Chronicle to publish souvenir edition for Larchmont centennial in 2021
FRONT PAGE of the 1971 Souvenir Collector’s Edition features Larchmont statesman Ross Stratton and the bygone time when street car bells clanged and gas stations dotted the area.
This upcoming September is Larchmont Village’s 100th anniversary, and the Larchmont Chronicle will be publishing a special “Souvenir Collector’s Edition.” This will be only the second such edition, following our coverage of the 50th anniversary in 1971.
The theme of the 50th anniversary commemorative edition was “From Barley Fields to Affluent Suburb,” a closer look at Larchmont’s evolution since its founding in the Jazz Age. The Chronicle took readers through Larchmont’s history decade by decade.
For the 1920s, writers wrote on notable milestones like “Two-Story Homes Completed in Windsor Square Suburb” and “Ebell Club Ball Marks Move to Wilshire Blvd.”
Larchmont then experienced the Great Depression, remembered by the headline: “1930s — From High Spirits to Depression.” Despite this, writers described small moments of relief, from residents lining up to watch “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” at the Larchmont Movie Theatre (where the empty Flywheel building is today) to enjoying a $1.50 buffet at nearby Perino’s Restaurant on Wilshire Boulevard before an afternoon Philharmonic concert downtown.
During wartime in the 1940s, Chevalier’s kept selling out of Ernest Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” Gas rationing was enforced, which impacted the Boulevard’s three gas stations and had Larch-Mart Grocery curtail delivery services.
Out of the despair from the two previous decades came the 1950s: “Fabulous ’50s Start on Note of Optimism, Hope.” In 1955, the city approved Larchmont modernization plans, removing the Boulevard’s streetcar tracks, overhead power line and poles, repaving the street and installing new curbs and gutters. New buildings were built and restored, and in 1959, the first parking meters appeared on the street.
The history of Larchmont has been one of resilience, optimism and celebration, and that narrative will be expanded in our 100th Anniversary Souvenir Collector’s Edition, publishing this September. Information about feature stories and advertising opportunities will be provided in the coming months.
Category: News
