Los Angeles, California - 1932 "The Wonder City of America" Map
Los Angeles, California - 1932 "The Wonder City of America" Map
Experience Los Angeles at the height of its Hollywood golden age with this striking 1932 pictorial map titled "The Wonder City of America." Published by Metropolitan Surveys, this colorful and indexed map captures the sprawling metropolis after two decades of explosive growth fueled by the film industry, the Los Angeles Aqueduct, and the rise of automobile culture.
The Hollywood Metropolis
This meticulously detailed pictorial map showcases Greater Los Angeles spreading across the coastal basin from the Pacific Ocean to the San Gabriel Mountains. Every neighborhood, landmark, and thoroughfare reveals a modern American city that has transformed beyond recognition—movie studios dotting the landscape, elegant boulevards lined with palm trees, beach communities stretching along the coast, and vast residential subdivisions replacing the orange groves. The indexed map highlights the civic landmarks, entertainment venues, and cultural institutions that made Los Angeles a magnet for Americans seeking sunshine, opportunity, and the glamour of the silver screen.
Historical Significance
By 1932, Los Angeles had exploded to over 1.2 million residents, more than quadrupling its 1909 population. The completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913 had provided unlimited water, enabling the city to annex vast territories and sprawl across the basin. Hollywood had become the world's film capital, oil discoveries had created new wealth, and the automobile had reshaped urban life entirely. This map captures that peak moment of 1930s Los Angeles—a modern, car-oriented, entertainment-focused city that represented a bold new vision of American urbanism. Within a few years, the Great Depression would slow growth temporarily, but the foundation for the postwar metropolis was already visible in this "Wonder City."
Museum-Quality Reproduction
This is a high-quality reproduction of the original 1932 map, professionally printed using museum-grade methods and materials to preserve every detail of this historic cartographic treasure.
Perfect For:
- History enthusiasts and collectors of Americana
- California natives and Los Angeles residents
- Anyone passionate about Hollywood history and California culture
- Displaying alongside your military and historical collections
- Gift-giving for those who appreciate historical artifacts
Specifications:
- Original Publication: 1932
- Style: Pictorial map with relief shown pictorially
- Features: Indexed landmarks and points of interest
- Product Type: High-Quality Reproduction Print
Dimensions (Width x Height): 24 x 15.6
Each map is printed using the finest materials and methods. Your map will be handled with white gloves from start to finish. We use the Giclee printing method on Hahnemuhle paper, which produces a clear, extremely detailed, durable map that is perfect to be proudly displayed in your home or office.
Digital watermark does not appear on your purchased map.
