Miracle Mile in Los Angeles

The Miracle Mile is a stretch of Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. Bordered by Fairfax and La Brea Avenue the short strip of road plays an important part in the history of Los Angeles and of the United States.

In the early 1900's, the street that would be known as Wilshire was nothing more than a dirty road leading out to the Wilshire farm. By 1920 the city of Los Angeles was expanding rapidly and developers started to see potential in area outside downtown. One of these developers was A.W. Ross who had laid his eyes on the Wilshire area.

From the start area around Wilshire was developed with automobile traffic in mind. Ross was were early in recognizing the growing importance of automobiles. As a result Wilshire Boulevard got a number of new innovations that would prove very influential. Among them were designated left turn lanes and the first timed traffic lights in the USA.

Everything along Wilshire was designed to cater to customers in cars. The buildings were build longer and larger. The shopping signs were simplified and made larger. Ross also required all retailers along the Boulevard to offer parking spaces.

Buildings and decorations were simplified to make them easier for customers to experience at driving speed. More and more retailers moved along Wilshire from downtown Los Angeles. Ross vision proved to be a huge success. The area experienced an enormous influx of wealth and new businesses. Soon Wilshire Boulevard was one of the hottest areas of Los Angeles. Helped along by the proximity to Hollywood the street became the place for celebrities to be seen. The incredible transformation of the area from farm land to "America's Champs- Elysees" led to the name Miracle Mile.

The great economic success of the automobile driven developments soon were copied throughout Los Angeles and all over America. The heavy focus on the automobile was the beginning of Los Angeles' reputation as a car driving city. As the simplistic style spread to other areas in Los Angeles it became a driving force behind the Art Deco movement. Wilshire boulevard is still home to many of the most famous Art Deco buildings in Los Angeles.

As Los Angeles continued to grow, businesses continued even further West. The Miracle Mile lost most of it's luster as a high end shopping district. As businesses moved to the developing Century City and the financial district in downtown the Miracle Mile transformed yet again. As retailers left, many museums moved in. The 'Museum Row" is fittingly home to the Automotive Museum, as well as the Page Museum at the La Brea tar pits.