One of four French-themed avenues named by city ordinance shortly after the end of World War I. (The Alsace-Lorraine region, occupied by Germany since 1871, was formally returned to French authority on December 9th, 1918: the same date this street was named.) The three others were Verdun, Marne, and Calais. Don’t bother looking for the latter two – they were absorbed into Orange and Mansfield, respectively, through further ordinances in the 1920s. (The Mid-City stretch of Verdun likewise became part of Sycamore but its extension in View Park-Windsor Hills lives on.) Even the original stretch of Alsace, between San Vicente and Venice, became part of Redondo Blvd. in 1923. I can’t explain the why behind any of these changes, but if you love identity crises, get this: Alsace, Verdun, Marne, and Calais started out life in 1912 as Maple, Bonita Meadows, Palm, and Oak, respectively. A year or two after the City of Los Angeles annexed this area in 1915, their names were altered to Mahoning, Bonpas, Iris, and Druid. That era didn’t last long.
Find it on the map:
