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Walkin' in LA, nobody walks in LA; walkin' in LA; walkin' in LA, only a nobody walks in LA—Terry Bozzio, Missing Persons
Before Mickey and his Magic Kingdom, there was Billie the Alligator and his reptilian pals at the California Alligator Farm.
Independence Day aka the Fourth of July commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States on July 4, 1776. The Continental Congress declared that the thirteen (American) colonies were no longer subject to Great Britain's rule, but were united, free, and independent states.
Friday is National Arbor Day: a day to celebrate trees. When we look around Los Angeles today with its beautiful tree-filled parks and palm-lined streets, it's hard to imagine it being any different.
William Willmore had a brilliant idea. He was going to create a farming community on the coast of Southern California. He bought 4,000 acres of Rancho Los Cerritos and subdivided the land into plots which comprised Willmore City.
Over 25 years ago, while organizing the photo collection of the Los Angeles Public Library, librarian Carolyn Kozo Cole found many photos that documented the city’s political and professional history—political rallies, building construction, front page stories—but few images showing the personal side of it
Ah Valentine's Day! The day to celebrate romantic love.
For some, it's a day of love and kisses to look forward to with your sweetheart, for others, well, not so much.
The library’s Los Angeles Herald Examiner photo collection spans seven decades, from the mid-1920s to 1989 and is a treasure trove of all things Los Angeles.
It's the day lots of adults look forward to, and lots of kids dread. After a summer of fun, it's time to start setting that alarm again, shop for supplies, and go back to school!
It's summertime in Los Angeles and the mercury is rising. Are you beach ready? Have you packed your sunscreen, hats, coolers, snacks, umbrellas, folding chairs, kites, frisbees, bikes, trikes, boogie boards and blankets? Do you know how you'll get there?
![Walking in the rain by the Warner Downtown, [1938]. Herman J Schultheis Collection Walking in the rain by the Warner Downtown](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2021-02/walkingheader.jpg?itok=qmyBZ9VQ)
![Color postcard of California Alligator Farm with a baby surrounded by baby alligators, in Los Angeles [ca.1911] Color postcard of California Alligator Farm, in Los Angeles [ca.1911]](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2019-07/gatorbabyfarmheader.jpg?itok=te0oK9-p)
![Fireworks at Los Angeles City Hall, [2002]. Gary Leonard Photo Collection fireworks at Los Angeles City Hall](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2019-06/4thheader4.jpg?itok=SFwmyoeX)
![A colored post card showing a small stand at the Fremont entrance to Elysian Park. The hill above the entrance is landscaped with shrubs and flowers. Adolph Selige Publishing Co., St. Louis, [1909]. Security Pacific National Bank Collection postcard image of Elysian park](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2021-02/laelysianheader.jpg?itok=MxQKle6F)
![A view of The Pike amusement park in Long Beach. The roller coaster extends down the pier; underneath it is the Long Beach bath house. The Hotel Arlington is bottom, left. Next to the hotel is the Crystal Cafeteria and next to the cafeteria is the Ambassador ballroom dancing establishment. Hoyt's Theatre abuts the Ambassador. On the horizon are several naval or Coast Guard ships, [ca.1920]. Security Pacific National Bank Collection The Pike and warships](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2019-04/longbeachheader.jpg?itok=vHj9E8xL)
![Five women pose in front of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for the NAACP Awards,[1968]. Photo credit: Robert Douglas, Shades of L.A. Collection Five women pose in front of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1968](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2019-02/naacpheader.jpg?itok=KN_whi_k)

![Bette Davis signs books for fans at a Hollywood book store,1988. [Photo credit: Leo Jarzomb, Herald Examiner Collection] Bette Davis signs books for fans at a Hollywood book store,1988.](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2021-07/bettedaviseyes2.jpg?itok=kr9wvnct)
![First day of school: the smile of the girl at left, and the tears of the miss at right, tell the story of mixed emotions of Los Angeles' younger set today, as school starts for an army of 605,000 youngsters, [September 15, 1958]. Herald Examiner Collection 3 children heading into a school on the first day](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2020-04/btschool.jpg?itok=R1OVwZcD)
![Office work on the beach, [1934]. Security Pacific National Bank Collection 1934 colorized picture of people at the beach with typewriters](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2020-04/beachdayheader.jpg?itok=ES43akc8)