The Smiley Smile Message Board

Just curious---

I've been out to Hawthorne to see the BB monument where their house used to be (before the Century Freeway plowed through). I know that Mike Love's boyhood home was in the Baldwin Hills section of Los Angeles at the intersection of Mt. Vernon and Fairway. Of course, this is where BW got the name (and inspiration?) for his 1973 composition.

It appears that these streets intersect twice, as both are rather windy.

Has anyone here ever checked this place out? Is the home still there? Is the neighborhood nicer than 119th in Hawthorne (I assume YES).

Thanks!

CWALTER
Modesto, CA 

The Baldwin Hills area back then was very much an upmarket neighborhood. That was when Mike's family had money. Hawthorne it wasn't !

It's not too far form my current place, but I haven't been. Maybe I'll check it out soon.


And yes, Baldwin Hills still appears to be nicer than Hawthorne, at least from the edges.

Yeah - The Baldwin Hills looks better than Hawthorne from the air too (via Google Maps).

Does anyone know what the actual street address was? I plan on visiting the next time I take the family to Disneyland in June '07.

I guess Brain was quite fond of the place; I assume it's a two story right?

Thanks for the responses - And if anyone makes it out there please let us know what you find...

CWALTER
Modesto, CA

If you're interested...

http://www.latimes.com/classified/realestate/news/communities/la-re-guide29oct29,0,2914938.story?coll=la-realestate-communities

and from wikipedia

Demographics
African Americans make up approximately 78.5% of Baldwin Hills' population. It is one of the wealthiest majority-black areas in the United States. Prior to 1965, it was known as "Pill Hill" because a large number of doctors were believed to live there. After African Americans began moving into the area, it was given nicknames such as the Golden Ghetto and the Black Beverly Hills. It has been home to such celebrities as Ray Charles, Tina Turner and the late Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley. Like nearby Ladera Heights and View Park -Windsor Hills, it has seen a recent influx of white, Asian, and Latino families drawn to its relatively affordable yet high-quality housing


Which reminds me, after the negative talk last year, what is the state of the Hawthorne monument these days?

I went up one day when I was up in L.A. to drive by and take a look.  I thought I would find it based on the description in Timothy White's Book but could not.  There were no multi-story story homes at or near the intersection that I went to.  Further it did not appear that there was any  teardown and rebuild there.
  Later I realized what you mentioned that there is a 2nd intersection of the two streets to the East.  Someday I will probably have a look, at the other intersection.
From reading about this period in Mike's life -  He got suddenly thrown out of the home. -  He went from being a personable, popular campus athlete to working nights in the middle of L.A. pumping gas with a baby to support.  -  Then he saw his Dad and the rest of the family lose that home.  That is really traumatic stuff for a young man (or anyone else) to endure.  Knowing about these things I feel that I do understand Mike a lot better.  If I were him I think I would have bought that home back somewhere along the line, for the theraputic value, even if it was just as an investment property.  I suggested this to someone who might or might not know about this sort of thing and their non-response made me wonder if that in fact has occured.  If so good for Mike!   

       

QUOTE FROM THEOTHER ANONYMOUS:
"Which reminds me, after the negative talk last year, what is the state of the Hawthorne monument these days?"

I was there in June, 2006 and found the monument itself to be "in great shape". I was VERY surprised that I didn't see ANY traces of tagging/graffiti. The area was kinda scary and is definately rundown. It was also shocking to see little or no old/tall trees or lush landscaping in the neighborhood; this gave the whole area kind of a ghetto feel. Before I went I was expecting sort of a Brady-Bunch street with palm trees and such. There are some tall trees behind the monument, probably to block the sound of the freeway. The house is close to the Hawthorne airport so maybe Brian used to go watch the planes go Loop de Loop???

And thanks for the Baldwin Hills info Anonymous---

QUOTE FROM MIKEE:   
"From reading about this period in Mike's life -  He got suddenly thrown out of the home. -  He went from being a personable, popular campus athlete to working nights in the middle of L.A. pumping gas with a baby to support.  -  Then he saw his Dad and the rest of the family lose that home.  That is really traumatic stuff for a young man (or anyone else) to endure.  Knowing about these things I feel that I do understand Mike a lot better.  If I were him I think I would have bought that home back somewhere along the line, for the theraputic value, even if it was just as an investment property."

Interesting info. So Mike's parents were actually the first to "F@%K with the formula" by throwing him out and losing the home-pad!

I went through the "lose-your-childhood house at 15" scenario myself and it was one of the worst things I ever experienced. And yes I've thought about buying the old place back if I ever had the chance to do so. Then I could set up wax figures of my family and I in typical childhood scenes and throw open the doors for tours...

Oh yeah, I'm not famous so I guess no one would care. A great (and humorous) idea though...

Anyway, thanks for keeping my little thread going. Maybe if I bring up fake keyboards vs. tack piano it might make it to a second page?

Keep SMiLING~~~
CWALTER
Modesto, CA


 

Maybe I can swing by those intersections in the next couple of weeks for pictures.


I was even thinking of maybe doing a photo tour of all the significant places out here.

Andy--- A photo tour would be great!

If you make it out to MV&F please let us know what you find. Maybe Hawthorne High (Our Team) would be of interest as well. And some of the 50's era burger joints and coffee shops that may still stand around 119th street in Hawthorne.

Have fun---

CWALTER
Modesto, CA