Using archive photos paired with their modern equivalent, Los Angeles Then and Now charts the development of the city from the days of orange groves and melon patches and isolated Spanish mission buildings to the staggering metropolis it is today. With a background in the movie business, Rosemary Lord interlaces the arrival of the Hollywood era and the growth of the city she has lived in for twenty-five years.

Since its original publication in 2002, Los Angeles Then and Now has been rephotographed, revised with new content, and completely redesigned. This new compact gift edition includes exclusive matchups.

Sites include Old Plaza Church, Olvera Street, Chinatown, Union Station, Mayan Theatre, Angel's Flight, Los Angeles Public Library, Biltmore Hotel, Bullocks Wilshire, Hollywood Sign, Griffith Observatory, Sunset and Vine, Egyptian Theatre, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Roosevelt Hotel, Schwab's Pharmacy, Beverly Hills Hotel, Venice Beach, and Santa Monica Pier.