James H. Garrott facts for kids

James Homer Garrott (born June 19, 1897, in Montgomery, Alabama – died June 9, 1991) was an important American architect. He worked mostly in the Los Angeles area during the middle of the 1900s. He designed over 200 buildings, including many churches and public spaces. People remember him as a key African-American architect who brought new, modern ideas to design in the 1940s.

About James Garrott

James Garrott finished high school in Los Angeles in 1917. He became a licensed architect in 1928. One of his first big projects was helping design the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company building in 1928. From 1926 to 1928, Garrott worked with a construction company. He then studied architecture at the University of Southern California from 1930 to 1934.

Garrott was good friends with Loren Miller, a famous lawyer who worked for civil rights. In 1940, Garrott designed homes for both himself and Miller. These homes were in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles.

In 1946, Garrott became the second African-American architect to join the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in Los Angeles. The first was Paul R. Williams. Other architects, like Williams and Gregory Ain, helped him join.

Working with Gregory Ain

Garrott and Ain shared an office in the Granada Building starting in 1940. They often worked together in the 1940s and 1950s. Sometimes their work was called "Garrott & Ain" or "Ain & Garrott." This depended on who was the main designer. They also helped each other on their own projects. After World War II, they designed and built their own office building together. It was located at 2311 Hyperion Avenue, close to Garrott's home.

Garrott had good connections with local leaders. He received several projects from the Los Angeles County Government in the late 1950s. Even so, it was rare for African-American architects to get public contracts at that time.

Buildings Designed by Garrott

Here are some of the buildings James Garrott helped design:

• 1928: (with Louis Blodgett) Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Building, Los Angeles, California. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.
• 1929: (as Williams, Garrott & Young) St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Los Angeles, California. This church is a City of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.
• 1936: Mount Zion Baptist Church, Los Angeles, California.
• 1940: Garrott Residence and Loren Miller residence, Los Angeles, California.
• 1949: (with Gregory Ain) Ain & Garrott Office, Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California.
• 1951: (with Gregory Ain) Ben Margolis House, Los Angeles, California.
• 1955: Firestone Sheriff's Station, Florence-Firestone, California. This was considered a very modern building for law enforcement at the time.
• 1957: Lawndale Administrative Center, Lawndale, California.
• 1958-60: (with Gregory Ain) Westchester Municipal Building, Los Angeles, California.
• 1958-60: (with Gregory Ain) Loyola Village Branch Library, Los Angeles, California.
• 1960: Bodger County Park Director's Building, Hawthorne, California.
• 1960: Del Aire County Park Director's Building, Hawthorne, California.
• 1963: Victoria Park Pool and Bathhouse, Carson, California.
• 1970: Carson Public Library, Carson, California.