Skip to main content
Donate

Happy New Year! How the Holiday Took Aim at Easterners

By D.J. Waldie
December 31, 2012
Support Provided By
Rose Parade, 1910
Rose Parade, 1910 | Photo: Los Angeles Public Library

The Cawston Ostrich Farm, sponsor of this crowded float, was one of several Los Angeles-area tourist destinations at the turn of the century. The farm sold feathers for the elaborate hats and fans of the era and offered ostrich rides for the daring.

Chariot races -- using a four-horse team -- were a a regular feature of the Tournament of Roses at the turn of the century. Slightly less dangerous football replaced the chariots and horses.

The score that day in 1924 was Washington-14, Navy-14.

A publicity photo, uncredited and uncaptioned, but illustrating a perennial winter theme in the selling of Los Angeles: swimming in January.

According to the Herald-Examiner's caption: "New Year celebration at the Hollywood Canteen. Shown are Tarawa veteran Seaman First Class Clayton Johnson, Dolores Moran, and Cpl. 'Bing' Crosby wishing everyone a Victory New Year for 1944."

Originally captioned, with some unintended irony: "All lit up to ring in the new year. L.A.'s City Hall brightens up Civic Center. (Note citizen trying to catch 40 winks before midnight.)"

The Examiner captioned this "New Year's revelers make merry as the New Year arrives in the Terrace Room at the Statler Hotel, which was sold out. Standing are Miss Dana Sirdenis and Jimmy McEwan; seated are Miss Carolee Fithian and D.S. Fischer."

The Examiner enthused: "All Year Swimming Club members annual New Year's Day swim at Santa Monica beach: Jean Goddard, Marilyn Schliff, Pat Wibe, Margie Kiefer, Terri Varley, Ruth Hachenberger, and Peggy Stracke. The girls are all members of Janet Dee's Santa Monica Surfboard Ballet."

And may 2013 be a year of all good things for you! DJW

Support Provided By
Read More
Gray industrial towers and stacks rise up from behind the pitched roofs of warehouse buildings against a gray-blue sky, with a row of yellow-gold barrels with black lids lined up in the foreground to the right of a portable toilet.

California Isn't on Track To Meet Its Climate Change Mandates. It's Not Even Close.

According to the annual California Green Innovation Index released by Next 10 last week, California is off track from meeting its climate goals for the year 2030, as well as reaching carbon neutrality by 2045.
By Alejandro Lazo, CalMatters
A row of cows stands in individual cages along a line of light-colored enclosures, placed along a dirt path under a blue sky dotted with white puffy clouds.

A Battle Is Underway Over California’s Lucrative Dairy Biogas Market

California is considering changes to a program that has incentivized dairy biogas, to transform methane emissions into a source of natural gas. Neighbors are pushing for an end to the subsidies because of its impact on air quality and possible water pollution.
By Emma Foehringer Merchant, Inside Climate News
A Black woman with long, black brains wears a black Chicago Bulls windbreaker jacket with red and white stripes as she stands at the top of a short staircase in a housing complex and rests her left hand on the metal railing. She smiles slightly while looking directly at the camera.

Los Angeles County Is Testing AI's Ability To Prevent Homelessness

In order to prevent people from becoming homeless before it happens, Los Angeles County officials are using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to predict who in the county is most likely to lose their housing. They would then step in to help those people with their rent, utility bills, car payments and more so they don't become unhoused.
By Marisa Kendall, CalMatters