The Joy of Old Newspapers

A great peek into the past can be had by paging through old newspapers. In a community like ours, which has a vibrant past, it’s especially fun to see the ad pitches businesses made back then. They are pretty goofy by today’s standards. As well, some of the articles display an innocence, nay, a naiveté, that we have learned the hard way not to display.

In researching a recent article, I was deep in the pages of our former local paper, the Crescenta Valley Ledger, for July 1933. One of the things that jumped out is that when someone got into an accident, attempted suicide or was arrested for a crime, the paper always printed their name and often their address, too. The paper back then also liked to let everyone know where and when you were going on vacation. Would you be comfortable today having the paper print your name and address and exactly when and how long your house would be unoccupied while you were gone? Or here’s one from the classifieds: “Lost – Within radius of two blocks of Montrose, Browning 12-gauge automatic shotgun.” Somehow I think that would be handled differently today.

But it’s the ads of 1933 that are really a hoot. The biggest ads were those of the grocery stores. The ad for the A&P in Montrose gave no address, but I believe it’s where Blue Fish is today. Their ad led with meat and lots of it – bacon, ham, rib roast and pot roast – followed closely by ads for cheese, butter and mayonnaise. Apparently no one thought much about cholesterol back then. Also on sale – Scott Tissue “As soft as old linen,” and “toasted dainties,” whatever those were. Very small at the very bottom of the page are the fresh fruits and veggies.

Yes, we had a Piggly Wiggly in Montrose and it offered an intriguing item: “Rubbers – 3 dozen for 10 cents – Seal your home-made preserves with Red Ball Rubbers.” Oh, I get it. Sealing material for canning with Mason jars. I thought it was something else.

There was the Economy Market on the corner of Honolulu and Verdugo (where Benetoite Restaurant just closed). Its ad is composed entirely of various forms of meat – beef and pork. Apparently if you wanted something fresh, you went down the street to the Montrose Fruit and Vegetable Market (where Mayhall’s Sewing Center is). Down the street from that at 2347 Honolulu (next to Joselito’s) was the B&M Market (“Look for the neon sign”), so named because Mr. Beckwith owned the meat department and Mr. Miller owned the grocery side. They at least had some inkling of modern health as they offered a special: ice cream bars, 3 for 10 cents with vegetable purchase.

Moving on to other ads we see: “Gophers killed, minimum charge $1.” “Sunland Park Popcorn Stand – Freshly seasoned and carmel (sic) coated popcorn.” Box Car Ice Milk, cold pop, and hot peanuts were all offered for 5 cents. At the “Montrose Rental Library” you could rent a book or jigsaw puzzle for just 3 cents a day. You got goat milk delivered from the Four Pines Goat Dairy in Tujunga. According to their ad, it was the perfect food for babies, the elderly and invalids.

Thompson Brothers Cleaners and Dryers was “the only dry-cleaning plant in the valley – one day service.” By the way, they are still in business, back behind Black Cow in Montrose. Try calling them at their old phone number: Crescenta 588.

A Mr. Porter was making and selling home-made ice cream from his house at 4319 La Crescenta. Good location, right next to La Crescenta Elementary School. Then there was the gas station at Ocean View and Honolulu, where, for his weekly ad, the owner drew his own comic strip called “Wart the Speed Cop.”

And of course, there was the ever-present Montrose Theater where the movies changed every two days. Currently playing was “Supernatural” with Carol Lombard along with a Laurel and Hardy comedy, and Silly Symphony (in Technicolor!) and a sports reel. Adults 15 cents, children 5 cents.

These were truly different times.

  mike lawler