Circa 1905 – Santa Monica Blvd. & Sawtelle Blvd.

The Photo below dated 1905 courtesy of the Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power depicts Teams of Horse driven Wagons carrying stacks of Wood Planks likely used in the construction of small wood framed housing bungalows that were commonly built at that time in the early development of Sawtelle. Looking west on Oregon Avenue (Santa Monica Blvd.) you can clearly see Electric Car Tracks on Oregon Avenue. You can also see the intersection of Fourth Avenue (Sawtelle Blvd.) running northward. Oregon Avenue (Santa Monica Blvd.) as you can see was unpaved dirt, in its original state, and did not get paved until years later, around 1916.

In 1913 the Los Angeles Times noted that all of Santa Monica Boulevard had been paved except for the stretch through Sawtelle. The Sawtelle Board of Trustees proposed that all property owners in the city be assessed for the cost. The issue remained unresolved for more than two years, with opposition leading to a movement to disincorporate. The issue divided Sawtelle along familiar battle lines, the Progressive businessmen of Sawtelle against the Veterans who resided in the area. According to the Times, The Progressive Merchants of Sawtelle were willing to see the extra taxation in order to bring automobile traffic through the town, but a large part of the population consisting of veterans and their families, many of whom desired to see the town of Sawtelle retain its old aspect of the country.
The petition of the Veterans to disincorporate was rejected by the progressive Board of Trustees of Sawtelle and, by November of 1916, Sawtelle’s section of pavement on Santa Monica Boulevard was finally completed. Source: Los Angeles Times, various articles from October 12, 1899 thru December 17, 1916.

The Large White Commercial Complex in the Background is the Pacific Land Company Block Building built in 1904 that housed the First Bank operating in Sawtelle named “The Bank of Sawtelle ” ( A branch of the Santa Monica Bank) and other businesses along with the Pacific Land Company office. This Building is pictured in other vintage pictures of Sawtelle on the same intersection.

NW Corner of Santa Monica Blvd. and Fourth street (Sawtelle Blvd.) Looking North Circa 1905. The Pacific Land Company Block Building built in 1904 is shown. It appears thet the unsightly utility Poles and wiring have been removed as you compare this photo from the previous photo.

The Pacific Land Company (developers of Sawtelle) block Building construction contract awarded, located on the NW corner of Oregon (Santa Monica Blvd.) and Fourth (Sawtelle Blvd.) Source: The Daily Outlook, April 11, 1904

The Daily Outlook, July 08, 1904

Old War Veterans were the original Sawtelle homeowners as noted by the article below. Source: Santa Monica Outlook July 10, 1900