Introduction

Construction of St. Timothy’s Church began in January, 1949 and was completed in time for Christmas that same year. These pages document the construction of the present church using photographs taken by A.L. Francis. The photographs were selected from a larger collection contained in an album presented to the parish by the church's contractor, R.B. Hedberg. 

The site chosen for St. Timothy's Church was a corner bounded by Pico Boulevard on the south and Beverly Glen Boulevard to the east. This photograph, taken just prior to the start of construction in January, 1949, is looking toward the corner of Beverly Glen and Pico Boulevards with the Rancho Park Golf Course in the background. At the upper left corner of the photograph is the present site of the Crown Car Wash.

    

Again, looking to the southeast corner of the site, the newly developed Rancho Park Golf Course can be seen behind the deep excavation of for the tower. The excavation is so deep because of the thickness of the foundation and to accommodate a small room beneath the Baptistery at the main level of the church nave. Concrete pumps were not yet in common use, and one-half of a clever sluice to convey the concrete to the center of the excavation can been seen at the left side of the tower foundation excavation. A matching sluice was constructed from the Pico side of the excavation. Both sluices were suspended above the excavation using a pair of cables spanning from one side of the excavation to the other.

     

The initial work involved the excavation of the building and tower foundations. In this photograph can be seen the Rectory and the existing church (left rear of photograph), now St. Timothy's parish hall.

• Part 2 
• Part 3
• Part 4