Video Shows How Los Angeles Has Changed Since the 1940s

By Michele Debczak |

Plenty of things have changed about Los Angeles since the 1940s. For example, there’s a lot less classic Hollywood charm today and a lot more smog. To see just how much the city has evolved in the past 70 years, you can watch the above video from The New Yorker comparing footage from the two different eras side-by-side.

Keven McAlester’s short film focuses on L.A.’s Bunker Hill neighborhood, which underwent a major urban renewal project starting in 1959. It erased many of the elegant structures you can see on the left side of the screen, resulting in the cityscape Angelenos recognize today. For another look at 1940s urban life, check out this video of New York City’s subway system in 1949.

[h/t The New Yorker]

All images courtesy of The New Yorker via YouTube.

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