The Butcher of Spring Street
Trained by New York bosses Mario Batali and Tom Colicchio, the Butcher of Spring Street became famous at one point for being a Top Chef only later to become infamous in Downtown for his particular set of skills with sharp knives.
It is said that upon entering the lobby of the Alexandria Hotel on Spring and 5th, one may find the antique door of wood and etched glass which leads directly to where the Butcher resides.
Inside his faintly lit lair of stainless steel and rustic wooden fixtures, is a dimly lit display of Scottish Malts opened often to accompany his flavored variety of deconstructed body parts.
Hand selected from the slaughterhouse, the Butcher uses his cleaver to reveal standard cuts of the meticulously dissected tongues and other organs of the less fortunate.
The Butcher’s unrelenting display of butchery will often present a full table display of crispy fried skin, flesh wrapped matzoh balls, tender meat pulled from the bones of the neck, succulent marrows and even a delightful decapitated head as its centerpiece.
The Witch of Spring Street Park
Opened earlier this year to a highly anticipating Historic Core, the beautifully designed Spring Street Park is located between 4th and 5th Streets.
The park wonderfully embraced by downtown residents was initially meant to offer a relaxing atmosphere in replace of the dreary previously existing parking lot, with a full variety of imported greenery, water fountains and kids space all predestined to lend for time to quiet readings, contemplation or maybe even place to exercise. But shortly after the park opened things began to change.
Many dogs in the area were being left to roam the park unleashed, using the fledgling lawn as their poo-poo-pee-pee puddle zone and the trees and lower bushes as tickly urinals.
Several dog owners assumed the park was built as a wonderful place to take Little Sparky and Butch and did not read the warning signs. Less than a month after the park was opened its flowers began to die and its striking green oval lawn began to fail.
Knowing most wouldn’t enjoy sitting on a freshly cut lawn with unforeseeable consequences, the witch began to make her existence known.
Soon a barrier was put up around the lawn to restore the grass and dogs began to disappear. A pit bull named Stew, seen right before sun set waddling in the parks signature fountain, ran off toward the playground and was never seen or heard from again. Another dog, whose owner
had been warned repeatedly by the witch to pick up his dog’s poop reported his dog Roscoe missing a month after. Since then, dozens of dogs have disappeared all with one thing in common.
They disobeyed the witch’s warning.
But it gets worse…In September a man was found dead after using the park’s fountain to dye his hair the color purple.
Although Spring Street Park is for the community, it is highly suggested that dogs remain on a leash and people refrain from bathing or letting their pets wade in its fountain for fear of the witches wrath.
The Haunted Hotel
Built in 1905, The Haunted Hotel was notorious for hosting the most fashionable parties filled with diplomats, several presidential speakers and the glamour that came with its legendary guests, The Hotel became a wonderland for the legendary silent actors and starlets of Hollywood including Lillian Gish and Rudolf Valentino
In the 1920s the Hotel became a part of the ruthless turmoil of prohibition when gangsters and law men shot it out on these very streets and quite possibly in some of the Hotel’s hidden chambers.
It was after this period that the first sightings began.
More than one floor of the Haunted Hotel could provide the perfect set location for a sequel to the 1980s film, The Shining, starring ghost actors that may or not appear on or off camera.
Plenty of gifted mediums who visit the room of Rudolf Valentino say he’s still the best silent actor ever performing
each time he appears.
The Society for Paranormal Research identified several floors of the hotel as being hot spots for specter commotion with the highest concentration of ghostly appearances inside the 2nd floor’s Grand Ballroom.
Seems the party never stops for some people.
Other haunted floors include the basement tunnels where two gangster ghosts from the prohibition era make their beefs known on a regular basis.
Although the whole building, with its brass railed descending staircases, oblique lighting, cherub carvings and endless labyrinths seems as creepy as they come, the 9th and 11th floors have been known to have the most spine chilling factors, except for an entire wing of the hotel that has been sealed off since 1938 due to its hair raising reports of paranormal activity.
Frightened? The Haunted Hotel has been branded by child phantoms who roam the halls, angry poltergeists who stomp the ceilings, creepy critters and a number of unexplained possessions and fatal occurrences.
In 2009 an 87-year-old man fell nine stories to his demise after a fire escape railing just broke away. More recent, in August of this year, a man fell to his death from the 4th floor while attempting to escape from one of the rooms out on the ledge completely naked.
Seems the hotel is constantly up for sale with a new owner every few decades. Recently the property has been acquired again. The new owners are taking on the renovations and soon the Haunted Hotel will once again regain its luster. However, there is no telling if new owners will reveal the haunted wing.
Hopefully if they do decide to break the seal of the wing they would have already figured out a way to keep whatever is inside the wing from getting out.
Terror Train
To ease the pain of walking up the massive incline leading from the Historic Core to Bunker Hill came Colonel J.W. Eddy, who in 1901 considered the use of two cable car, Sinai and Olivet, to transport Angelenos up and down the steep endeavor.
And so the system was built – two counterbalanced cars traveling who up and down parallel tracks transporting passengers who sat conformable for the one minute ride that cost only one cent.
On the south side of its rickety wooden beams that supported the tracks were adorable Victorian cottages, on the north side the 3rd Street Bridge.
For 68 years the ride went without incident adding a wonderful touch to the exploration and practicality of downtown.
In 1969, the site and the trains were dismantled and cleared for the Bunker Hill Redevelopment Project, a 60 year plan (the longest development project in history) to fill Bunker Hill with modern day plazas, skyscrapers and provide it with a more sophisticated image.
In 1996 the trains were placed into commission again. This time with a brand new pulley system, infrastructure and a new location, further down the street, directly across from the Grand Central Market on Hill Street.
Distant relatives gathered around to celebrate the trolley cars grand re-opening but out of all the relatives that showed up, only one stood out, it was Jed Eddy, the great grandson of the honorable Colonel.
Visitors of the ceremony can still recall the chilling words he uttered that day as they carried his withering body reluctantly back to the limo. “They should have never moved my great grand-daddies trains. Sweet Sinai, she’s made of sacred woods from sacred Indian burial grounds…she should have never been taken from that place.”
No one listened. Besides, all was well with the new system allowing passengers to ride safely until the winter of 2001, when Sinai who upon reaching her destination at the top of the hill suddenly began a death descent accelerating faster and faster the closer she came to Olivet who was carrying eight unsuspecting passengers at the time.
Eighty-three-year old Leon Praport, was the first to see the train coming and warned everyone to brace themselves. Unfortunately Praport did not survive the impact.
Terror train was closed for nearly 10 years because of the fatal incident but reopened again in 2011 only to mysteriously break down just this last September when the overzealous train Sinai, jumped her tracks, leaving six passengers stranded while she dangled perilously high above
the city below.
Terror train has been closed until further notice.
Zombie Land
As far back as 1870, the region south east of 3rd and Main toward 9th and the LA River has been known for being the apocolyptic side of the city.
As prophetic as a destination it may be, the area was originally named after the process of making “skid roads” while laying railroads. A hub for the First Transcontinental Railroad (Pacific RailRoad), it is the activities of this region which initially led Los Angeles into the industrial revolution.
Many of the old rail road tracks and historic industrial buildings built to accommodate mass commerce that fortified our city can still be found in this area.
As dusty roads became paved streets and buildings began to rise, the area remained a port for thousands of seasonal workers, who would travel and seek lodging in the area while working in the nearby citrus groves. Out of necessity to provide comfort to the workers, came single room residential hotels, religious missions, social services, saloons and women of the night.
But the work was seasonal and when the seasons changed many found themselves drunk and out on the street and the area was deemed shady, becoming well-known for men who suffered from homelessness and alcoholism.
By the end of the 1920s Los Angeles was a full fledged metropolis. Many downtowners had little exposure to the steadily increasing adjacent population. Soon the great depression would coin the word “hobo” as thousands more would flock to the west in search of work, food or shelter.
Zombie Land is located in an area known for having toxic substances. In the 70s, the Vietnam War brought in a whole new type of gusto with a new population of drug addicted men, followed by the 80s when hospitals began dumping off certified mentally ill patients who couldnt afford care but still needed care and medication.
Today, many downtowners have been exposed to the Zombie population east of Main and experience little or no symptoms at all.
Not every one from the region has been infected either, many in the region are looking for ways to escape.
Only the more unsightly and foul smelling, sometimes loud, violent and seemingly drug influenced street walkers that roam the night in search of brains are the ones to look out for.
They come across as highly disturbed individuals far beyond the reach of any social help. Holding incomprehensible conversations with others or sometimes even themselves, barely holding it together, inaudible they stagger from block to block, without any signs of a normal life.
Basically, if you’re not sure just ask yourself?
What would happen if I got bit by one of these guys?
Efforts have always been made to clean up Zombie Land, some valiant some not so valiant, but the real horror lies in any existing lack of concern for these unfortunate souls who live in Downtown among us.
The Night Stalker
And now for a dark tale involving Downtown . . . serial killer Richard Ramirez used to drink here on 7th Street and Main, at a local bar then known as Crabby Joes.
In the 80s, Richard lived in a hotel less than a block away and would hang out at there and do whatever the heck serial killers do during the day (probably knit and bake cookies).
Then he’d head over to Craby Joe’s and throw back a few spirits, and hop into his car, and drive down the10 Freeway looking for his next victim slashing, raping, or stabbing or shooting his victims.
Last September while rotting in jail seems the Night Stalker was visited by a known slasher buddy of his…the Grim Reaper.
The Carnival of Lost Souls
Step right up! Enter the world of pop surrealism,
with dozens of displays of blood-curdling exhibits and spine chilling attractions inside The Carnival of Lost Souls.
The Carnival of Lost Souls is located just south of 7th and Spring and offers a free pass into the world of low brow art, highly skilled craftsmen and a vivid assortment of colorful thought provoking art pieces and pleasant surprises while progressively managing capture varying hints of the macabre.
Killer Clowns, freak shows, burlesque and tarot card readings are also abound behind the carnival gates.
Held together by a seemingly charming usually tall ring leader with an ominous grin, Nathan Cartwright proudly presents his downtown joy ride of unusual works for all to see. Downtowners and artists alike may seek comfort and guidance from this artistic mastermind who wears a curled mustache, black vest and vaudeville hat.
But be advised visitors…The Carnival of Lost Souls will offer you the key to your imagination just be careful you don’t get lost inside of it.
