The New Yorker recently published an interesting split-screen video tour of the same streets in downtown LA in the 1940s and today. 

They have done a great job pairing up the same views and also panning in such a way that the middle divider seems to magically transport you 70 years.

Here it is:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIHfmisMLOY?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

If you can’t see the video above, click here.

In some cases (okay, many cases), I couldn’t help but feel like 1940s LA was far more urban and engaging. What did you think?