Pico Boulevard

Explores the evolution of this major Los Angeles street, capturing its architectural transformation and the dynamic blend of local businesses and commercial development from the late 1800s to today.

This book is a photographic essay on the history of Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles, highlighting continuity and changes from the late nineteenth century into the twenty-first through the prism of the street’s architectural legacy. Pico Boulevard is one of the major east-west boulevards running through Los Angeles, and traverses industrial, urban, and commercial areas serving among the most culturally, demographically, and economically diverse neighborhoods. It is an example of the many Main Street-style boulevards in the city, mixing mom-and-pop business establishments that cater to local and immigrant communities with large commercial enterprises. As the urban fabric and transportation infrastructure in Los Angeles undergo major changes, so is Pico Boulevard, which is becoming prime frontage for new commercial, multi-family and mixed-use redevelopment.

REBECCA MICHELSON holds an art history degree from the University of Southern California (USC). She works for the USC Libraries. Rebecca has lived for much of her life near Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles.



RUTH WALLACH works for the USC Libraries. She holds a degree in heritage conservation from USC, and has written previously on the history of the built environment in Los Angeles.