|
John McIntyre
Modern
Miracle: Wilshire Boulevard's Miracle
Mile
The essay examines the historical important that
the Miracle Mile district played in shaping the
architecture and urban fabric of Los Angeles.
Called "the first real monument of the Motor
Age" the Miracle Mile's architecture was
designed and built around the driving attitudes
of Angelenos. The influence of the automobile on
this district's development helped to start the
decentralization of Los Angeles and create the
urban sprawl we have today. Julius Shulman's
images help to underwrite the architect's and
developer's visions.
Shulman's career
roughly started about the same time of the
development of the Miracle Mile. His camera
documented many of the commercial buildings
along this one mile strip of Wilshire Boulevard
between La Brea Avenue and Fairfax Avenue. These
structures include the May Company Building, the
Prudential Building, Coulter's Department Store
and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Shulman's photographs are in some cases the only
visual record of buildings that are no longer
standing, such as Coulter's and the Arthur
Murray Dance Studio. He also created
photographic collage to show how an architect's
model designed by Lloyd Wright would look across
the street from Hancock Park.
|