Minnie Hill Palmer House facts for kids
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Minnie Hill Palmer House
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Minnie Hill Palmer House, September 2008
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 Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 10385 Shadow Oak Drive, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California |
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| Built | 1911 |
| Architect | Hill, Lovell; Johnson, Willard |
| Architectural style | Stick-Eastlake American Craftsman-Bungalow |
| NRHP reference No. | 79000480 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 4, 1979 |
The Minnie Hill Palmer House, also known as The Homestead Acre, is a very special old house. It's the only original homestead cottage left in the San Fernando Valley. This charming house is made of redwood and shows off a style called Stick-Eastlake American Craftsman-Bungalow. It sits on a 1.3-acre piece of land in Chatsworth Park South, in the Chatsworth area of Los Angeles, California. It's like a window into the past!
A Home from the Past
Back in 1886, a family named James David and Rhonda Jane Hill decided to settle in what is now Chatsworth. They used their rights under the Homestead Act to claim 110 acres of land. Later, their ranch grew to 230 acres when they bought more land. Today, a small 1.3-acre part of that original ranch is saved as a historic site.
The Hills' seventh child, Minnie, was born on the ranch in late 1886. Between 1911 and 1913, the Hill family built the three-bedroom house we see today. This was after their first homestead building was taken down.
Minnie Hill married Alfred Palmer in 1908. They moved away for a while, even farming in Montana. But Minnie Hill Palmer and her husband came back to the Chatsworth homestead in 1920. This was because Minnie's mother became ill. Minnie's brother, Lovell Hill, helped run the homestead with the Palmers.
Minnie inherited the property after her brother Lovell passed away. Her husband died in the 1940s. In 1956, Minnie sold the ranch to the City of Los Angeles. The city wanted to build a golf course and a rifle range. Minnie made a special agreement to keep living in her cottage, rent-free and tax-free, for the rest of her life.
Minnie Palmer lived in the cottage until she was 90 years old. She continued to live in a pioneer style. She grew her own vegetables and canned fruit. Every morning, she used an old handplow to work in her garden. This garden was right next to the golf course! She often had to pick out golf balls along with weeds. She even canned 300 jars of jelly each year for Christmas gifts. Minnie remembered that gophers and coyotes were always a problem on the ranch.
When big fires happened in 1970, Minnie refused to leave her home. She worked with firefighters to save the old homestead. Minnie Palmer did enjoy one modern thing: television soap operas. She watched them every day from 11 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. after working in her garden. A reporter visited her in 1968. Minnie ended the interview at 11 a.m. because she wouldn't talk to anyone during her shows! Minnie had a stroke in 1976. She spent her last years in a care facility. She passed away in March 1981 at 94 years old.
Visiting the Homestead Today
The Homestead Acre and Palmer House are kept just as they were in 1911. The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks owns the property. The Chatsworth Historical Society helps take care of it. They want it to be a reminder of the pioneers who settled the San Fernando Valley. The city takes care of the outside of the house. The Chatsworth Historical Society takes care of the inside.
The park was closed for a short time in early 2008 for a safety check. But it re-opened in April 2008 after being found safe. The Chatsworth Historical Society offers tours of the cottage. You can arrange a tour for groups of 10 or more people. They also have open tours on the first Sunday of every month from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Many of the trees and flowers on the property were planted by Minnie Hill Palmer and her family. The Palmer House is also a popular place for weddings and private parties. It is even rented out for filming movies!
Why This House is Special
The Hill Palmer House was officially recognized as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1974. It was Monument #133. City officials said the house deserved this special status. They noted Minnie Palmer's important life there. They also recognized the role she, her family, and the house played in the area's history. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It is the very last homestead remaining in the San Fernando Valley.
See also
