Downtown Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Hammel Building

El Edificio Hammel

— El Pueblo de Los Angeles —

Hammel Building Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By J. J. Prats, December 4, 2018

1. Hammel Building Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

The Hammel Building on Main Street was constructed in 1909. Originally built as four light industrial shops with a partial basement storage area along Olvera Street, the building now fronts on Olvera Street and houses two ground level shops and two basement shops. Marie Hammel, who built the Italian Hall next door in 1907, hired architects Hudson and Munsell to construct the building at a cost of $4,000. In 1913, the Hammel Building passed to Mrs. Hammel’s daughter, Marie Hammel McLaughlin, who enlarged it on the Olvera Street side.

As Olvera Street was transformed into a Mexican market place in 1930, it was necessary to provide public access to the building from Olvera Street and staircases had to be constructed to the ground floor of the Hammel Building. Small basements were excavated in the 1940s to provide additional shops for Olvera Street merchants. Although the Main Street façade has not changed significantly, the Olvera Street façade has been altered and repaired over the years.

(plaque opposite)
El Edificio Hammel en la Calle Principal (Main) se construyó en 1909. Originalmente construido

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en forma de cuatro talleres para uso industrial con un sótano parcial para el almacenamiento a lo largo de la Calle Olvera. Hoy en día el edificio tiene su frente en la Calle Olvera y aloja a dos negocios a nivel del suelo y a dos negocios en el sótano. Marie Hammel, quien construyó el Salón Italiano al lado de éste en 1907, contrató a los arquitectos Hudson y Munsell para construir el edificio a un costo de $4000. En 1913, el Edificio Hammel pasó a ser propiedad de la hija de la Sra. Hammel, Marie Hammel McLaughlin, quien lo amplió en el lado de la Calle Olvera.

Cuando la Calle Olvera se transformó en un mercado Mexicano en 1930, fue necesario proveer acceso al edificio de la misma, y se tuvieron que construir escaleras para poder llegar al piso que está al nivel del suelo en el Edificio Hammel. En la década de 1940 se excavaron pequeños sótanos para proveer de más tiendas a los comerciantes de la Calle Olvera. Si bien la fachada que da a la Calle Principal (Main) no ha cambiado en forma significativa, la fachada que da a la Calle Olvera sí ha sido cambiado y reparada a través de los años.

Erected by El Pueblo de Los Angeles.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1909.

Location. 34° 3.476′ N, 118° 14.282′

El Edificio Hammel Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By J. J. Prats, December 4, 2018

2. El Edificio Hammel Marker

W. Marker is in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Downtown Los Angeles. Marker is on North Main Street south of Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 642 Main Street, Los Angeles CA 90012, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Pelanconi Warehouse (a few steps from this marker); Italian Hall (a few steps from this marker); Pelanconi House & Pelanconi Warehouse (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Italian Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid (within shouting distance of this marker); Sepúlveda House (within shouting distance of this marker); Pelanconi House (within shouting distance of this marker); Sepulveda House (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.

Regarding Hammel Building. The building is currently empty (in 2023). The development of a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Historical Exhibit in the Hammel Building has been approved by the Commissioners of LADWP and El Pueblo de Los Angeles Monument. The building is particularly suited for this exhibit because it contains an exposed portion of the Zanja Madre, the original water distribution system of Los Angeles. It has sufficient space (2,600 sq. ft.) for displays covering

Hammel Building Façade image. Click for full size.

Photographed By J. J. Prats, December 4, 2018

3. Hammel Building Façade

These markers are on the metal tripod behind the tree on the right.

the historical roles of water and power in the development of the City of Los Angeles, as well as allowing for rotating exhibits focusing on current issues.

Also see . . . Water and Power Associates. Website includes a virtual history museum with 14,000 historical photos of Southern California, and information about future plans for a museum in the Hammel Building. (Submitted on October 4, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.)

Hammel Building - facing Olvera Street image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Craig Baker, February 6, 2018

4. Hammel Building - facing Olvera Street

See Nearby Marker - Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid

Credits. This page was last revised on October 4, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 22, 2021, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 238 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 22, 2021, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 4. submitted on February 6, 2019, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.