Tag: history

Budweiser Opening in Van Nuys: 1952

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Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser groundbreaking, Van Nuys, 1952
Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser groundbreaking, Van Nuys, 1952

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Budweiser

TOP:USC Digital Archive
LOWER 2: LA Public Library

55 years ago, the opening of the Budweiser plant on Roscoe Blvd. was a big event. Costing $20,000,000
and employing 1500 workers, the plant was a large contributor to the post-war prosperity of Van Nuys.

In 1957, the NAACP launched a boycott of Budweiser beer. An NAACP spokesman said that there were only two “Negroes” employed by Annheuser-Busch in their entire Los Angeles operations! Here is a more detailed article about the racial prejudice black workers faced in the 1950s.

Busch Gardens and Bird Sanctuary was part of the complex and a major tourist attraction for many years until it closed in 1976. Here are more photos of that attraction.

“My arrival in Van Nuys began in 1960….”

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Mrs. Fletcher, Hazeltine Elementary School, Van Nuys, CA
Mrs. Fletcher, Hazeltine Elementary School, Van Nuys, CA

Carey Wilson, now of Lakewood, Ohio, has started a new blog called, “Van Nuys Boomers”.

He writes, in a brief autobiography:


About Me

My arrival in Van Nuys began in 1960 at the age of 5. I was raised in Van Nuys and have spent about 43 of my 52 years in the Valley. When I was 5 years old we lived about 1 block from the notorious gangster Mickey Cohen. During the 1970’s we lived in an apartment building owned by the actress Jane Russell. Yes she did live at the building during out time there. Mayor Sam Yorty once complained to the police about the noise from our band practice. My Dad worked for Flying Tiger Line and I once flew with the top WW2 ace of the Flying Tigers, Duke Hedman. Please forgive the gratuitous name dropping but I hate talking about myself. I suppose I sound more like Forrest Gump then myself. But everyone in L.A. rubs elbows with celebrities. I will elaborate on some of these stories as the days go by.

Check out his work. He has some great photos too.