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When I Think of Home: Images from L.A. Archives

Charles Richter with seismometer that he kept in the living room of his home, ca. 1963

Many of us take our work home, but for Caltech seismologist Charles F. Richter (1900-1985) that meant keeping a full-sized seismograph in his living room, where he fielded earthquake queries at any time. Richter quipped that the instrument was a great conversation starter for his guests. In the 1930s Richter in collaboration with Beno Gutenberg had developed the eponymous earthquake magnitude scale, the first to characterize the absolute energy of shaking rather than structural damage.

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Contents of this path:
1. An Excerpt From the Visual History with John Singleton (1968-2019)
2. Highlights from the Academy Visual History Program: Oral Histories with Filmmakers This short reel provides a highlight overview of the Academy Visual History Program, which has recorded over 225 long-form visual histories in 9 countries and 11 languages. As the ecosystem in which we make and share films becomes increasingly multi-regional and international, the Academy Foundation and Film Archive seeks to document those shifts by including voices which are essential to a more global appreciation of cinema history.
3. SOUL Newspaper
4. Research photographs of Boyle Heights taken by location scout Rony Shinoin for REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES (2002) REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES (2002), directed by Patricia Cardoso, is celebrated for its nuanced portrayal of a working-class Mexican American family. Starring America Ferrera in her feature film debut, it is an unprecedented exploration of gender politics and the immigrant experience. These photographs, along with other production materials donated by Patricia Cardoso, will be on display at the 2021 opening of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California.
5. Fat Liberation Manifesto, 1973 The Fat Liberation Manifesto expressed the values of the first feminist Fat Liberation organization, the Fat Underground. Formed in 1973 by radical therapists Judy Freespirit and Sara Golda Bracha Fishman, it took a revolutionary stance against the harmful practices of the diet industry and doctors. As Freespirit wrote, "In the beginning, people giggled when we talked about Fat Liberation. Now . . . there are hundreds of thousands of fat activists and allies."
6. Founding Celebration II: Del Martinez and Lauren Jardine, 1987 Connexxus was one of the first Los Angeles based non-profit organizations ran by and for women, particularly lesbians. Del Martinez and Lauren Jardine, shown here, opened Connexxus in January of 1985 on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. The thriving center included a library, coffee house, and meeting spaces and services like workshops and counseling. In 1986, it opened Connexxus East / Centro de Mujeres and reached out to Latina lesbians specifically.
7. A Chance to Make History, Jackie Goldberg Flyer, 1993
8. Untitled [3] July, 1978, Los Angeles Little Tokyo: As dancers go through their routine, a crew of cinematographers shoot a scene recreating the 1935 Nisei Week Grand Parade and ondo as part of Visual Communications' feature-length narrative HITO HATA: RAISE THE BANNER. Capturing the spirit and energy of the Nisei Week Japanese Festival required the participation of nearly 200 performers and extras, as well as the unprecedented good-will of Little Tokyo merchants who were notorious for refusing to allow film crews to close down the streets of Little Tokyo for Hollywood movie productions.
9. Movie Replica of Japanese Submarine
10. The Writer Speaks: Robert Towne
11. Disneyland Opening
12. Pasadena Cycleway looking north from the Raymond Hotel, 1900 Horace Dobbins dreamed of building the first ever elevated cycleway from Pasadena to Los Angeles. The construction began in 1899 and the first phase was completed and just under 1.5 miles of cycle pathway from Hotel Green was open to the public on January 1st, 1900. Unfortunately, the next phase of construction of this cycleway never took place. This photograph shows a view looking north from Raymond Hotel. Tracks in foreground are Santa Fe Rail Road. Fair Oaks Avenue in Pasadena is on left side.
13. Dedication of the Arroyo Seco Parkway
14. Tarzana: Home of Tarzan
15. Governor Knight at Freeway Opening Freeways are a staple of the landscape of Los Angeles County. In this image from 1954, Goodwin Knight (1896-1970), the 31st Governor of California who served from 1953-1959, cuts a ribbon at the opening of the Los Angeles River Freeway State Route 15. Today this freeway is known as the Long Beach Freeway/Interstate 710. This photograph was taken by Joseph Risinger, a photographer for the Long Beach Press Telegram.
16. House of lightning Entrance to Caltech’s High Voltage Research Laboratory, the first facility to produce million-volt discharges. It was home to groundbreaking research that helped "make" Caltech, including technological innovations for Southern California Edison, the transmutation of elements, neutron-beam generation, and radiation therapy. Lee Lawrie sculpted the dramatic art-deco frieze (1923) on Bertram Goodhue’s façade, depicting two men pulling a cable to create a powerful burst. The frieze was demolished in 1959 when the building was repurposed.
17. Charles Richter with seismometer that he kept in the living room of his home, ca. 1963 Many of us take our work home, but for Caltech seismologist Charles F. Richter (1900-1985) that meant keeping a full-sized seismograph in his living room, where he fielded earthquake queries at any time. Richter quipped that the instrument was a great conversation starter for his guests. In the 1930s Richter in collaboration with Beno Gutenberg had developed the eponymous earthquake magnitude scale, the first to characterize the absolute energy of shaking rather than structural damage.
18. Dr. Richard P. Feynman, Physicist and Nobel Laureate. ©2020.SHELLEYGAZIN. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ©2020.SHELLEYGAZIN. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Professor Richard P. Feynman, Nobel Prize-winning physicist, who resided in Pasadena and taught at CalTech during the last years of his life. He discovered the reason for the Space Shuttle tragedy in 1986 and was featured in a cover story in the L.A. Times in which he was portrayed in his office and home studio. He is a cult hero, author and creative genius.
19. Dean Martin with his wife Jeanne Martin at home, July 8, 1955.
20. Clara Bow at home, ca. 1928.

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The California Institute of Technology Archives and Special Collections, founded in 1968, has a mission of facilitating understanding of Caltech’s role in the history of science and technology. Our collections include the papers of Caltech researchers; photographs, film, audio, video, websites, and publications documenting Caltech’s history; scientific instruments characteristic of research at Caltech; and rare books anchored by the Rocco Collection of early modern physics and astronomy. We have been collecting oral histories of Caltech faculty and other affiliates since 1979, and have published approximately 200 transcripts on the web. Caltech has also made publicly available on the web the papers of astrophysicist George Ellery Hale, founder of Mount Wilson Observatory; aeronautical engineer and pioneer of human-powered flight Paul MacCready; and Nobel Prize-winning particle physicist and molecular biologist Donald Glaser. https://archives.caltech.edu/
Contents of this tag:
1. Student lounge (“the Dugout”) fireplace, California Institute of Technology, 1936 In 1924, Caltech students gained a home away from home with the dedication of a long-needed student center designed by noted architect Henry Greene. Student donations funded the massive fireplace: bricks were sold for $1 and engraved with the names of purchasers. Seniors offered the bronze motto, juniors the large bronze T, sophomores the mantel, and freshmen the andirons. For many years students gathered around the beloved fireplace for recreation, relaxation, and scientific discussions. Copyright Unknown -The copyright and related rights status of this Item has been reviewed by the organization that has made the Item available, but the organization was unable to make a conclusive determination as to the copyright status of the Item. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use.
2. House of lightning Entrance to Caltech’s High Voltage Research Laboratory, the first facility to produce million-volt discharges. It was home to groundbreaking research that helped "make" Caltech, including technological innovations for Southern California Edison, the transmutation of elements, neutron-beam generation, and radiation therapy. Lee Lawrie sculpted the dramatic art-deco frieze (1923) on Bertram Goodhue’s façade, depicting two men pulling a cable to create a powerful burst. The frieze was demolished in 1959 when the building was repurposed.
3. Charles Richter with seismometer that he kept in the living room of his home, ca. 1963 Many of us take our work home, but for Caltech seismologist Charles F. Richter (1900-1985) that meant keeping a full-sized seismograph in his living room, where he fielded earthquake queries at any time. Richter quipped that the instrument was a great conversation starter for his guests. In the 1930s Richter in collaboration with Beno Gutenberg had developed the eponymous earthquake magnitude scale, the first to characterize the absolute energy of shaking rather than structural damage.