Homestead Museum

Striking a Chord: A Program for the Woman’s Symphony Orchestra of Los Angeles, 1 April 1927

by Paul R. Spitzzeri As covered here in a previous post, the Woman’s Symphony Orchestra of Los Angeles was the first all-female classical music orchestra in the United States when it formed in fall 1893 and played its first concern the following spring.  The ensemble’s first director was Harley Hamilton, who also worked with long-time... Continue Reading →

Going With the Flow: The Homestead’s Water Tower

by Paul R. Spitzzeri Without giving it much thought, we turn the taps on in our sinks and out comes water like we expect it to every time.  It wasn’t all that long ago, when you stop and think about it, that this wasn’t the case, but we generally take the convenience for granted. When... Continue Reading →

From Point A to Point B (and Point C): The Los Angeles, Pasadena and Glendale Railway, 1889-1890

by Paul R. Spitzzeri As Los Angeles began to emerge from its relatively isolated state after the Civil War, one of the obvious keys to its future was with railroads.  In the first period of significant and sustained growth, during the late 1860s through the mid 1870s, there was a modest, but important, start with... Continue Reading →

“Los Angeles Is All Right, My God, Sir!”: Two Photos of Los Angeles City Treasurer William H. Workman and Staff, 1903

by Paul R. Spitzzeri Within the last couple of weeks, the brothers Henry and David Workman, both successful in the legal field with the former once with the state attorney general’s office and then in private practice and the later starting off in the private world before becoming a long-time Los Angeles County Superior Court... Continue Reading →