All Aboard!!!

Not many of us remember the heyday of Union Station. Celebrities, soldiers coming and going during WWII, regular folk...on a vacation to California...you'd see it all if you went to Union Station and sat in the grand waiting room watching the people come and go in the 40's and 50's. Union Station, Los Angeles, was built in 1939 and is currently known as the "Last of the Great Railway Stations" built in the United States. The architects were the same that designed LA City Hall, the father and son team of John and Donald B. Parkinson and their firm. It is a combination of Dutch Colonial Revival Style, Mission Revival, and Streamline Moderne style.

Most of us do remember scenes filmed here from many movies and television shows...from the old black and white films to the more current films such as Blade Runner and The Italian Job, as well as the popular television series, 24. I remember going to Union Station with my parents as a young child. I remember it seeming huge and exciting at the same time. When I walked in last week, I was surprised at how normal the size was...it wasn't the grand and spacious Union Station of my memories, instead, it was a well used and wonderfully appointed space dedicated to the smooth and comfortable travel of it's patrons. The architecture and interior design spoke of times past when beauty of design and quality of craftsmanship were paramount.

Going to Union Station is still a moment to step into the glorious past of the railways and a wonderful excursion into history...if you have a chance, step back in time and visit the Los Angeles Union Station...