Pacific Electric Mount Lowe Timetable (1902)
The Pacific Electric Railway, after making the purchase of the Mount Lowe line, wasted no time in incorporating it into special advertising and timetables. This timetable dates from September 1902 and depicts the triangular PE – Mount Lowe logo, with the vista points Valley, Sea Shore and Mount Lowe named within the logo. Whereas Lowe [...]
Sid Grauman and Mount Lowe
Even entertainment czar Sid Grauman loved Mount Lowe! One of the early advertising cards from Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre, which opened in 1922, shares with tourists the following: Information to Tourists You must not miss seeing the 3 Greatest Sights in California The Orange Groves Mt. Lowe with its observatory “The Ten Commandments,” at the Egyptian [...]
A View From the Incline Car
Tourist snapshot looking from the Mount Lowe incline car over the trestle and over the top of a Pacific Electric Railway wood bodied car and down through a hazy Rubio Canyon. Undated, measuring 2.5″ by 3.25″. Mount Lowe Preservation Society Collection
Herbert’s Power House
Apparently the power house on Echo Mountain (which was really the winding station and equipment room for the cable apparatus) was the namesake for Herbert the Mule’s corral along the One Man and a Mule Railway. Presumably this was nothing more than the place where Herbert spent the night and his off hours. Real Photo [...]
Clara Bow’s Cougar at the Fox Farm
Actress Clara Bow, The “IT Girl” had a penchant for interesting possessions, including this cougar, shown with an unknown young man. The cougar was known as her “pet” but getting it from Hollywood to the Fox Farm near Alpine Tavern must have been quite a site. No one seems to have any photos of cougars [...]
Los Angeles & Pasadena Electric Railway and Mount Lowe Railway Company Ticket Stub
Los Angeles & Pasadena Electric Railway and Mount Lowe Railway Company ticket stub for a trip along the Alpine Division, from Echo Mountain to Alpine Tavern. 2.25″ by 1.50″ with a facsimile signature of W. H. Smith, General Manager. Mount Lowe Preservation Society Collection
Leona Phelps at the Falls
Miss Leona Phelps visits one of nine waterfalls in Rubio Canyon, just upstream from Rubio Pavilion, circa 1905. The falls were quite a tourist attraction, but Thaddeus Lowe initially thought there was enough water to generate electricity to run the incline. During the winter and spring months, circa 1900, our annual rainfall was nearly 24″. [...]
Looking Down the Incline
Looking down the incline circa 1905 by an unknown photographer. Note the photographer’s boots in the lower corners of the image. One of the stories some of the descendants of railway engineer David Joseph Macpherson tell is how they would hike up the Sam Merrill Trail from the top of Lake Street into the local [...]
Fred Harvey / Mount Lowe Connection
This Park Company Photographers photo, negative #601, is inscribed on the negative, “Portion of Alpine Section of Mount Lowe Railway, Circular Bridge and Cape of Good Hope. While it is undated, it is back-stamped, in purple ink, Santa Fe Route News Service, Fred Harvey, Manager, Los Angeles.” Obviously an early photo, pre-1900, and perhaps, with [...]
Alpine Tavern Pony Rides
Early Alpine Tavern is captured by an unknown photographer, prior to the Pacific Electric Railway purchase in 1902. Some of the signage is quite clear due to the quality of the image, including a sign for “Pony Trip to the Summit of Mount Lowe, with guide, time about two hours, tickets, $1.00, apply at hotel [...]
Railfan and photographer Jack Whitmeyer aka The Mount Lowe Kid
We just recently lost noted rail-fan and photographer Jack Whitmeyer, who left quite a legacy of railroad photography. In this real photo postcard, dated November 21, 1953, L. T. Gotchy, photographer, types on the reverse, “The ‘Mount Lowe Kid’ complete with broad-gage (sic) maximum traction boots, slouch hat (so we won’t see that his head [...]
Woman and dog visit Fox Farm
Written on the back of this image, “Edith McKee, sister of last postmaster at Mount Lowe.” The photograph is attributed to Charles Lawrence, official photographer of the Pacific Electric Railway, and also believed to be the dog’s owner. Several stories circulate how Lawrence had a dog with him while he was at Mount Lowe Tavern [...]
Waiting at Rubio Canyon by Bjorn Palenius and Charles Lawrence
Here is a hand-colored image that was originally shot by Charles Lawrence, the official photographer of the Pacific Electric Railway, colorized by San Diego resident and railfan Bjorn Palenius. He has enhanced this image for everyone to enjoy, and we are grateful for his efforts and contributions. Charles Lawrence Photo, Bjorn Palenius Colorization
Macpherson Trestle
Among the things the Mount Lowe incline was known for was Macpherson Trestle; so named for design engineer David Joseph Macpherson. Formally educated at Cornell University and formerly employed by the Santa Fe Railway, Macpherson took his challenges to heart and came up with some brilliant solutions to less than suitable building conditions. Photographer unknown, [...]
“Mount Lowe” at the Base of the Incline
A wood-bodied Pacific Electric Railway “Mount Lowe” car sits at the platform at Rubio Canyon while passengers line up for their trip up the incline. Beyond the head of the line is the waiting room and restrooms, and at some point in time there was a gift and snack counter. 8″ by 10″ print attributed [...]
Grading Echo Mountain, with MacPherson and Lowe
In the fall of 1892 there was a flurry of work going on atop Echo Mountain. With the tent housing the Engineer’s Headquarters in the foreground, Engineer David Joseph MacPherson (left) with plans in his hands, chats with Thaddeus Lowe as he rests his hand on the horn of the saddle. Mount Lowe Preservation Society [...]
Grading Echo Mountain
Prior to the opening of the incline on July 4, 1893, quite a bit of grading and preparation had to be done to Echo Mountain. The pack burros in the foreground hauled everything up the hill including barrels of water, nails, and lumber until a windlass could be installed to drag things up the rough [...]
Largest Search Light in the World
The World’s Columbian Exposition held in Chicago, Illinois in 1893 celebrated the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus discovering America and also landmark innovations from our country and around the world. Covering more than 600 acres, everything about this event was grand, including the unveiling of General Electric’s three million candle-power searchlight, which was reported to [...]
Astronomer Lewis Swift at Mount Lowe Observatory (1897)
Astronomer Lewis Swift stands by the door of the Mount Lowe Observatory circa 1897. The cart in the foreground hauled supplies and even and occasional passenger. Thaddeus Lowe himself was an astronomer being interested in wind currents and held an interest in this observatory for several years after his losing the railway. When astronomer Lewis [...]
Echo Mountain by Detroit Publishing (1899)
Echo Mountain as viewed from the Castle Canyon Trail in 1899, captured by Detroit Publishing photographer William Henry Jackson. This hand tinted image was taken just before the famed Echo Mountain House hotel burned to the ground in January 1900. From the left, the Chalet, the smaller of the two hotels, is seen by the [...]
Stereopticon View of Rubio Canyon
Early stereopticon view of a trolley exiting Rubio Canyon on its way back to Pasadena circa 1895. Several companies generated and sold commercial images of Mount Lowe and the surrounding areas over the years and amateur photographers joined in on the creative imagery. This image, by an unknown photographer, captures the rural look and feel [...]