Jan. 20, 2007 
We Uncover a Piece of L.A.'s Past
On Broadway  
L.A.'s Broadway Theater District is bustling, loud, occasionally squalid, full of rough-hewn charm, and packed with potential.

This street was the center of the city's movie theater district from around 1910 to 1930. Nearly all of the buildings the theaters were housed in still exist, although none of them are being used today as a first-run movie theater.

We turned out a group of 24 MC101s to tour the district with leaders from the Los Angeles Conservancy. On this Saturday morning, the noisy, crowded sidewalks of Broadway were our classroom.
Broadway theater District
We were told that the Broadway Theater District (about six blocks) is on the National Register of Historic Places. A big part of its appeal (and historical significance) is that there are very few post-WWII buildings on this segment of the street
Electronics Store
Today, the Theater District is all about adaptive reuse. Turns out that these spaces are being used for everything except their intended purpose. This building, which once housed the Arcade Theater, is now home to an electronics store.

These MC101s are exiting what was once the theater's lobby.
Los Angeles Theatre
The Los Angeles Theater, now used as a church, is in better shape than most. We were allowed to go inside, but were asked to not take pictures of the interior. That's a shame because the church has done a fine (and historically sensitive) job of restoring the interior.
Clifton's
We briefly visited Clifton's Cafeteria, a Downtown landmark. Clifton's (which was once a small chain of cafeterias) was known for its flamboyant decor and themed dining rooms. These MC101s were in an area that had a Gold Rush theme.
Orpheun
The day's biggest disappointment was being unable to get into the Orpheum Theater. This really is Broadway's showplace, and has been lovingly restored inside. It was reserved for a television taping on this day.
Arcade Theater
This field trip always makes an impression with MC101s. Some find the Broadway Theater District historic and interesting, others see it as filled with potential, and some find it decrepit and sad.

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