Honoring the Ranch Houses of LA

Everything old and passé is new and hot again. Take ranch houses, which the Wall Street Journal reports are getting their due as cities from Denver to Atlanta to LA move to recognize their significance. Based on Mexican ranches, the low-slung, window-laden houses were first built in greater LA in the 1930s, then, because of their low cost, became popular throughout post-World War II America. Recently, applications to protect ranch houses have risen sharply and the National Academy of Sciences has formed a panel to identify guidelines for historic ranches. A survey is underway in LA to locate significant ranches here. [WSJ]