Lankershim, Los Angeles County, California

Lankershim and West Lankershim are historical names for an area in what is now the greater North Hollywood section of the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles County, California.

Lankershim Ranch Land and Water Company 1890 marketing map

Settlements
Main article: North Hollywood, Los Angeles § History

Lankershim was originally named Toluca.[1] The center of the town, laid out by James Boon Lankershim and his brother-in-law I.N. Van Nuys, was the "intersection of present day Chandler Blvd. and Lankershim Blvd."[1] Lankershim agreed to be annexed to the City of Los Angeles in 1923.[2][1] The intent of annexation was to connect the settlements access to the water from the Los Angeles Aqueduct system.[3] West Lankershim agreed to be annexed to the City of Los Angeles in 1919.[2][1] West Lankershim has been described as the "Valley Plaza area of North Hollywood"[3] or as basically what is now called Valley Village.[2]

The name of the local post office was changed from Toluca to Lankershim in 1912.[4] In 1925 the population of Lankershim was 2,000.[5] The current name North Hollywood was adopted August 15, 1927 to capitalize "on the glamour of Hollywood to the southeast."[2][6] The post office address was legally changed that day and "all the signs along Magnolia Boulevard, Lankershim Boulevard and other large highways have been painted out from signs and the new name substituted."[6]

Depot
Historic Lankershim station

The Lankershim Depot building was "brought to its present-day site on rail cars and assembled" in 1896 as the Toluca Depot of the Southern Pacific Railroad.[7][8] According to the Los Angeles Conservancy, "At the time…fruit was one of the area’s chief industries. The railroad tracks and stations, including this one, were built to connect the region's agricultural industry to the ports. The building is a one-story wooden structure that originally contained an office and a waiting area."[9]

One of the "few remaining wood-frame, 19th century railroad stations in Southern California,"[8] the depot was dual service for Southern Pacific and the Pacific Electric railway from 1911[8] until it was closed to rail activity in 1952.[7] The historic depot building survives and is located near the current North Hollywood Metro station for the pedestrian tunnel-connected B Line and G Line transit routes.[10] It was subject to a $3.6 million restoration completed in 2016.[7] The renovation incorporated "ADA requirements such as hand railings and ramp lighting."[8] Since 2017, Lankershim Depot has housed a Groundwork coffee shop.[7]

The present site of the Lankershim Depot is 34.1683432°N 118.3773151°W / 34.1683432; -118.3773151

Library
Main article: North Hollywood Amelia Earhart Regional Library § History

The Lankershim branch of the Los Angeles Co. Free Library was established November 1914 and located at the "newspaper office."[11] The Lankershim branch was located at 11228 Margate Avenue c. 1921.[12] The Lankershim branch officially joined LAPL in February 1924,[13] and was renamed in 1927 and became the Sidney Lanier branch.[14] The branch moved to its current location in 1929.[13]

  • Toluca Flyer train at Lankershim Station c. 1900
    Toluca Flyer train at Lankershim Station c. 1900
  • Twenty-horse harvester at work in a Van Nuys-Lankershim (Los Angeles Farming and Milling Company) field c. 1905-1908
    Twenty-horse harvester at work in a Van Nuys-Lankershim (Los Angeles Farming and Milling Company) field c. 1905-1908
  • Pacific Electric substation, photo published 1912
    Pacific Electric substation, photo published 1912
  • Lankershim on automobile route map, 1917
    Lankershim on automobile route map, 1917
  • Lankershim post office application
    Lankershim post office application
  • Map attached to post office name change application
    Map attached to post office name change application
  • USGS topographical map, 1924
    USGS topographical map, 1924
  • Lankershim Addition No. 1
    Lankershim Addition No. 1
  • Lankershim Addition No. 2
    Lankershim Addition No. 2

References
  1. Architectural Resources Group, Inc. (2013-02-26). "Development History". SurveyLA: Historic Resources Survey Report North Hollywood‐Valley Village Community Plan Area (PDF). Pasadena, California: historicplacesla.org. pp. 10–13.
  2. "[Birdseye View of North Hollywood] Here is North Hollywood Park - Barry Lawrence Ruderman Antique Maps Inc". www.raremaps.com. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  3. Thrasher, Al (7 March 1965). "VILLAGE BECOMES CITY: Annex Plan Sparks Area History Review". Los Angeles Times. p. SF_B8. ProQuest 155137817.
  4. "Record Group 28: Records of the Post Office Department, Series: Reports of Site Locations California: Los Angeles A - L (NAID: 68228226)". catalog.archives.gov. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
  5. Rider, Fremont; Cooper, Frederic Taber (1925). Rider's California; a guide-book for travelers, with 28 maps and plans. New York: The Macmillan company: London, G. Allen & Unwin, ltd.
  6. "LANKERSHIM NO MORE AS TOWN NAME: Valley City from Now on is to be Officially Known as North Hollywood". Los Angeles Times. 16 August 1927. p. A8. ProQuest 162078384.
  7. "Historic Lankershim Depot in NoHo becomes home to new coffee shop". KPCC - NPR News for Southern California - 89.3 FM. 2017-02-18. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  8. Sotero, Dave (2014-10-30). "Historic Lankershim Depot gets extreme makeover". The Source. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  9. "Lankershim Depot | Los Angeles Conservancy". www.laconservancy.org. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  10. Hymon, Steve (2016-08-15). "Pedestrian tunnel between Red Line and Orange Line in NoHo is now open". The Source. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  11. Library, California State (1918). News Notes of California Libraries. California State Library.
  12. Directors, Los Angeles Public Library Board of (1921). Annual Report of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Public Library and Report of Librarian.
  13. "North Hollywood Amelia M Earhart Regional Branch History | Los Angeles Public Library". www.lapl.org. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  14. Los Angeles School Journal. 1927.
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