Eastside Pins and Buttons
Description: Angelenos began guzzling Eastside in 1907, after a Bavarian immigrant and veteran brewer named George Zobelein purchased the Los Angeles Brewing Company and introduced a new line of beers based on his recipes. With his brewery located on the east bank of the Los Angeles River (the present-day site of the Brewery Art Colony), Zobelein named his brews—ranging from a light pilsener to a heartier bock—Eastside. It soon became one of the town’s bestselling brands.
Description: The brewery did well in the 1930s and 1940s. It was a regional beer judging from where their cans have been dumped, mostly southern California and Arizona. Zobelein died in 1936 and his son took over the brewery. They introduced cans in 1937 choosing flat tops such as my can-of-the-month above. They sold Eastside Beer, Eastside Ale, and in 1939 introduced a premium beer called Luxury Extra Dry Pilsner. Eastside Beer remained their big seller however. (Eastside Ale cans are quite scarce and Luxury was never canned). They also canned Brown Derby Beer for Safeway stores in the 1930s.
Description: The Eastside is a region of Los Angeles County. It includes the communities of Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles, El Sereno, Lincoln Heights -- as well as numerous smaller communities like Belvedere, Brooklyn Heights, City Terrace, Eastmont, Happy Valley, Hillside Village, Maravilla, Rose Hill, and University Hills. I wrote a primer, for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2011. https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/03/30/california-fools-gold-an-eastside-primer/
Description: Watts is a neighborhood in South Los Angeles's Eastside. It's still best known for the Watts Towers (built 1921-1954 ) and the Watts Riots (1965). Lots has changed in the intervening half century, needless to say, and I explored and mapped in 2014 for my series, "California Fool's Gold" https://ericbrightwell.com/2014/02/14/more-than-just-riots-and-towers/
Description: Compton is a city in the South Los Angeles region. It is the 7th oldest (by incorporation) and 16th most-populous in Los Angeles County. Future presidents George H.W. and George W. lived there in 1949 and '50. It is famous for the Compton Cowboys of Richland Farms and the Compton Cricket Club, among other things. I explored it and made this map in 2011 for my series, "California Fool's Gold." https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/02/23/california-fools-gold-exploring-compton-los-angeles-countys-hub-city/
