5124 De Longpre - new photos (1 Viewer)

I've lived in Thai Town of Los Angeles for two years but only recently did it occur to me that Bukowski's former apartment in East Los Angeles might be near my home. I did a Google maps search and learend that 5124 De Longpre was only two blocks from my apartment. I took a walk over there last week and took four photos that I share here.

BukowskiCourt.jpg
 
freakin california that place is so cool now that i know about the sign i have something to dive for if a quake drops it into the drink

thanks,
k.
 
In 1969 I lived on Mayflower st in Arcadia. The kid next door busted my nose with the basketball. We moved to Blackley St. in San Gabriel. My dad was a part-time postman but he said he never heard of any damn Bukowski. He used to show up at noon with the van, jammed with people's letters, and I would rifle through them while they had toast and gravy.
 
Nice sign! - Thanks a lot for the pics, k! And welcome aboard...

mjp said:
There probably won't be for long.

Perhaps the heritage board should start selling them...:D
 
thanks kent!
Indeed, a nice first post!

(When I was in East-Hollywood to visit these Buk-sites - Carlton Way and North Mariposa are also just around the corner - I realized that a big deal of the Hollywood/Western-area seems to be Thai now. The food wasn't bad.)
 
Waiting for the "Buy It Now" price. :D

What's twisted is, I'd probably buy it...you know, it's not ROAD, STREET, AVENUE, BLVD. "” but court, where Buk spent more than one afternoon, I'm sure... Just too fucking cool. Damn, I want it. Signed.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
It's a cool sign alright! If they can sell fake street signs for the tourists, why not this one. I'll even buy one unsigned...:p
 
Last edited by a moderator:
LOL -Not a bad idea at all, if you can pull it off! Of course, It could be a problem claiming to be the owner when I live in Europe...:D
 
A little help, please.

No problem, most of the landlords are livinging in other continents.

I need some help. I have been to DeLongpre and even went inside. (it's easy the fence has a big gap.) But I did not see if the fireplace is there. Yes there is a chimney but I think they filled it in and walled over it on the inside.

So, would one of you fine young Angelinos please take a look inside and let me know? Thank you if you can.
 
Does Buk ever mention a fireplace in any of his work? I live in Michigan now, but grew up in LA and have been trying to remember how cold it got and somehow my memory seems to have vanished. I remember we had a fireplace which we used sometimes. But I definitely didn't have to wear gloves, scarf, heavy coat...etc!

By the way, has anyone seen Charles Phoenix's book "Southern California in the 5O's"? I just got a copy and it is a real trip to see all those places again. I used to wonder whether there really was a gigantic donut on top of a donut shop near my house, but in fact I did not imagine it. LA was doing all the Andre Breton surrealism stuff without even knowing it.
 
Well it was in the low 30's here in Pasadena a couple weeks ago, and the southern tip of San Pedro could get really fucking cold. I remember a few nights when it went down to the 20's. That's still not cold cold, but it's downright inhumane for Southern California.

"Bukowski Court" dates from the 20's if I remember correctly, so it is very likely that it had a fireplace. And in a rental like that, the odds are it was walled over or otherwise closed off as soon as a gas wall heater was installed.
 
Well it was in the low 30's here in Pasadena a couple weeks ago, and the southern tip of San Pedro could get really fucking cold. I remember a few nights when it went down to the 20's. That's still not cold cold, but it's downright inhumane for Southern California.

True, but typically down in the basin it doesn't get much colder than 50°. There are exceptions and it even snows at the top of Topanga from time to time.

"Bukowski Court" dates from the 20's if I remember correctly, so it is very likely that it had a fireplace. And in a rental like that, the odds are it was walled over or otherwise closed off as soon as a gas wall heater was installed.

Yep, there's definitely a fireplace in this photo.
 
We lived at 3954 McLaughlin Ave, intersecting Washington Blvd. as I recall and 10 minutes from Venice Beach. I think it was Chronic who wrote recently that we both went to Grandview Elementary School. Anway, my Dad got into Japanese gardening and bonsai plants and I remember once we drove to Topanga Canyon and he got out of the car and dug along side the hilly road to get some of the really rich soil to use in his plants. It was really rich, dark soil. That must have been around 1958, 1959. Tempus Fugit.
 
Thanks for the info. I sent Lambert an email. Sure they're closed for the weekend. Curious to see how he/they will respond to my query.
If the answer is negative, you could go see your local sign engraver with a pic of the Bukowski Court sign and get them to make a bronze or brass plaque for you...;)
 
I'm still here! Yes, permission granted.

I visit this site everyday. And as I wrote earlier, I live just a few blocks from the De Longpre apartment, so I can easily go by there in the future if there are any new developments regarding the property.

-Kent
 
Someone mentioned Big Donuts. There's not just one: there are (or were) a bunch of big donuts scattered around the LA area. I once made a book of photographs of them, a small, self published Xeroxed edition. I scouted out every donut shop I could find with a big donut on top and ran around, taking pictures of them with a cheap shit plastic camera I bought in a thriftstore for 39 cents. This was years ago, pre-Internet, and the only way to find them was to look in the phonebook for all the donut shops, and check them out one by one. Too bad I didn't put as much effort into locating and photographing Bukowski-related sites. Oh well...
 
Thanks for the info. I sent Lambert an email. Sure they're closed for the weekend. Curious to see how he/they will respond to my query.
Here is the reply I received. Very nice person. :)


~~~~~~~~~~~~


To Me:

I gather you are referring to the bronze plaque that identifies the property as an Historic-Cultural Monument (see attached). Any plaque purchased for the property must be displayed on the premises. What could be appropriate is for you to make a rubbing of the plaque once it is installed. I could perhaps contact the owner and let him know of your interest in donating a plaque to the property. Please let me know if you would like to pursue this. Thank you.

Lambert ...., Architect
Office of Historic Resources
Los Angeles Department of City Planning
City Hall 200 N. Spring Street, Room 620
Los Angeles, CA 90012

~~~~~~~~~

I will respond and keep anyone here interested updated.
 
Any plaque purchased for the property must be displayed on the premises.

That does'nt sound good. I guess that rules out any private purchase...
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top