Cerritos College Auditorium
Cerritos, CA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
A fine example of a mid-century modern campus can be
found in Cerritos, California. This is the Cerritos College. Unfortunately, the library has already
been demolished. Apparently, it was designed with barrel vaulted ceilings
and an incredible modern firepit inside.
Buena Park Civic Center
Buena Park, CA Photo courtesy Chris Nichols
The Buena Park Civic Center, circa 1957, is now fully endangered, due
to the rise of a stucco replacement structure next door. Below are more
photos of this civic center treasure in its present state.
The original Smith and Williams civic center was demolished. City services continue in newer facilities, but the campus shown here has joined the list of lost Orange County modern landmarks.
Ambassador College Auditorium
Pasadena, CA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
Here's the Ambassador College Auditorium near Old Town Pasadena.
It appears that the Auditorium will be saved, but unfortunately not the
most unique Fine Arts and Science buildings that are sometimes referred
to as the 'honeycomb' buildings. Building architecture like this is becoming
quite rare.
Greyhound Bus Station Photo courtesy Georg Balandran
Standing tall above the street, this vintage Greyhound Bus Station sign gives travelers a familiar landmark to watch for. The running dog became one of the best-known sights in American transportation, promising a ride to places well beyond the next town.
For generations, signs like this marked the beginning of a vacation, a visit home, or a move somewhere new. There was usually a ticket counter, a waiting room, and a timetable to study before heading out to the bus. A suitcase beside the seat and a few minutes to spare were part of the experience.
The marquee did its work before passengers ever reached the door. Spot the familiar name above the buildings and the search for the station was nearly over. Even someone who had never visited the city could recognize the dog and know where to go.
Take a look at the sign apart from its everyday job, too. What once served as a practical announcement has become a reminder of bus trips, downtown depots, and arrivals at unfamiliar hours. For roadside enthusiasts, it offers a reason to stop without packing a suitcase. No departure time to worry about on this visit.
UPDATE: This photograph preserves another example of Greyhound’s familiar roadside advertising. The station’s location and the sign’s present status have not been established. 10-26
Greyhound Bus (Demolished)
Santa Barbara, CA Photo courtesy Allen Sandquist
Weather-beaten but still recognizable in this view, the Greyhound Bus sign in Santa Barbara recalls the days when a downtown depot was part of the regular travel routine. The running dog gave passengers something familiar to watch for before the next departure.
The station at Carrillo and Chapala streets served the city for more than seventy years. When Greyhound moved to the train-station area in 2012, residents asked that the neon landmark be saved. Unfortunately, this traveler never found a retirement home.
UPDATE: The depot closed in 2012 and was demolished in February 2017. Despite preservation requests, the sign was destroyed to protect Greyhound’s corporate trademark, according to local reporting. Another familiar downtown sight now found only in photographs. 10-26
Amboy School
Amboy, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Beyond the familiar Roy’s sign, the Amboy School recalls when this desert stop was home to families as well as passing motorists. Children attended classes while trains and highway traffic kept the town moving. Juan Pollo founder Albert Okura purchased Amboy in 2005, beginning another chapter for the Route 66 community. 04-06
Interstate 40 bypassed Amboy in 1973, taking much of its business elsewhere. The school lasted considerably longer, closing in 1999 as enrollment dwindled. Not everyone here was just stopping for gas, and the empty classrooms offer a reminder of everyday life behind the roadside attractions.
UPDATE: Amboy School remains closed. Following Albert Okura’s death in January 2023, his son Kyle continued the family’s work to revive Amboy and Roy’s. The school survives as a quieter piece of the town’s history. 10-26
City Hall
Beverly Hills, CA Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
There’s plenty to admire before reaching the front door of Beverly Hills City Hall. The tall tower, tiled dome, and elaborate entrance give this municipal building an appearance more often associated with a grand hotel. Apparently conducting city business could come with a little architectural ceremony. 03-01
Completed in 1932, City Hall was designed by William J. Gage and Harry G. Koerner. Its Spanish Revival ornament includes the richly worked entrance shown here, where the smaller details deserve as much attention as the tower overhead.
City Hall
Beverly Hills, CA Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Will Rogers, the city’s honorary mayor, supported the development of the new City Hall. The building also originally housed the police department, which remained here until moving into a separate facility in 1990. For decades, considerably more than council business took place behind these walls.
The surrounding civic center later expanded, with Charles Moore’s design adding courtyards, arcades, and public spaces that responded to the older landmark. Take a walk around rather than stopping at the first tower photograph. There’s more to see closer to the sidewalk.
UPDATE: Beverly Hills City Hall remains the city’s government headquarters and a designated historic landmark. Its distinctive tower continues to rise above the civic center, while the detailed entrance still rewards anyone who takes a closer look. 10-26
Greyhound Bus Station
Greyhound Bus (Demolished)
Amboy School
Beyond the familiar Roy’s sign, the Amboy School recalls when this desert stop was home to families as well as passing motorists. Children attended classes while trains and highway traffic kept the town moving. Juan Pollo founder Albert Okura purchased Amboy in 2005, beginning another chapter for the Route 66 community. 04-06
City Hall
City Hall
