Remarkably cool map of 1909 Los Angeles

Hat tip to Adrian at Curbed for linking to this great illustrated map of 1909 Los Angeles.

It’s amazing how pastoral everything west of Downtown was at that time. Silver Lake, for example, was pretty much farm land.

I often think about those original settlers and builders who shaped Los Angeles. I bet many of them were risk-takers on the make, trying to carve out something for themselves in this great new city.

Every time I think about how hard it must have been to raise money / build / etc., I get inspired by their energy. I hope we, their spiritual descendants, dream as big as they did.