Green Line [Los Angeles, California]

Introducing L.A.’s new Green Line!

Though it’s not particularly known for its public transportation, Los Angeles has six lines comprising its urban rail transit network. This fun promotional map was issued to celebrate the opening of the Green Line (today’s C-Line), connecting Norfolk to Redondo Beach (later extended to LAX).

The route is prominently shown running through the center of the image, with stations and transfers labeled, albeit with surprising geographic laxity! Downtown L.A. is relegated to a small pocket in the upper center, with spatial emphasis given to the neighborhoods served by the line. An interesting variety of local businesses and major attractions are illustrated, including the Queen Mary, Monsoon Lagoon water park, Hollywood Park Casino, and the Watts Towers. A list of sponsors, many of which are shown in the image, is provided at the bottom of the sheet.

The map was illustrated by Padraic Shigetani, produced by The Artistic Touch, and published around 1995 (the opening year of the Green Line) by the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Los Angeles.