1922 – The Little Shacks are Disappearing

Reprint article from the Evening Outlook Aug. 5, 1922. This article was written a few months after Sawtelle was Annexed to L.A. In reviewing Newspaper Articles from the 1920s, there was a profound Miscalculation by the Progressives of Sawtelle who had envisioned West Los Angeles becoming the Big Metropolis Center of Western Los Angeles. This was one reason for changing the Name from Sawtelle to West Los Angeles. But by the the 1930s depression, West Los Angeles (the Sawtelle community) was in Full Decline.

Many Shack like houses, built by old Veterans on Govt. Pensions from 1900 to 1915 were being demolished but not fast enough nor were the New 1920s Houses Glorious enough and in the 1930s depression, Sawtelle was labeled a class D (Red zoned) poverty zone By the HOLC Federal Government. Not until the 1950s were many of the Shack like houses demolished for two story Apartment Construction, during the Golden Age of Sawtelle’s Gentrification with a frenzy of two story Apartment construction, converting much of Sawtelle into an Apartment Community from a family community to temporary Apartment dwellers.

The following 1922 Article is quoted from George Wiseman.

“Sawtelle will grow faster than it ever grew before in all its History is the belief of George Wiseman (Sawtelle Pioneer). For Many years a resident of this City and an active participant in all of its affairs. He predicted today that within the coming decade, the Population will Climb up to between 18,000 to 20,000 and that The community (Sawtelle) will be the Center of one of the most important Industrial and Residential Districts in the World.

All of Southern California is centering Here he declared. Sawtelle will see her first spurt of Growth as a Result of the new Blood that is coming in, Mr. Wiseman states. Contrary to the condition that existed in other Years, he said, There is a Spirit of Improvement in every Transaction of Business. The Little Shacks are Disappearing.

The indifference concerning Affairs of the City (Sawtelle) has nearly been wiped out, As shown in the last election, when the highest vote that was ever poled, was cast.”

Courtesy of Santa Monica Evening Outlook, April 03, 1927 ……Sawtelle, predicted to be Home of the Middle Class family and center of the District but those dreams never came into fruition. Possibly if there had been no Crash of 1929, those plans may have succeeded and Sawtelle may have developed in a 1930s version of Century City. Click twice on the article to enlarge.