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From the Archives: Caught looking

Two boys stop to investigate an adult book store in Lennox in August 1969.
(Gil Cooper / Los Angeles Times Archive / UCLA)
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In 1969, public officials were trying to close down the adult entertainment establishments in Lennox, an unincorporated neighborhood in Los Angeles County. Local government agencies took a three-prong approach.

First, the county looked into outlawing topless and nude dancing. Second, the city of Hawthorne considered annexing Lennox. Third, sheriff’s deputies were instructed to increase citations charging dancers of indecent exposure.

Today, Lennox still has several adult businesses and still is an unincorporated area.

This image by staff photographer Gil Cooper appeared as lead art in the Aug. 24, 1969, Los Angeles Times South Bay edition accompanying an article on the government crackdown.

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Before publication, the Marina Federal advertisement on the bus bench in the photographic print was painted gray by a Times staff artist.

This post originally was published on March 19, 2013.

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