Los Angeles Before the Freeways: Images of An Era 1850-1950 gives a lush, visual tour of a Los Angeles that no longer exists—one of elegant office buildings and stately mansions that were razed in the name of “progress.” Featuring stunning black-and-white photography from Arnold Hylen that captures a forgotten era, the book contains an original essay by the photographer that provides historical background and context for the time period. This new edition contains additional, never-before-seen photographs from Hylen and newly unearthed information from historian Nathan Marsak on these lost architectural treasures.

The stunning photography recalls an era when downtown Los Angeles was unmarred by wide-scale redevelopment and retained much of its original character. Each page offers a glimpse of what the city used to be, before some of its architectural treasures were razed for the newer, more modern city that would soon follow—it’s no coincidence that many of these original buildings were demolished to make way for parking lots. 

Originally published by Dawson’s Book Shop in 1981, Los Angeles Before the Freeways has become a cult classic among LA’s architectural historians. Now fully updated in a larger, more elegant format with expanded captions that provide additional context for Hylen’s essay, Los Angeles Before the Freeways will be a treasured read for fans of architecture, photography, and Angelenos of all stripes.