Stairways of Echo Park

Sunset-Glendale Stairway

multimediajones — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 22:24:25 +0000

Sunset and Glendale Boulevards are two major thoroughfares running through Echo Park that appear on maps as an intersection, but in reality, cross over/under each other. This can be a bit of a problem for motorists who need to get from one street to the other. For people on foot, however, there’s a convenient stairway that gets you between them. There’s also a really cool mural painted on the tunnel walls of Glendale as it passes under Sunset.

Recent circumstances have caused me to leave my beloved Echo Park (and Los Angeles), so this series will be on a short hiatus until I can return to finish climbing and documenting the remaining stairways. Thanks for your patience – Steve “Multimedia” Jones.

Laveta Tunnel

multimediajones — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:08:09 +0000

Okay, so it’s not a stairway, but Laveta Tunnel is a walkway and it qualifies as another way to get around L.A. on foot. At 60 years, it’s also a bit newer than the stairways, most of which were built in the early 1900s.

The tunnel connects Laveta Terrace on either side of the Hollywood Freeway between the Edgeware bridge and Glendale underpass. And compared to the stairways, it’s surprisingly clean, decorated and well lit. Give it another 30-40 years.

Crosby Place

multimediajones — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:02:15 +0000

Crosby Stairway

I call this one “Crosby Stairs and Trash” for obvious reasons, but I also like the pun. It’s no better or worse than most of the others when it comes to neglect and disrepair. However, I did remove a pizza box from the walkway before recording, but left an article of clothing draped over the railing.

The stairway’s condition also depends on the time of year. Earlier, I found all kinds of weeds and wildflowers growing on either side (as seen in the still photos here and the “Welcome to my Blog” page). On the day of this recording, the vegetation had been cut back, revealing all the trash previously hidden underneath.

The Crosby Stairway connects Laguna Avenue near the east side of Echo Park Lake to the corner of Crosby Place and Crosby Lane up the hill. Neither street is much more than an alley, but it’s packed with residences just the same.

Kent Street

multimediajones — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:17:43 +0000

Chicken murals on the side make this stairway rather unique. That, and the fact that several homes line the walkway above. There’s no street parking on this section of Kent, which I’m sure the residents prefer. And the views aren’t bad, either.

Clinton Street

multimediajones — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 02:16:39 +0000

Clinton Stairway

Truly a grand and beautiful staircase when it was built, this imposing concrete facade offers great views of Echo Park Lake and downtown. Today, it’s a canvas for murals and graffiti with the former losing badly.

Clinton Street Stairway is also a storage and/or dumping area for some of the ‘hood’s residents. It actually is two stairways in one, so why not use it for two purposes? I went up one side and came down the other. Nextime, I’ll do the opposite.

Bellevue Avenue

multimediajones — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 09:13:51 +0000

Bellevue Stairway

Bellevue Avenue runs parallel to the Hollywood Freeway. Unlike the freeway, it starts and stops for the hills in its way.

As it runs alongside Echo Park Lake, Bellevue Avenue comes to an end at Glendale Boulevard. From here, Bellevue continues uphill via stairs and joins the next section of the avenue up there. Try that on the freeway.

Court Street

multimediajones — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 05:18:06 +0000

It’s a bit of an understatement to say that L.A. has a graffiti problem. As you’ll see from upcoming videos and pictures, there’s a bit of a trash problem as well. Still, the stairs on Court Street (at Glendale Blvd) are worth the hike. Just watch where you step.

Welcome To My Blog

multimediajones — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 03:07:57 +0000

Crosby Stairway

I live in an older part of Los Angeles between downtown and Dodger Stadium called Echo Park. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this part of town was considered the suburbs.

Residents commuted downtown by trolley from their bungalows in the hills above Sunset Boulevard and Echo Park Avenue. Getting to and from those hillside bungalows was done by climbing several public stairways around the neighborhood.

Over a hundred years later, these stairways are still in existence, but few are used anymore. Time and disrepair have taken their toll, as well as overgrowth rendering many of them nearly invisible.

Using a map I found at www.HistoricEchoPark.org, I’m able to find over 30 of these stairways within walking distance of my house and document them for your enjoyment. I was originally taking pictures with my cell phone camera, but have since started recording my entire ascent and descent on a small HD camcorder.

In cases where I have still photos (and they’re worthy of viewing), I will post them alongside the videos. I would also like your input as to what you like or don’t like about this site. These stairways act as my “urban hiking” workout and I will have several opportunities to return for second and third takes.