This 1945 color film about Southern California was produced for the Atchison-Topeka-and-Santa Fe Railway Company. It opens with orange trees (:56), the mountains (1:05), lakes (1:11), and a woman up to her neck in poinsettias (1:15). Hollywood features Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (1:19), CBS Studios (1:23), and NBC Studios (1:28) with visitors, including sailors (1:32). The beaches are full of 1945 bathing suits, volleyball, and swimming (1:50-2:09). Sports include polo (2:10) and golf (2:27). The Huntington Library and Art Gallery (2:35) in Pasadena displays Sir Thomas Lawrence’s 1794 painting of Pinkie (2:44) and Thomas Gainsborough’s 1770 painting The Blue Boy (2:48). The Tournament of Roses parade of floats in Pasadena (2:54-3:37) is an annual New Year’s Day event. Bands on the field (3:39) and placards in the crowds (3:43) show team loyalty in the annual Rose Bowl game (3:53). The Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendale (4:01) has Greek statues (4:12), the Little Church of the Flowers (4:19), and the Wee Kirk O’ the Heather church (4:22). Chinatown in Los Angeles provides entertainment (4:31-5:02). Olvera Street in the oldest part of Los Angeles is a Mexican marketplace of pottery, paintings, costumes, and dancers (5:05-5:36). There’s also horse race tracks (5:37-6:53). Catalina Island lies just off the coast (7:00), with beautiful beaches and cruise ship docking (7:12). The Bird Farm has exotic birds (7:14-7:44). A ride on a glass bottom boat (7:47) provides a new view. The Lion Farm lives up to its name (8:01); training includes getting a full-grown male to cross a tightrope (8:27). The ghost towns (8:44) provide entertainment to two women, one with the popular rolled hairstyle of the 1940s (9:15). Bicyclers ride by at a desert resort (9:32) with beautiful swimming pools (9:35), tennis courts (9:48), and overnight horseback riding (9:57) with breakfast served in the mountains (10:22). A street carnival (10:27) entertains prior to the rodeo (10:58). A woman in a white bathing suit enjoys the sun (11:08) while in the mountains, others ski (11:14) and toboggan (11:39). The Santa Barbara Mission dates to 1786 (11:57). The mission at San Juan Capistrano (12:29-12:41) is famous for its swallows. Mission San Diego (12:45) is the oldest from 1769, with its famous bell tower (12:56). The Estudillo House dates to 1825 (13:02) or get married in Ramona (13:05). An example of an early ranch house is the Casa de Bandini (13:13). A Santa Fe train moves towards us on tracks along the coast (13:21). San Diego’s Balboa Park (13:30) has botanical gardens and a zoo (13:37-14:05). Sailboat yachts are ready to sail (14:07-14:30). The waves splash the two women sitting on rocks in their bathing suits (14:33) as others enjoy the pool (14:40), tennis (14:49), horses on a trail (14:54), resort swimming pools (14:58), and riding horses through the water (15:05). Shown are the logos for the Santa Fe Super Chief, The Chief, El Capitan, Scout, California Limited, and the Grand Canyon Limited (15:18), with The Chief pulling out of the station (15:25).

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com