Description
The Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association (GLANCDA) Historical Records is comprised of bound albums, reports and
scrapbooks; photographs; clippings; floor plans; and ephemera pertaining to the activities of the Association, particularly
identified by earlier organizational names that have changed since 1905.
Background
The first Los Angeles Auto Show sponsored by the Licensed Motor Car Dealers Association, was held in 1908 at the cyclodrome
venue located at Tenth and Main. In 1910 the show was held at Fiesta Park, Los Angeles which was located in a block bordered
by Grand Avenue, 12th Street, Hope Street, and Pico Boulevard. The 8th Annual Auto Show was held in Prager Park, Los Angeles
located between Grand Avenue, Washington Boulevard and Hill Street. The auto show continued to be held at this location during
the 1920s and where it was held in large tents. On March 5, 1929, soon after the auto show opened, there was a great fire
caused by and electrical circuit in an airplane exhibition that caught fire and destroyed all the new cars. Estimates of the
damage range from about $1 million to $1.25 million (in today’s dollars, about $25.1 million to $31.4 million). Reports in
the newspaper were that around 2500 attendees watched as the fire burned. As many as 320 cars were destroyed, among them Auburn’s
one-off cabin speedster, a two-passenger bicycle-fendered, bobatail coupe that had previously received praise at that the
1929 New York Automobile Show. A few days later the show was moved to the Shrine Auditorium on West Jefferson Boulevard, which
was the show venue through 1934.
Once the Pan Pacific Auditorium (7600 West Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles) opened in 1935 the auto show moved to auditorium where
it was held until the site closed in 1972 when the show was moved to the Los Angeles Convention and Exhibition Center on Figueroa
Street. During World War II through 1951 the LA Auto show went on hiatus.