WATCHING THE ROWE HOME IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD OVER THE YEARS

2010 -- The Year of Valley Adventures
Here's a rare "then and now" opportunity to see the North Hollywood boyhood home of Jim Rowe. Compare these two images with the previous posting on this blog entitled "A New Home in North Hollywood 1939".

The Rowe Home on 6544 Farmdale in North Hollywood in 1985- Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Jim Rowe 2010 (click on image to enlarge)
“The power line in all the photos is in the middle of Fair Avenue School. Yes, we went to school under power lines and survived.!!” Note: The school is under the power lines at the left.

The Rowe Home on 6544 Farmdale in North Hollywood in 2005

A NEW HOME IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD 1939

2010 -- The Year of Valley Adventures
Putting in a New Lawn in NoHo 1939 - Gift to Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley by Jim Rowe 2010 - Refer to photo 1486 (click on image to enlarge)
New Home in NoHo 1939 - Gift to Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley by Jim Rowe 2010 - Refer to photo 1486 (click on image to enlarge)

Jim Rowe, not only continues to share great photographs of the early, pre-WWII days of the Valley, but adds a priceless account of what was transpiring in his family at the time.
“Our first home - Built in NoHo (6544 Farmdale Avenue) Near Victory & Tujunga. (Next to the future Fair Ave. School. The cost was $5,000 in 1939 and you had a choice of either a tennis court or small swimming pool.
The driveway, curbs, lights and sidewalks were all extra. The backyard incinerator (to burn trash) was $25 extra. Trees were $5 each and we planted 4 Eucalyptus in the back yard. (still there)”
“The curbs have yet to be constructed. Milk, Ice, Water, Fruit & Vegetables were all delivered by truck until McFadden's Market was built (Victory & Tujunga).
The only newspapers were: L.A. Times, Herald Examiner, Valley Times, Green Sheet (Daily News) and the Dime-A-Line news (Ads)
Television didn't arrive until 1948 - After WW2 ... Dad built a 10" TV (TransVision) from a kit, soldering on it every night on our dining room table. When it was complete, He turned it to the window and the neighbors brought beach chairs and sat in our front yard to watch Bing Crosby & Wrestling with Dick Lane on Ch 5 (KTLA). Later, Ch 2 (KTSL) came on the air and the competition began!”

LOCKEED FIRE DEPARTMENT DURING WORLD WAR II

2010 -- The Year of Valley Adventures
Lockeed Aircraft Fire Department 1942, Station Number 2 - Photograph gift to the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Jim Rowe, Cincinnati, Ohio 2010.(click on images to enlarge)
Note the camouflage netting above the fire station, and the aircraft being built in the hanger at the far right. Jim Rowe’s father, Chief Earl Rowe was a member of the Lockheed Fire Department (Chief Rowe is the 3rd.fireman from the left).
Photograph gift to the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Jim Rowe, Cincinnati, Ohio 2010. Jim Rowe with his dad’s Fire Chief Car. The boy Jim was born in North Hollywood.

Note: These two photographs were shared by Jim Rowe by email transmission. They were sent as a test to check on the process of scanning images and sending them by the Internet. Thanks Jim, you've added to The Museum's visual knowledge of the Valley during World War II, and both fire protection services and automotive history.