Pigeons put their personal stamp on sidewalk

• Posted By: Scott Harrison
• Posted On: 12:14 a.m. | June 27, 2011

Jan. 17, 1956: Pigeons lay waste to a newly poured concrete sidewalk on Bunker Hill.

The original Los Angeles Times caption put it best:

The moment cement workers turned their backs yesterday after laying new sidewalk at 4th St. and Grand Ave., where pigeons are accustomed to feed, the pigeons came back. Here’s pictorial proof that a bunch of angry, parading pigeons can really stay wheels of progress.

The sidewalk had to be redone.

This photo by former Los Angeles Times staff photographer John Malmin was published as lead art in the Jan. 18, 1956, edition. The image won first place, features, in the Associated Press annual photo contest among newspapers in California and Nevada.

Adding to the lighthearted nature of the story was this second image of  worker Andy Aguilar in mock horror. Unfortunately, only the pdf of the image is available.

Worker Andy Aguilar looks on with mock horror at the work of the pigeons. The sidewalk was re-poured.  Credit: John Malmin / Los Angeles Times