List of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments in the Wilshire and Westlake areas facts for kids

Los Angeles is full of amazing places with cool stories! These special spots are called Historic-Cultural Monuments (HCMs). They are chosen by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission because they are important for their history, culture, or unique architecture. There are over 142 of these monuments in the Wilshire, Westlake, and nearby areas of Los Angeles. Let's explore some of them!

Historic-Cultural Monuments

Here are some of the cool historic places you can find:

• Lewis House (HCM #39)

* Location: 1425 Miramar St., Westlake * Designated: June 15, 1966 * This Victorian house was built in 1889 in the Queen Anne style.

• Frederick Mitchell Mooers House (HCM #45)

* Location: 818 S. Bonnie Brae St., Westlake * Designated: February 8, 1967

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* This house is a great example of Victorian architecture on the West Coast. It's named after its owner, who found a gold mine!

• Bullock's Wilshire Building (HCM #56)

* Location: 3050 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-City * Designated: June 5, 1968

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* This building was once a fancy department store. It was finished in 1929 and has a cool Art Deco style with a tall tower.

• Memorial Branch Library (HCM #81)

* Location: 4645 W. Olympic Boulevard, Mid-Wilshire * Designated: April 7, 1971

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* This library was built in 1930 and features beautiful stained glass art.

• Alvarado Terrace Historic District (HCM #83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 210)

* Location: Alvarado Ter., Pico-Union * Designated: July 7, 1971 (for individual houses)

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* This area is a historic district with several well-preserved mansions built between 1902 and 1907. Powers Place, located here, is known as the "shortest street in Los Angeles."

• Central Spanish Seventh Day Adventist Church (HCM #89)

* Location: 1366 Alvarado St. & 1447–1459 Alvarado Ter., Pico-Union * Designated: July 7, 1971

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* This building was originally the First Church of Christ, Scientist.

• Korean Philadelphia Presbyterian Church (HCM #91)

* Location: 401–407 S. New Hampshire Ave., East Hollywood * Designated: November 17, 1971

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* This church was built in 1926.

• Queen and Washingtonia Robusta Palm Trees and Median Strip (HCM #94)

* Location: Highland Ave., Hancock Park * Designated: January 26, 1972

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* These palm trees were planted in 1928 along Highland Avenue.

• Residence at 1036-1038 S. Bonnie Brae St. (HCM #99)

* Location: 1036–1038 S. Bonnie Brae St., Pico-Union * Designated: April 5, 1972

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* This building from around 1896 is known for its unique "chateau in wood" style.

• MacArthur Park (HCM #100)

* Location: 2100–2320 W. 6th St., Westlake * Designated: May 1, 1972

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* This park's land was acquired in 1886. It was renamed MacArthur Park in 1942.

• Young's Market (HCM #113)

* Location: 1610 W. Seventh St., Westlake * Designated: March 7, 1973

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* Built in the 1920s, this building was originally a market and office space with marble columns.

• Wilshire United Methodist Church (HCM #114)

* Location: 4350–4366 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire * Designated: March 7, 1973

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* This concrete church, designed by Allison & Allison, was dedicated in 1924.

• Wilshire Boulevard Temple (HCM #116)

* Location: 3663 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-City * Designated: March 21, 1973

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* This is the oldest Jewish synagogue in Los Angeles. Its Byzantine dome has been a landmark since 1929.

• Pellissier Building and Wiltern Theatre (HCM #118)

* Location: 3780 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-City * Designated: May 16, 1973

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* This is a 12-story office tower with a theater entrance. It has a unique blue-green terra cotta exterior.

• Buck House (HCM #122)

* Location: 5950–5958 W. 8th St.; 805 S. Genesee Ave., Mid-Wilshire * Designated: March 20, 1974

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* This house was designed by the famous architect Rudolph Schindler in 1939.

• Mary Andrews Clark Residence of the YWCA (HCM #158)

* Location: 306–336 S. Loma Dr., Westlake * Designated: July 7, 1976

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* This large French colonial chateau-style building was built in 1913 as a home for young working women.

• William Grant Still Residence (HCM #169)

* Location: 1262 S. Victoria Ave., Mid-City * Designated: December 1, 1976

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* This was the home of the famous composer William Grant Still.

• Paul R. Williams Residence (HCM #170)

* Location: 1690 S. Victoria Ave., Mid-City * Designated: December 1, 1976

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* This was the home of Paul Williams, a pioneering African-American architect.

• Welsh Presbyterian Church (HCM #173)

* Location: 1153 S. Valencia St.; 1501 W. 12th St., Pico-Union * Designated: April 20, 1977 * This Greek-Revival style building was designed in 1909.

• Pan-Pacific Auditorium (West Facade) (HCM #183)

* Location: 7600 Beverly Blvd., Fairfax * Designated: March 1, 1978

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* This building was torn down in 1992.

• Susana Machado Bernard House and Barn (HCM #208)

* Location: 845 S. Lake St., Westlake * Designated: January 17, 1979

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* This Gothic Revival mansion was built in 1901.

• First Baptist Church of Los Angeles (HCM #237)

* Location: 2875 W. 8th St., Mid-Wilshire * Designated: April 9, 1981

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* This church was built in 1927 and is known for its unique architecture.

• Granada Shoppes & Studios Building (HCM #238)

* Location: 672 S. Lafayette Park Pl., Mid-City * Designated: April 9, 1981

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* This complex of buildings, built in 1927, combined offices, studios, and living spaces.

• La Casa de las Campanas (HCM #239)

* Location: 350–354 N. June St., Hancock Park * Designated: April 9, 1981 * This Spanish Colonial Revival house was built in 1928. It has 37 rooms and a three-story clock tower with four huge bells!

• Ebell of Los Angeles Building (HCM #250)

* Location: 743 S. Lucerne Blvd., Mid-City * Designated: August 25, 1982

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* This women's club building was built in 1927. Judy Garland was discovered in its theater, and Amelia Earhart made her last public appearance here.

• Park Plaza Hotel (HCM #267)

* Location: 2400–2416 W. 6th St., Westlake * Designated: June 24, 1983

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• La Fonda Restaurant Building (HCM #268)

* Location: 2501–2511 Wilshire Blvd., Westlake * Designated: June 24, 1983

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• Peet House (HCM #272)

* Location: 1139 S. Harvard Blvd., Harvard Heights * Designated: September 21, 1983

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* Built around 1889, this house is a great example of a well-preserved Victorian home.

• Heinsbergen Decorating Company Building (HCM #275)

* Location: 7415 Beverly Blvd., Mid-Wilshire * Designated: January 4, 1984

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* This castle-like building was home to a mural-painting business for over 50 years. It was built with bricks from the old Los Angeles City Hall!

• El Royale Apartments (HCM #309)

* Location: 450 N. Rossmore Ave., Hancock Park * Designated: September 2, 1986

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* This building was designed in the Spanish Renaissance Revival style.

• Fire Station No. 29 (HCM #310)

* Location: 158 S. Western Ave., Wilshire Center * Designated: October 1, 1986

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* This two-story brick building was completed in 1913 in the Italian Renaissance style.

• Los Altos Apartments (HCM #311)

* Location: 4121 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-City * Designated: October 17, 1986

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* Construction of this elegant Spanish Revival building began in 1925.

• Thomas Potter Residence (HCM #327)

* Location: 1135–1141 S. Alvarado St., Pico-Union * Designated: September 22, 1987

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• August Winstel Residence (HCM #328)

* Location: 1147 S. Alvarado St., Pico-Union * Designated: September 22, 1987

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• Los Angeles Nurses' Club (HCM #352)

* Location: 245 S. Lucas Ave., Los Angeles * Designated: April 8, 1988

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* This clubhouse and apartment building was built in 1924 by a nurses' club.

• Chapman Park Market Building (HCM #386)

* Location: 3451 W. 6th St., Mid Wilshire * Designated: August 30, 1988

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• Higgins-Verbeck-Hirsch Mansion (HCM #403)

* Location: 637 S. Lucerne Blvd., Windsor Square * Designated: December 14, 1988

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• Wilshire Branch Library (HCM #415)

* Location: 149 N. Saint Andrews Pl., Mid-City * Designated: February 1, 1989

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* This branch library was built in 1926.

• Apartment Buildings on Burnside Avenue (HCM #423, 424, 425, 426)

* Location: 607, 626, 636, 654 Burnside Ave., Mid-Wilshire * Designated: March 31, 1989

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• Villa Cintra (HCM #428)

* Location: 430 Cloverdale Ave., Mid-Wilshire * Designated: April 7, 1989

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• Doria Apartments (HCM #432)

* Location: 1600–1604 W. Pico Blvd., Pico-Union * Designated: May 5, 1989

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* This apartment building is in the heart of Pico-Union.

• Darkroom (Facade only) (HCM #451)

* Location: 5370 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire * Designated: August 1, 1989

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* This 1935 storefront is designed in a cool camera-inspired style.

• Felipe de Neve Branch Library (HCM #452)

* Location: 2820 W. Sixth St., Westlake * Designated: October 17, 1989

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* This library was built in 1929 and is named after a Spanish governor of California.

• Charles B. Booth Residence and Carriage House (HCM #491)

* Location: 824–826 S. Bonnie Brae St., Westlake * Designated: July 13, 1990

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• El Rey Theatre (HCM #520)

* Location: 5515–5519 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire * Designated: February 26, 1991

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• Wilshire Ward Chapel (HCM #531)

* Location: 1209 S. Manhattan Pl., Angelus Vista * Designated: May 10, 1991

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* Built in 1929 in the Art Deco style, this building is a meetinghouse for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

• Farmers Market (HCM #543)

* Location: Gilmore Ln.; W. 3rd St. & W. Fairfax Ave., Fairfax * Designated: July 24, 1991

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• Westlake Theatre (HCM #546)

* Location: 634–642 S. Alvarado St., Westlake * Designated: September 24, 1991

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* This movie theater was built in 1926.

• Einar C. Petersen Studio Court (HCM #552)

* Location: 4350–4352¹⁄₂ Beverly Blvd., Koreatown * Designated: November 13, 1991

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• May Company Wilshire (HCM #566)

* Location: 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire * Designated: September 30, 1992

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• Sheraton Town House Hotel (HCM #576)

* Location: 2959–2973 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-City * Designated: April 7, 1993

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• Wolff-Fifield House (HCM #619)

* Location: 111 N. June St., Hancock Park * Designated: June 21, 1996

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* This 1929 Tudor Revival style home belonged to a financier and a church pastor.

• Jack Doyle Residence (HCM #628)

* Location: 620 S. Irving Blvd., Windsor Square * Designated: January 9, 1996

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* This Mediterranean style home was designed in 1919 for boxing promoter Jack Doyle.

• Ruskin Art Club (HCM #639)

* Location: 800 S. Plymouth Blvd., Mid-Wilshire * Designated: March 18, 1997

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• Brynmoor Apartments Neon Roof Sign (HCM #641)

* Location: 432–436 S. New Hampshire Ave., Koreatown * Designated: June 4, 1997

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• Embassy Apartments Neon Roof Sign (HCM #642)

* Location: 702–708 S. Mariposa Ave., Koreatown * Designated: June 4, 1997

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• Superba Apartments Incandescent Roof Sign (HCM #643)

* Location: 335 S. Berendo St., Koreatown * Designated: June 4, 1997

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• Villa Serrano (HCM #646)

* Location: 930–940 S. Serrano Ave., Koreatown * Designated: December 19, 1997

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• Filipino Christian Church (HCM #651)

* Location: 301 N. Union Ave., Westlake * Designated: May 5, 1998

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• Bryson Apartments (HCM #653)

* Location: 2701 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-City * Designated: September 18, 1998

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* Built in 1913, its rooftop sign and lion statues are famous landmarks on Wilshire Blvd.

• Rosenheim Mansion (HCM #660)

* Location: 1120 S. Westchester Pl., Arlington Heights * Designated: June 22, 1999

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• Rives Mansion (HCM #661)

* Location: 1130 S. Westchester Pl., Arlington Heights * Designated: June 22, 1999

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• The Leader Building roof-top Neon Sign (HCM #667)

* Location: 344–346 N. Fairfax Ave., Fairfax * Designated: September 29, 1999

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• First Congregational Church of Los Angeles (HCM #706)

* Location: 540 S. Commonwealth Ave., Westlake * Designated: March 15, 2002

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* Designed by Allison & Allison, this church was built in 1932. It's the oldest Protestant church in L.A., founded in 1867.

• Edward Alexander Kelley Hackett House (HCM #719)

* Location: 1317 S. Westlake Ave., Pico-Union * Designated: October 1, 2002

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* This Craftsman-style house was built in 1923.

• Founder's Church of Religious Science (HCM #727)

* Location: 3281 W. 6th St., Koreatown * Designated: October 2, 2002

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• Immanuel Presbyterian Church (HCM #743)

* Location: 3300 Wilshire Blvd., Koreatown * Designated: February 4, 2003

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• Henry W. O'Melveny House (HCM #756)

* Location: 501 S. Plymouth, Windsor Square * Designated: July 15, 2003

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• Ravenswood Apartments (HCM #768)

* Location: 570 N. Rossmore Ave., Hancock Park * Designated: November 7, 2003

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* This Art Deco building was built by Paramount Pictures in the 1930s.

• Belmont Tunnel / Toluca Substation and Yard (HCM #790)

* Location: 1304 W. 2nd St., Westlake * Designated: February 23, 2005

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* This is the entrance to the Hollywood Subway.

• Security-First National Bank (HCM #813)

* Location: 5209 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-City * Designated: July 8, 2005

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* This building was a former Art Deco-style bank branch.

• Petitfils-Boos Residence (HCM #835)

* Location: 545 S. Plymouth Blvd., Mid-City * Designated: January 25, 2006

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• La Marquise (HCM #853)

* Location: 535 S. Gramercy Pl., Koreatown * Designated: September 27, 2006

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• San Marino Villas (HCM #870)

* Location: 3390–3396 W. San Marino St., Wilshire Center * Designated: May 16, 2007 * This three-story luxury apartment building was designed in 1923. Sadly, it was destroyed by fire in 2013.

• Arwyn Manor (HCM #878)

* Location: 3835 W. 8th St.; 749 S. Manhattan Pl., Koreatown * Designated: July 17, 2007

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• Chateau Alpine (HCM #928)

* Location: 918–928¹⁄₂ S. Serrano Ave., Koreatown * Designated: July 9, 2008

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• Park Wilshire Building (HCM #934)

* Location: 2424 Wilshire Blvd., Westlake * Designated: September 25, 2008

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* Built in 1923, it was designed by Clarence H. Russell and Norman W. Alpaugh.

• Heerman Estate (HCM #943)

* Location: 525 S. Van Ness Ave., Windsor Square * Designated: January 28, 2009

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* This Colonial Revival home from 1908 was later changed by famous architects Walker & Eisen in 1919.

• The Beverly Sycamore (HCM #945)

* Location: 308 N. Sycamore Ave., Hancock Park * Designated: February 25, 2009

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* This apartment building, built in 1928, is in the Chateauesque-French Norman Revival style.

• Dunsmuir Flats (HCM #954)

* Location: 1281 S. Dunsmuir Ave., Wilshire Vista Heights * Designated: May 20, 2009

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* This building was designed in 1938 by architect Gregory Ain.

• Bob Baker Marionette Theater (HCM #958)

* Location: 1345 W. First St., Echo Park * Designated: June 3, 2009

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• See's Candy Shop and Kitchen No. 1 (HCM #959)

* Location: 139 N. Western Ave., Mid-Wilshire * Designated: June 24, 2009

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* This commercial building was built in 1921 in the Italian Renaissance Revival style.

• Ashby Apartments (HCM #960)

* Location: 808 S. Hobart Blvd., Mid-Wilshire * Designated: August 5, 2009

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* This Art Deco building was designed by architect Max Maltzman in 1907.

• Linda Scott Residence (HCM #963)

* Location: 1910 S. Harvard Blvd., West Adams Heights * Designated: September 23, 2009

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* This Mediterranean style home was designed in 1907 for the first female deputy sheriff in Arizona.

• 844 South Plymouth Apartments (HCM #970)

* Location: 844 S. Plymouth Blvd., Mid-Wilshire * Designated: January 27, 2010

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* This apartment building was built in 1936 in the Streamline Moderne style.

• Johnie's Coffee Shop (HCM #1045)

* Location: 6101 Wilshire Boulevard, Mid-Wilshire * Designated: November 27, 2013

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* This restaurant was designed in the unique Googie style in 1956.

Other Important Historic Places

These sites are also recognized for their historical importance:

• La Brea Tar Pits (SM#170)

* Location: 5801 Wilshire Blvd., Miracle Mile

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• Wilton Historic District

* Location: S. Wilton Pl.; S. Wilton Dr.; Ridgewood Pl., Mid-City

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• Miracle Mile Historic District

* Location: 5350–5511 Wilshire Blvd., Miracle Mile

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* This district includes many historic buildings like Hahn's Music, the Wilshire Center Building, and the Post Office Building.

• Crocker Bank

* Location: 1926–1930 Wilshire Blvd., Westlake

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• McKinley Building

* Location: 3747–3763 Wilshire Blvd., Wilshire Center * This building was torn down in 1998.

• Clem Wilson Building

* Location: 5217–5231 Wilshire Blvd., Miracle Mile

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• Ambassador Hotel

* Location: 3400 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire

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• South Bonnie Brae Tract Historic District

* Location: 1851 W. 11th St.; 1032 and 1036 S. Bonnie Brae St., Pico-Union

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• South Serrano Avenue Historic District

* Location: 400–457 S. Serrano Ave., Koreatown

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• Melrose Hotel

* Location: 5150–5174 Melrose Ave., Larchmont

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• Korea Times

* Location: 135–141 N. Vermont Ave., Koreatown

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• Royal Lake

* Location: 2202–2220 W. 11th St., Pico-Union

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• Cook Residence

* Location: 1025 S. Westlake Ave., Pico-Union

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See also

Lists of L.A. Historic-Cultural Monuments

• Historic-Cultural Monuments in Downtown Los Angeles
• Historic-Cultural Monuments on the East and Northeast Sides
• Historic-Cultural Monuments in the Harbor area
• Historic-Cultural Monuments in Hollywood
• Historic-Cultural Monuments in the San Fernando Valley
• Historic-Cultural Monuments in Silver Lake, Angelino Heights, and Echo Park
• Historic-Cultural Monuments in South Los Angeles
• Historic-Cultural Monuments on the Westside

Other

• City of Los Angeles' Historic Preservation Overlay Zones
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Los Angeles
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Los Angeles County
• List of California Historical Landmarks