Los Angeles Reaches One Million Residents! Barber Shops Tell the Real Story…
by Geraldine Knatz, LACHS Board Member
In September, 1923, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce declared that the City of Los Angeles had surpassed the 1 million mark in population. Having a million residents had actually been foretold before this auspicious announcement as evidenced by the 1920 Los Angeles brass watch fob commemorating Los Angeles’ stride toward a population of one million. That year, utility service providers had announced that the population had grown by 10 percent in the previous 12 months based on water, gas and electric light services. In 1920 alone, the city had added 29 miles of sewer lines. So how was it that the Los Angeles Chamber arrived at its definitive calculation in 1923? Well, by the number of barber shops, of course! A. G. Arnoil, the Chamber’s Executive Secretary and Industrial Manager had been making various surveys of the industries in the city. Among evidence of other progress happening in the city, Arnoil found that the number of barber shops had increased by 200 within the previous 12 months. Clearly an indication that well-tended grooming can lead to a population boom, Arnoil explained his reasoning for linked barbers and population to the Los Angeles Times in an article published on September 30, 1923. “Last year it was stated by men whose business it is to keep in close touch with the barber trade that there were just about 1000 shops in operation here, while the population was estimated by these experts at 900,000 or 900 people to each shop. An increase of 200 barber shops would indicate a gain of 180,000 in population, bringing the total to 1,080,000.” He did also note data from the Building Inspector’s office showed that 200,000 new housing units had also been constructed in the City during the preceding 12 months which had been easily absorbed by the growing population since vacancy rates remained the same.