Roseman - The Historic Core of Los Angeles

ARRIVING AND STAYING IN DOWNTOWN

For five decades following the 1880s, the railroad depots located east of Main Street provided the primary connection between Los Angeles and the rest of the United States. By 1900 several smaller lines had been consolidated under three large railroad companies, the Southern Pacific, Santa Fe, and the Union Pacific, each of which had established a depot a few blocks east of Main Street. As the core of the central business district migrated southward from what is now the civic center area, many of the modern, 20th-century hotels were established on Main and adjacent streets to be accessible to those depots. Some of them are still standing, including the Rosslyn, Frontier, Van Nuys, Alexandria, Hayward, and El Rey. In 1939, all intercity rail traffic was consolidated at Union Station, located a few blocks north of the depots that it replaced.

During the first half of the 20th century, another rail system, the Red Cars of the Pacific Electric interurban rail system, connected downtown Los Angeles to the urban region, including the San Fernando Valley, Long Beach, and San Bernardino. Two of the Red Car terminals, the Pacific Electric Building on Main and the Subway Terminal Building on Hill Streets, became major focal points of activity in downtown and remain today as significant historical landmarks.

After World War II, both intercity and interurban rail rapidly declined in importance relative to automobile travel. Because of this, and because of competition from new hotels west of the Historic Core, the hotels on and near Main Street became less attractive to many business and pleasure travelers. After World War II, Main Street continued to reflect its history as a hotel district, with a street life that included bars, adult theaters, and bookstores. In the latter half of the 20th century the area east of Main Street was the core of skid row, and some of the hotels became single-room occupancy facilities that served the poor and the periodic homeless. At the beginning of the 21st century, Main Street began to experience a turnaround, as several of its large historic buildings were converted to residential lofts, bringing many new residents to the area.