UNIVERSAL STUDIOS AROUND 1914

Viewing Platform at Universal Studios c 1912-1915. Historic postcard - gift of Gary Fredburg 2009 to the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley (click on image to enlarge)
2009 -
. The Year of Valley History
In the year 1912, Carl Laemmle extended his motion picture business to California. He purchased property once owned by the Lankershim Land and Water Company, at the edge of the Los Angeles River and began making movies right away. He named his San Fernando Valley based operations, Universal City.
The sight, where Universal Studios stands today, was so useful for film making, that between 1914 and 1915, Laemmle moved his headquarters and main studio productions to the Valley.
The cinema-going audience has long been fascinated with how films are made, and Carl Laemmle knew a good thing when he saw it. Platforms were strategically placed around Universal Studios. This was the ancestor of the world famous Universal Studios Tours of today.

The San Fernando Valley, in the heart of the Creative Capital of the World, deserves a great Museum of history and culture.

THANKS TO FRED BERK

Universal Studios - Historic Postcard - Gift by Gary Fredburg to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley (click on image to enlarge)

When we incorporated The Museum of the San Fernando Valley in 2005, one of our first acts was to create an annual budget to support the library of the historical museum at Los Angeles Valley College. Our goal was to systematically build that library to become a major resource of San Fernando Valley history and culture. Fred Berk was chosen as the official Librarian of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley.
Within days after accepting the role as The Museum's Librarian, Fred Berk began a careful assessment of the college musuem's collection and the search for supportive materials.
In February of this year, The Museum of the San Fernando Valley became independent of the Valley College historical museum and set out on our quest to bring about a great Museum of history and culture for the whole of the Valley. Fred Berk has continued her service to The Museum and our goal of a significant Library.
On behalf of the entire Museum Community, THANKS FRED! Acquiring a space for your Library is a top priority!

The San Fernando Valley, in the Heart of the Creative Capital of the World, deserves a great Museum of history and culture.

UNIVERSAL PICTURES COMPANY INC.

Universal Pictures Company Inc. - Universal City Post Office - Collection of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - gift of Gerald Fecht

Someone in the Museum Community will be able to identify the year and model of the automobile parked outside of the Universal Pictures Company Inc. That will go a long way to identify the year this postcard, just added to the collection of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley, was published.


The San Fernando Valley, including North Hollywood and Universal City, deserves a great Museum of history and culture.