Los Angeles Pacific Company Ivy Park Substation
historic place
In Los Angeles County, the Ivy Substation was built in 1907 by the Los Angeles Pacific Railway. This Mission Revival style building was one of the company's largest electric substations. It converted alternating current to direct current, powering interurban rail lines, including the "Balloon Route" trolley trip from downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean. The substation continued to operate after the Los Angeles Pacific Railway became part of the Pacific Electric Railway in 1911. It supplied power until 1953. The Ivy Substation was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1978 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. Renovations completed in 1993 transformed the building into a community center and theatre. This site is significant for its role in the region's early electric railway transportation.