WHEN John Parkinson arrived in Los Angeles in 1894 it was barely more than an agricultural cow-town with a population of just 50,000.

But turn around almost any corner in the city today and you will see at least one of his iconic structures.

In the 40 years the architect worked in what is today’s second most populated city in the United States after New York he created 200 buildings — many of which have helped transform the town into a booming city of trade and culture.

Parkinson, who grew up in Halliwell, designed LA City Hall, Bullocks Wilshire, the Memorial Coliseum, which helped the city to secure the Olympic Games in 1932, and many of the banks which funded the city’s expansion.

He also created some of the city’s firsts: the first skyscraper, Braly Block, the first Class A steel-frame structure, the Homer Laughlin Building best known for housing Grand Central Market, and the first world-class hotel, the Alexandria.

The man behind the stunning buildings has had little recognition for the work he accomplished — until now.

Journalist and author Stephen Gee started researching the architect four years ago after moving to LA, and he was amazed by the sheer dominance of Parkinson structures.

After a significant amount of historical digging, the writer released his book, Iconic Vision: John Parkinson, Architect of Los Angeles, earlier this year to showcase the work of the Bolton man who never forgot about his home town.

Mr Gee said: “John interested me because I started working in downtown LA where there are a number of these historic buildings. I read books about Los Angeles history and the same name kept cropping up — John Parkinson.

“I did some research and as soon as I found out he was from Lancashire I became interested because my father is from Salford.

“I found out that he designed the majority of iconic structures in LA, and from then it became an addiction to find out more.

“The more I found out, it became clear it was a historical oversight that he wasn’t more well known.

“Nothing has been written before about John and I wanted to change that.”

John Parkinson was born in 1861 in Scorton, Lancashire, but moved to Swinton aged three and then to Bolton when he was nine.

Mr Gee said: “He lived in Bashall Street, Halliwell. His father was an engineer in the local cotton mill. John attended St Luke’s day school and went to Park Street Chapel on a Sunday.

“He left school when he was 13 and worked in a Bolton hardware store sweeping floors until 1877 when he was hired as a builders’ apprentice.

“He helped to build local houses in the day, then during the evening he would go to Bolton’s Mechanics Institute.”

The young man decided to cross the Atlantic to Canada and North America in 1883 for an “adventure”.

Mr Gee said: “He went for a short-term adventure after he’d finished his apprenticeship. He had $5 and a toolbox to his name.

“He went to Winnipeg first and then Minneapolis and built staircases. Then he got promoted to working in a saw mill.

“He went back to Bolton with the idea that he was going to get a job as a foreman in a saw mill, but he was told his American experience didn’t count and he was only offered lower-level work.”

John was enticed back to the States during a visit to Bolton Art Gallery, which went on to change his future.

Mr Gee said: “He went into the gallery one day and saw a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and made a decision to go back to the US purely out of frustration because he struggled to get a job back home.

“All that he knew about California was that it was a warm and tropical place and he would have to be civil to avoid being shot.

“When he arrived he started working on the plans of his own house. A friend saw them and said they were really good so he got him to design an addition to the Bank of Napa.

“He got that job and soon after he received a letter saying there was an opportunity for young architects.

“He moved to Seattle and in 1891 he won the design competition for the BF Day School.

“He was appointed the Seattle Schools Architect and Superintendent, going on to build 30 schools as well as a number of incredible office structures.”

The architect went on to create more than 200 of the city’s buildings — 50 of which still stand — including City Hall and the stadium which housed the 1932 Olympic Games.

Mr Gee said: “City Hall is probably the most iconic structure in the whole of California.

“Then there is the Memorial Coliseum which was linked to the Olympic Games in 1932. That stadium was an integral part of the bid and they ended up getting the Games. It went on to become the most talked about place in the world. His stadium was the focal point for the world.”

Despite developing so much of LA, John still loved to return to his home town every time he could.

Mr Gee said: “I think his family raised him to have good values and work hard. That was the key to his success.

“He never forgot Bolton. He came back each year when he could to visit his family. He would pick his big American car and take it over to Bolton on the boat, and when he got there all the kids were in awe at this giant vehicle and would want to have a look around.”

After John tragically died of Parkinson’s in 1935, his son, Donald, continued his projects and led the firm of Parkinson and Parkinson, seeing through to completion his father’s design for Union Station.

Mr Gee said: “John had a wife, Meta, who died in 1922 and he remarried, Florence, who he left behind when he died.

“His son took over the business, but Donald died in 1945. John’s grandson, also Donald, then took over it, but he died in 1954.

“His great-grandchildren took over and went on to champion his legacy.”

In his obituary, the Los Angeles Times said: “Future citizens have only to walk through the streets of Los Angeles to be reminded how much John Parkinson in his lifetime contributed to the city that grew up under his hand.”

Mr Gee added: “John Parkinson is the most dominant architect in the area. His role in defining LA is really incredible.

“He went to LA and in 1894 with a population of just over 50,000. When he died in 1935 there was over a million.

“I live and work in the downtown area and you can see Parkinson structures in every direction. There’s about 12 to 14 around where I am.

“It’s not like he was just an important architect, he was the most important.”

n Iconic Vision: John Parkinson, Architect of Los Angeles is available through publishers Angel City Press now.they were really good so he got him to design an addition to the Bank of Napa.

“He got that job and soon after he received a letter saying there was an opportunity for young architects.

“He moved to Seattle and in 1891 he won the design competition for the BF Day School.

“He was appointed the Seattle Schools Architect and Superintendent, going on to build 30 schools as well as a number of incredible office structures.”

The architect went on to create more than 200 of the city’s buildings — 50 of which still stand — including City Hall and the stadium which housed the 1932 Olympic Games.

Mr Gee said: “City Hall is probably the most iconic structure in the whole of California.

“Then there is the Memorial Coliseum which was linked to the Olympic Games in 1932. That stadium was an integral part of the bid and they ended up getting the Games. It went on to become the most talked about place in the world. His stadium was the focal point for the world.”

Despite developing so much of LA, John still loved to return to his home town every time he could.

Mr Gee said: “I think his family raised him to have good values and work hard. That was the key to his success.

“He never forgot Bolton. He came back each year when he could to visit his family. He would pick his big American car and take it over to Bolton on the boat, and when he got there all the kids were in awe at this giant vehicle and would want to have a look around.”

After Parkinson’s death in 1935 his son Donald continued his projects and led the firm of Parkinson and Parkinson, seeing through to completion his father’s design for Union Station.

Mr Gee said: “John had a wife, Meta, who died in 1922 and he remarried, Florence, who he left behind when he died.

“His son took over the business, but Donald died in 1945. John’s grandson, also Donald, then took over it, but he died in 1954.

“His great-grandchildren took over and went on to champion his legacy.”

In his obituary, the Los Angeles Times said: “Future citizens have only to walk through the streets of Los Angeles to be reminded how much John Parkinson in his lifetime contributed to the city that grew up under his hand.”

Mr Gee added: “John Parkinson is the most dominant architect in the area. His role in defining LA is really incredible.

“He went to LA and in 1894 with a population of just over 50,000. When he died in 1935 there was over a million.

“I live and work in the downtown area and you can see Parkinson structures in every direction. There’s about 12 to 14 around where I am.

“It’s not like he was just an important architect, he was the most important.”

  • Iconic Vision: John Parkinson, Architect of Los Angeles is available through publishers Angel City Press now.