The history of Wilshire Blvd and its ‘millionaire socialist’

Hosted by

Wilshire Blvd. is arguably the most important boulevard in Los Angeles today, says Kevin Roderick, author of “Wilshire Blvd: Grand Concourse of Los Angeles.” Photo by Mike Schlitt.

Gaylord Wilshire was a land speculator, billboard tycoon, failed politician and inventor. He built Wilshire Boulevard, a street that became LA’s primary escape route from the horse-drawn era. But as the city got bigger, Gaylord Wilshire got smaller.