Not long ago I got a message on the TCB Facebook page from accomplished photographer and producer Jett Loe about an interesting project that he was undertaking. The project he described, called Untold LA, is a photo-documentary about the history-rich and once prominent Los Angeles neighborhood of West Adams and its collection of countless Craftsman, Beaux Arts, Mission, Gothic Revival, Victorian, and Queen Anne homes.
In the early part of the 20th Century, West Adams was the en vogue spot for Hollywood’s newly minted class of movie stars and entertainers, as well as LA’s wealthy businessmen and power players. But following the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression that followed, many of the area’s affluent homeowners migrated to Beverly Hills and other neighborhoods to the north and west.
By the 1950’s with the construction of the city’s ever-expanding freeway system, many of the area’s homes were demolished in the name of progression. In the decades that followed, many of these large homes had been hacked up into multi-unit boarding houses, and the few that remained were widely neglected and fell into considerable disrepair.
By the 1990’s, local residents had organized into a strong neighborhood association and a movement to clean up the area and reduce crime was taking hold. Today, many of these modestly priced historic homes are being purchased and restored by a new generation of youthful creative-minded craftspeople who appreciate their significance and beauty.
Enter Jett Loe. In the short video below, Jett explains his introduction to West Adams and the reasons he’s decided to document its resurrection in his forthcoming iBook.
In the vividly gorgeous photos below, Jett captures many of the area’s homes and the restoration process that is bringing dignity and respect back to them and the neighborhood they collectively form.
In addition to the eBook, Jett hopes to have a hardback print edition of the book at some point in the future.
For hundreds of additional photos and to read more about the Untold LA project – including the release date and ordering information – please visit the website at www.untoldla.com.
Enjoy!!
