When my parents visited last year, we took them on a tour of Los Angeles based on the Amazon series, Bosch. One of the locations in the book and show is Union Station. The station is a feat of Mission Moderne design; it was built in the late 1930’s and much of the original architecture still stands. The station is beautiful and has some areas under renovation currently.
The Station recently updated to add heating and cooling for the main areas. It was pretty miserable inside in summer and winter without modern climate control. Several businesses run out of the main arrival area and the people working always had to adjust to the changing temps. Some areas of the station are only used for special events and some areas are closed for construction but the whole center has evolved significantly since the 30’s. The station hosts several LA Metro subway system connections along with the Amtrack lines it has always catered to.
The decor and architecture mention above are Mission Moderne, which is a blend of Spanish Colonial, Mission Revival and Art Deco styles. You can see the influences all over the station. This tile appears all over the station:
These lamps in the breezeway are gorgeous.
This area appears in a scene from the movie, Blade Runner. You might recognize it better from other photos below.
The little ornament above is reminiscent of the detailing on Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House, another Los Angeles landmark.
Many of the key features of the station remain to this day and it is a beautiful place to visit. Union Station was built to hold more people than it normally sees in modern times. The ticketing area shown below is closed except to special events or filming. The location is featured in many films.
The main waiting area:
One area of the station I am curious about is a restaurant section closed for updates. It appears to be a former night club or dance hall but you can’t see well past the window film. You can get a blurry peak through the doors on the other side of this breezeway.
Special thanks to my dad for a few of these pictures. Have you been to Union Station in Los Angeles?