East Los
Angeles is accessible from several points
in Downtown Los Angeles. Please note,
the Lincoln Heights/Chinatown DASH runs
Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM,
Saturday 10 AM to 2 PM, with no service
on Sunday and certain holidays.
The most
convenient source of transportation
is to board the Lincoln Heights/Chinatown
DASH. From the Union Station/Gateway
Transit Center Metro station (Red Line),
exit the building at Alameda Street
and walk north on Alameda to Cesar Chavez
Avenue. At the southeast corner, board
the Lincoln Heights/Chinatown DASH heading
east on Cesar Chavez Avenue. Depart
the DASH at North Main and Lamar streets.
Walk south on Lamar Street to the San
Antonio Winery.
The
San
Antonio Winery (737 Lamar St.; 323/223-1401)
is the last remaining winery in the
city of Los Angeles. Founded in 1917,
the winery reflects Lincoln Heights'
history as the center of winemaking,
beer making and baking during 19th century
Los Angeles. Owned by the Roboli family,
the winery offers free tours, a restaurant
and live jazz on the weekend. Stop by
the gift shop to pick up gourmet foods
or a bottle of wine with a personalized
label. Stay for lunch at the Maddalena
Restaurant (323/223-1401), which
features Italian and California cuisine.
Return to
N. Main Street and turn right.
If you’re in the mood for a quick
bite, grab a deli sandwich at the
Lanza
Brothers Market (1803 N. Main St.;
323/225-8977), a family operated market
that has served the area for over 75
years.
Walk two blocks east on Main Street
and you will encounter Los Angeles'
largest artists colony at the
Brewery
Arts Complex (2100 N. Main St.,
enter on Moulton Avenue). This historic
21-building complex opened in 1888 as
the Los Angeles Brewing Company and
now houses almost 500 artists and other
creative professionals. Call 323/342-0717
to find out about the next Artwalk or
stop by one of the public galleries
in the complex: I-5
Gallery (2100 N. Main St.; 323/342-0717).
Between galleries, stop at
Barbara's
at the Brewery (620 Moulton Ave.,
#110; 323/221-9204), the Brewery's own
bistro.
 |
Main/Griffin
bus stop (Lincoln Heights/ Chinatown
DASH) |
Re-board
the DASH on Main Street, just a few
steps past Moulton Avenue. Ride the
DASH to Main Street and Griffin Avenue
and depart. Walk east on Main Street
to the intersection of Main Street and
Mission Road.
Adjacent to Lincoln Park,
Parque
de Mexico (corner of Main Street,
Valley Boulevard and Mission Road) was
established to recognize and reinforce
the historic and cultural ties between
residents of Lincoln Heights and Mexico.
The cultural heritage of Mexico is commemorated
each year in February, when Aztec dance
groups from across Southern California
converge at the park to honor Cuantemoc,
the last Aztec ruler. Sixteen works
of public art memorialize Emiliano Zapata,
Father Hidalgo and other important Mexican
national figures.
Lincoln
Park (corner of Main Street and
Mission Road) has long been a major
recreational facility in Los Angeles.
Founded as East Los Angeles Park in
1874, Lincoln Park contributed to the
area's reputation as a major amusement
center in the early 20th century. The
area was once home to a conservatory,
gardens, an ostrich farm, carousel,
and even an alligator farm. Currently,
Lincoln Park is home to a new generation
of cultural assets, in addition to tennis
courts, a senior center, and many youth
programs.
Located in Lincoln Park along Mission
Boulevard,
Plaza
de la Raza Cultural Center for Arts
and Education (3540 N. Mission Rd.;
323/223-2475) was established in 1970,
and provides classes in the performing
and visual arts to area youth, with
a focus on forms that reflect the Latino
heritage of the area's residents. Plaza
de la Raza's summer concert series,
Con Sabor Latino, and its resident
theater group, the Latino Theatre
Company, make this center an important
part of the Los Angeles arts and culture
scene. The center's facilities include
a gallery and La Tiendita,
a gift shop that features work by artisans
and artists.
 |
Lincoln
Park/North Broadway bus stop (Lincoln
Heights / Chinatown DASH) |
Re-board
the DASH at the southwest corner of
North Main Street and Griffin Avenue.
Depart at Lincoln Park Avenue and North
Broadway.
Abraham
Lincoln High School (3501 N. Broadway)
is an example of WPA construction from
the 1930s designed by architect Albert
C. Martin. The auditorium features beautiful
Art Deco styling and a 1990 exterior
mural by Roberto Delgado that commemorates
the 20th anniversary of MEChA, a nation-wide
Mexican-American student group. Famous
graduates of Lincoln High School include
actor Robert Young, director Frank Capra
and architect Gregory Ain.
 |
Avenue
26/Workman bus stop (Lincoln Heights/
Chinatown DASH) |
Re-board
the DASH at the northwest corner of
Lincoln Park Avenue and North Broadway.
Depart at Avenue 26 and Workman Street.
Cross the street and walk a few steps
south along Workman Street.
The
Lincoln
Heights Branch Library (2530 Workman
at Avenue 26; 323/226-1692) was originally
erected in 1916 and was based on Michelangelo's
design of the Villa Guilla in Rome.
Damaged by the 1987 Whittier Narrows
earthquake and a subsequent fire, the
current structure was restored and reopened
in 1996. Don't miss the tile mural by
local artist Ricardo Rodriguez Duffy
depicting elements of Lincoln Heights'
history as well as Latino and Asian
culture.
Walk one block south to the North
Broadway commercial district (intersection
of North Broadway and Daly Street) where
you can experience the sights, sounds
and scents of one of Los Angeles' oldest
business districts. North Broadway has
been the commercial heart of this community
since the first electric streetlight
was installed at Avenue 22 and North
Broadway in 1890. Today, a variety of
commercial architectural styles exist
side by side. Vivid signs in several
languages grace the many stores and
restaurants offering delights from Asian
and Latino culture.
Walk west from Workman Street on North
Broadway to
Frieden's
Department Store (2619 N. Broadway;
323/225-0713). Serving the community
for the last 75 years, this may possibly
be the last family-owned independent
department store in Los Angeles.
Continuing a few steps west on North
Broadway is the perfect spot to view
the
"Chicano
Timetrip" Mural (East-West Bank,
2601 N. Broadway, corner of Daly Street).
The work of muralists Wayne Healy and
David Botello, known as the Los
Dos Streetscapers, documents one
hundred years of Chicano history in
Los Angeles.
Across the street, the
Water
and Power Building (2417 Daly St.),
constructed in the early 1930s, stands
as a monument to the Art Deco style
used by the Los Angeles Department of
Water and Power (DWP) for its district
offices. S. Charles Lee, the noted Los
Angeles architect who also designed
the Los Angeles Theater and the Tower
Theater on Broadway in downtown Los
Angeles, remodeled this building.
Walking west on North Broadway will
lead you to the Broadway
Street Clock (2400 block of N. Broadway).
Erected in 1910, it is one of the few
remaining street clocks in Los Angeles.
Also from this era, the
Federal
Bank Building (2201 North Broadway)
was designed in 1910 by Neher &
Skiling, a Los Angeles architectural
firm. Built in the Italian Renaissance
style, this building now houses an El
Pollo Loco restaurant.
 |
Avenue
20/Main bus stop (Lincoln Heights/
Chinatown DASH) |
At the intersection
of North Broadway and Daly Street, re-board
the DASH on the northwest corner. Depart
the DASH at Avenue 20 and North Main
Street. Walk west on North Main Street
to Avenue 19 and make a right. Continue
for a few blocks to the Bilingual Foundation
for the Arts.
The
Bilingual
Foundation for the Arts (BFA) (421
N. Avenue 19; 323/225-4044) was founded
in 1973 by award-winning Mexican American
actress Carmen Zapata, Margarita Galban
and Estela Scarlata. BFA provides training
for Latino theater artists, translates
the works of contemporary Latino playwrights,
brings bilingual theater to school children
and presents three main stage productions
annually. Located on the fifth floor,
the Los
Angeles Youth Athletic Club (421
N. Avenue 19; 213/485-3217) is a project
of the Los Angeles Department of Recreation
and Parks. The Club, one of the oldest
boxing gyms in the City, hosts matches
regularly.