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Sunday, November 26, 2023

UCLA History: From Normal to Library

The California State Normal School was a teaching college that was founded on May 2, 1862 in San Jose. In March 1881, after heavy lobbying by Los Angeles residents, the California State Legislature authorized the creation of a southern branch of the school to be built in downtown Los Angeles, which would train teachers for the growing population of Southern California. On August 29, 1882, the State Normal School at Los Angeles opened its doors, and in 1919 it became part of the "UC system" and was absorbed into UCLA, moving to a larger campus on Vermont Ave., in Hollywood (the present site of L.A. City College). The L.A. Public Library would take the old Normal School site, which was located on 5th Street between Grand and Flower streets. Designed by architects Bertram G. Goodhue and Carlton M. Winslow, it would eventually be constructed between 1922-1926.

Description: This is the site of the former Los Angeles State Normal School, and future site of Central Library of the Los Angeles Public Library. The area has been dug out for the foundation, and work is well under way as construction vehicles make their way in and out of the site. Several men can be seen standing near an excavating machine, which is filling the back of a truck with mounds of gravel; C.G. Willis & Son Excavation is the company that is heading this task. A cluster of men, all wearing suits, can be seen standing on higher ground farther back, and a large apartment building is visible in the background. Photograph dated: January 16, 1924.

Source: https://tessa2.lapl.org/digital/collection/photos/id/112895/rec/2289.

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