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A Walking Tour of Architecturally Blessed Mt. Washington

By paulineoconnor0715552
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By paulineoconnor0715552
32 comments / new

A little pocket of country in the city, Mount Washington is known for its abundance of parks (such as the 35 acre Elyria Canyon), its steep and winding roads, and its spectacular views. The bucolic neighborhood also boasts a wealth of noteworthy architecture, both vintage and modern, packed into its 1.85 square miles. Our walking tour features 16 points of interest--please note that, with the exception of the Self-Realization Fellowship Center, which is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday till 5 pm, these are private homes.

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The Minster House

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One of the first properties in the City of LA to enact a Mills Act contract, this 1911 Craftsman served as a sanitarium for tuberculosis patients before being purchased by Joseph Minster in 1920. Minster, an LA Times reporter, became known as "the mayor of Mount Washington" thanks to his efforts to improve the neighborhood.

4163 Sea View Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The Birtcher-Share House

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Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #612, this Frank Lloyd Wright-influenced residence was built in 1942 by Harwell Hamilton Harris.

4234 Sea View Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The Scholfield House

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Los Angeles HCM #613, this compact Usonian home was designed in 1952 by James De Long for local real estate broker Robert Scholfield.

4252 Sea View Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The Wolford House

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Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #614, this 1949 home was the first independent architectural commission of James De Long, a former apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright and Taliesin Fellow from 1946 to 1947.

4260 Sea View Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The Mauer House

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Erected in 1947, this home was architect John Lautner’s third residential commission. The exterior is visible from the street, but only through a grim chain link fence.

932 Rome Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The J.B. Merrill House

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One of the first three houses built on top of Mt. Washington, this 1909 Craftsman was designed to accommodate a large pipe organ. Owner J.B. Merrill, an accomplished musician, frequently hosted concerts and parties here.

815 Elyria Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Self-Realization Fellowship HQ

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Designed by Chinese Theater architects Meyer and Holler in 1910, the Mission Revival Mt. Washington Hotel closed down only six years later. In 1925, Paramahansa Yogananda bought it to be the Self-Realization Fellowship's international HQ.

3880 San Rafael Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90065
323-225-2471
323-225-2471

The Pilot House

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This post and beam was built in 1948 by A. Quincy Jones and his Mutual Housing Association partners as a test study for their Crestwood Hills development.

735 Rome Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Young Woo House

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Built in 1968 by architect Young Woo as his family residence, this three-bedroom modern just hit the market for the first time. Asking price is $960,000.

3763 Mayfair Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The Schmalix Residence

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Designed in 1998 by Fung + Blatt, this industrial-modern structure serves as live/work space for the esteemed Austrian painter Hubert Schmalix

3736 Mayfair Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Byler House

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Built by Gregory Ain in 1937, this two-bedroom bungalow fell into disrepair over the years and was sold as a fixer in 2008 for $370,000.

914 West Avenue 37, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The Joseph L. Armon House

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This unassuming two-bedroom was built by Rudolf Schindler in 1949.

470 Canyon Vista Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The Bent-Halstead House

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Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #394, this 1908 Craftsman was designed by the firm of Eager & Eager.

4200 Glenalbyn Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The H. Stanley Bent House

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Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #395, this Prairie-style home and carriage house was built circa 1912 by Mayberry & Parker.

4201 Glenalbyn Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Treehaven

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Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #392, aka Treehaven, this Craftsman-style compound was built between 1908 and 1924 by a firm called the Architectural Design Co.

4211 Glenalbyn Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Wachtel Studio/Home and Eucalyptus Grove

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This early 1900s Craftsman was the studio/home of pioneering Plein Aire painters Elmer and Marion Kavanagh Wachtel. Elmer Wachtel designed the house as well as planted the property's eucalyptus trees, which were used frequently in his paintings.

315 West Avenue 43, Los Angeles, CA 90065

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The Minster House

4163 Sea View Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90065

One of the first properties in the City of LA to enact a Mills Act contract, this 1911 Craftsman served as a sanitarium for tuberculosis patients before being purchased by Joseph Minster in 1920. Minster, an LA Times reporter, became known as "the mayor of Mount Washington" thanks to his efforts to improve the neighborhood.

4163 Sea View Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The Birtcher-Share House

4234 Sea View Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #612, this Frank Lloyd Wright-influenced residence was built in 1942 by Harwell Hamilton Harris.

4234 Sea View Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The Scholfield House

4252 Sea View Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Los Angeles HCM #613, this compact Usonian home was designed in 1952 by James De Long for local real estate broker Robert Scholfield.

4252 Sea View Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The Wolford House

4260 Sea View Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #614, this 1949 home was the first independent architectural commission of James De Long, a former apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright and Taliesin Fellow from 1946 to 1947.

4260 Sea View Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The Mauer House

932 Rome Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Erected in 1947, this home was architect John Lautner’s third residential commission. The exterior is visible from the street, but only through a grim chain link fence.

932 Rome Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The J.B. Merrill House

815 Elyria Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

One of the first three houses built on top of Mt. Washington, this 1909 Craftsman was designed to accommodate a large pipe organ. Owner J.B. Merrill, an accomplished musician, frequently hosted concerts and parties here.

815 Elyria Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Self-Realization Fellowship HQ

3880 San Rafael Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Designed by Chinese Theater architects Meyer and Holler in 1910, the Mission Revival Mt. Washington Hotel closed down only six years later. In 1925, Paramahansa Yogananda bought it to be the Self-Realization Fellowship's international HQ.

3880 San Rafael Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90065
323-225-2471
323-225-2471

The Pilot House

735 Rome Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

This post and beam was built in 1948 by A. Quincy Jones and his Mutual Housing Association partners as a test study for their Crestwood Hills development.

735 Rome Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Young Woo House

3763 Mayfair Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Built in 1968 by architect Young Woo as his family residence, this three-bedroom modern just hit the market for the first time. Asking price is $960,000.

3763 Mayfair Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The Schmalix Residence

3736 Mayfair Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Designed in 1998 by Fung + Blatt, this industrial-modern structure serves as live/work space for the esteemed Austrian painter Hubert Schmalix

3736 Mayfair Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Byler House

914 West Avenue 37, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Built by Gregory Ain in 1937, this two-bedroom bungalow fell into disrepair over the years and was sold as a fixer in 2008 for $370,000.

914 West Avenue 37, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The Joseph L. Armon House

470 Canyon Vista Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

This unassuming two-bedroom was built by Rudolf Schindler in 1949.

470 Canyon Vista Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The Bent-Halstead House

4200 Glenalbyn Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #394, this 1908 Craftsman was designed by the firm of Eager & Eager.

4200 Glenalbyn Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

The H. Stanley Bent House

4201 Glenalbyn Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #395, this Prairie-style home and carriage house was built circa 1912 by Mayberry & Parker.

4201 Glenalbyn Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Treehaven

4211 Glenalbyn Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #392, aka Treehaven, this Craftsman-style compound was built between 1908 and 1924 by a firm called the Architectural Design Co.

4211 Glenalbyn Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Wachtel Studio/Home and Eucalyptus Grove

315 West Avenue 43, Los Angeles, CA 90065

This early 1900s Craftsman was the studio/home of pioneering Plein Aire painters Elmer and Marion Kavanagh Wachtel. Elmer Wachtel designed the house as well as planted the property's eucalyptus trees, which were used frequently in his paintings.

315 West Avenue 43, Los Angeles, CA 90065