David Gebhard and Robert Winter A Guide to Architecture in Los Angeles & Southern California, Peregrine Smith: Santa Barbara, 1977, 728pp, 1977, 1938, 1937, 1936, 1935, 1930s,
"Southern California was deeply affected by the Depression of the thirties. Ironically, it is for this reason that the area has so many outstanding examples of Streamline and Classical Moderne buildings. The Depression was generally catastrophic to the buildiing industry. But one operation that was not curtailed was the building of moving-picture palaces, the cheap movie being one of the few luxuries of the masses. Even more important to architecture was public building, stimulated by the United States Public Works Administration (PWA), which built schools, libraries and post offices in order to give people work. Its companion relief organization was, of course, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) whose Arts Project engaged in the revolutionary act of giving work to artists. The results of the activities of these federal agencies are everywhere, especially in the Classical Moderne (PWA Moderne) mode." p. 26.
"39. City Hall 1938; Donald B. Parkinson and J.M. Estep, Main St. just S of Fwy.
"Classic Moderne with mosaic tile entrance."
"41. Merle Norman Bldg. 1935 -36; attrib. George Parr, NE cor. Main and Norman.
"A large and delightful mixture of Streamline and Zigzag Moderne, this remodeled building preserves the chrome strips which were the trademark of Moderne design." p. 58 [photo]
"1. Store ca. 1937 Mid-block N side Rose, between 4th & 5th.
"A tiny building with an outsize oval window in the Streamline Moderne idiom. The building is being restored." p. 61