line station, north to downtown Santa Monica (connecting to Westside routes), and UCLA (local only). Also at site, Metro 110 east to Bell Gardens, connecting to Blue Line and south LA north-south buses. One transfer to most Westside, South LA, South Bay destination, mostly two transfers elsewhere.

San Fernando Valley—Great Wall of Los Angeles—Burbank Blvd. & Coldwater Canyon Blvd.—A half mile long mural in the Tujunga Flood Control Channel, depicting the California history of non-Whites, women, gays and the poor.

Transit:  Orange Line Transitway (bus rapid transit) Valley College station ½ mile away at Burbank & Fulton is principal transit for site. Buses west to Warner Center and east to North Hollywood, connecting to San Fernando Valley north-buses, connecting to Red Line at North Hollywood. One transfer for most San Fernando Valley destinations, two transfers (Orange Line/Red Line/bus) for most other destinations.