Category Archive: built environment

Golden State Urbanity: 28 History Books That Get At The Heart of Metropolitan California

For many Americans, the phrase “California history” sounds like an oxymoron. Born out of a Gold Rush and […]

“Capital within a Capital”: Covert Action, the Vietnam War, and Creating a “Little Saigon” in the Heart of Northern Virginia

“That flag is the symbol of the spirit of the refu­gee,” Springfield resident and Vietnamese American talk show […]

Not Bowling Alone: How the Holiday Bowl in Crenshaw Became an Integrated Leisure Space

In May 2000, the New York Times reported the upcoming demolition of the Crenshaw District’s Holiday Bowl. Built […]

A Dive into the Deep End: The Importance of the Swimming Pool in Southern California

[Let Summer begin! This week we focus on the role of pools and beaches in American, specifically, SoCal […]

Fast Times with Valley Girls: 30 Years Later, What Do Two SoCal Classics Tell Us About America?

[Editor’s Note: This piece originally appeared on the KCET Departures website under its Intersections column on February 15, […]

Retail California: Shopping Centers, Malls, and Creating a New Consumerism

[Editor’s note: This article first appeared on April 4, 2013 for the Intersections column at KCET Departures. Part […]

Retail California: Cars, Drive-In Markets, and Consumers

[Editor’s note: This article first appeared on March 7, 2013 for the Intersections column at KCET Departures. Part […]

Bungling Across America: The Bungalow in Southern California and Beyond

[Editor’s note: This is part I of ToM’s two part series on pre and post WWII  vernacular architecture. […]