Melrose Hill, Los Angeles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Melrose Hill
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Melrose Hill neighborhood sign
located at the intersection of Western Avenue and Marathon Street. |
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 Melrose Hill
Location in Los Angeles
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| Country |  United States of America |
| State |  California |
| County |  Los Angeles |
| Time zone | Pacific |
| Zip Code |
90029
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| Area code(s) | 323 |
Melrose Hill is a cool neighborhood in Los Angeles. It's a special place because part of it is a Historic Preservation Overlay Zone, which means its old buildings and unique style are protected.
Contents
A Look Back: Melrose Hill's History
Melrose Hill was first developed in 1906 by Sidney L. Briggs and M.P. Gilbert. They started selling lots for homes, with prices around $425. A developer named Avery McCarthy gave the main street, Melrose Avenue, its name. He named it after his family's hometown, Melrose, Massachusetts.
He also named the highest spot in the area, about 337 feet above sea level, Melrose Hill. In 2003, Los Angeles magazine even called Melrose Hill one of the city's "10 Great Neighborhoods You've Never Heard Of."
Where is Melrose Hill?
Melrose Hill is located in a busy part of Los Angeles. You can find it north of Melrose Avenue and south of Santa Monica Boulevard. It's also east of Western Avenue and west of the Hollywood Freeway.
The city has put up special signs to show where the neighborhood begins and ends. You can spot these signs at Western Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, Western Avenue and Marathon Street, and Western Avenue and Melrose Avenue. There's also a sign at Melrose Avenue and Ardmore Street. The famous Hollywood area is just to the north of Melrose Hill.
Protecting History: The Melrose Hill HPOZ
Inside Melrose Hill, there's a special area called the Melrose Hill Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ). This zone helps protect the historic look and feel of the neighborhood. The HPOZ covers homes on Marathon Street (between Hobart Boulevard and Oxford Avenue), North Melrose Hill Street, and West Melrose Hill Street. You'll see HPOZ signs at Hobart Boulevard and Marathon Street.
The city officially made this area historic in 1988. The 42 homes in the HPOZ are mostly charming Craftsman and Colonial Revival style bungalows. They were built a long time ago, between 1911 and 1926.
Even the streetlights in the neighborhood are special! They were made from the same design used for the lighting towers in New York's Central Park over a hundred years ago. These unique streetlights were put in place in 1980. They actually helped inspire the neighborhood to seek its historic status.
Fun and Games: Parks in Melrose Hill
If you're looking for a place to play or relax, Melrose Hill has a great spot:
- Lemon Grove Recreation Center, located at 4959 Lemon Grove Avenue.
See also
In Spanish: Melrose Hill (Los Ángeles) para niños
