Travel Shelf

 

Los Angeles: A Guide to the City and Its Environs, 2nd edition

(Hastings House, 1951)

 

"The golden flow of outside dollars into southern California began in the 1840's but the first visitors were chiefly hard-bitten men whose names appeared on "Wanted" placards throughout the roaring West.  They often arrived only a hop and a step ahead of the law or the vigilantes, hell-bent for the Mexican border.Their headquarters in Los Angeles was the Calle de Los Negros (Street of the Blacks), locally called N***** Alley, the early amusement belt.  Along this narrow crowded street near the Plaza the click of roulette wheels and the jingle of gold never stopped.  The tempo of life was set by gay fandangoos danced to the strains of the harp, guitar, and violin.  The notes of the flageolet mingled with the shouts of rancheros and the laughter of senoritas.  The frequent pistol blasts brought no halt to the merrymaking, and a public hanging had the aspect of a fiesta." (p. 137)