November/December 2016 | ISSUE NUMBER 326
Jefferson Park HPOZ Honored
University Park
West Adams
Matters
www.westadamsheritage.org
Jessie Benton Frémont
KCET Supports the Holiday Tour
Preservation Matters
A brief biography Cover photo: Jessie Benton Frémont by Thomas Read Buchanan Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum, Los Angeles; 81.G.2
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President's Message
A visit to the Batchelder Tile exhibit in Pasadena, holiday party and more
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The West Adams Matters newsletter is a publication of West Adams Heritage Association. Members and supporters of WAHA are invited to submit articles by contacting news@westadamsheritage.org. Letters and articles will be subject to space restraints and may be cut for length. Articles will be published subject to the editors. Advertising is subject to the approval of the publishers. Although WAHA appreciates its advertisers, the Association does not accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Services and products are not tested and the appearance of advertising does not imply, nor does it constitute, endorsement by the West Adams Heritage Association. Copyright 2016. All rights for graphic and written material appearing in the newsletter are reserved. Contact the publisher for permission to reprint.
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A special reprint of an article by Martin Weil
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Ceramic Tile
Resources
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Newsletter Staff
WAHA membership includes: * 10 issues of the West Adams Matters newsletter * Invitations to all WAHA programs, parties, Evening Strolls, and other activities, mostly free * Discount on WAHA tours and advance notice of tours * Membership Directory * Special publications * Membership card for discounts on services and products. Join online at http://www.memberwaha.org/amember/signup/index
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Get your neighbors' recommendations for companies and individuals to keep your house in tiptop order
Become a member (or renew)
Living History Tour
Join at any level: • Individual/Household $50 • Student/Senior $25 • Preservation Circle $100 • Heritage Circle $250 • Patron Circle $500 • Benefactor $1000 To pay by check, send the following information (Name(s), Address, Phone, and email along with your level of choice) with your check to: WAHA 2263 S. Harvard Boulevard Historic West Adams Los Angeles, CA 90018
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Volunteer Spotlight: Jeff Valdez
Holiday Tour
Where's A.J.'s Hat?
John Patterson, Communications Chair Reggie Jones, Publisher & Editor Suzanne Cooper, Layout & Design Don Lynch, Writer
Upcoming Events
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The Victorian house that once stood on the corner of 28th and Hoover was a modest dwelling, certainly not on the same scale as other mansions in West Adams. But news of the house reached the New York Times, which reported a description of it by the architect himself, Sumner P. Hunt, on July 26th, 1891: It is in the Eastern suburban style, an eight-room house with many accessories. The principal dimensions are 30ft by 50ft, with long roof lines, quite different from most of the houses here, yet admirably adapted for this climate. Screened porches face North and South so that one or the other may be utilized as a sitting room at any hour of the day; the shade of the orange trees is most delightful. Why did this ordinary family house make national headlines? Because the occupant was Mrs. Jessie Benton Frémont, a famous figure in Washington politics who had been invited to retire in Southern California. Crowds greeted the Frémont family at the railway station when they arrived in Los Angeles, tourists “Kodacked” the house as a souvenir of their visit, and Mrs. Frémont quickly cemented her social prestige by accepting the position of regent of the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Jessie was the daughter of Senator Thomas Benton of Missouri, a prominent anti-slavery campaigner, and Elizabeth McDowell, a wealthy Virginian heiress. One famous incident from her early life was the so-called “Bodisco Marriage” -- Jessie’s best friend at Miss English’s Seminary for Young Ladies in Washington DC was Harriet Williams; in 1840, she met and married the Russian ambassador, Baron Alexander Bodisco. The scandal of this incident was that Harriet was 16 while her husband was 60 and famously ugly. Jessie supported her friend very loyally, acting as chief bridesmaid while her father’s friend, Senator Henry Clay, was head groomsman. It probably didn’t hurt that the Baron gave each bridesmaid a ring with her favorite gemstone, bought them new dresses, and threw some exceedingly lavish parties to smooth the way. Defying convention soon became the theme of Jessie’s life: a year later she herself caused a scandal when she chose the penniless and illegitimate Lt. John C. Frémont as her future husband. While money and rank clearly swayed Harriet, Jessie was more interested in John’s stories of exploring the Rocky Mountains -- he was her hero and she did everything she could to enhance his career. A good example is her intervention in John’s most famous expedition to Northern California: though he was supposed to be leading a peaceful exploration of Mexican territory, he “borrowed” a cannon from the armory at St. Louis and was promptly recalled by his superiors. Jessie intercepted the orders and sat on them until John was too far away to turn around. This bold move at age 19 perhaps altered history: it meant that her husband was on hand to support the Bear Flag Revolt when it broke out in 1846 and, as Jessie wrote, that was “the determining force in acquiring California” for the United States. “Tomatoes, Olives and the Sea” How did the Frémont family end up in West Adams? After annexation, Jessie joined her husband by travelling through the Caribbean, crossing the isthmus of Panama on a mule, and then taking a rickety steamer up the west coast to look for John among the 49-ers in the tent city of San Francisco. John had resigned from the Army, bought a gold mine, and was busy fighting off claim jumpers; she tells a marvelous story about the miners’ girlfriends taking lunch to their men with pistols and ammunition hidden under their skirts. Despite the lawlessness, Jessie fell in love with the West and wrote her father for a six-seater carriage to be shipped out to California which she used to go camping and picnicking all over the new state. She was particularly friendly towards the Mexican cattle ranchers and their lifestyle, writing, “I took naturally to tomatoes, olives and the sea.” Later in life, John was appointed governor of Missouri at the outbreak of Civil War, and straight away angered President Lincoln by decreeing that any slaves belonging to Confederate rebels were freed. Jessie passionately agreed with her husband and travelled to the White House to argue with the President that he should support her husband’s radical gesture -- the ‘Great Emancipator’ was not ready to do that and for the rest of the war regarded the couple as reckless and inept. The rest of the 1860s and 1870s were hard times: John was not trusted with further military commands and, in civilian life, invested the profits of his gold mine in railroad stocks; the family traveled to Europe seeking foreign investors. The crash of 1873 left them virtually bankrupt, but Jessie came to the rescue by writing several volumes of memoirs which made enough money to keep the family afloat. Fellow Republican President Rutherford B. Hayes then helped by appointing John Governor of Arizona, and Jessie lived for a time in the desert town of Prescott, battling insects, water shortages, lack of horses, and a dismal social scene. One can hear Jessie’s love of California in her letters, and though she would have liked to return to the family’s property in the North, she was also drawn to the “resort” of Santa Monica which she describes very touchingly: We have a cottage on the bluff where I get that stilled feeling the sea always brings. There is nothing crude or raw about this lovely spot for it was well-planted 20 years ago with wide double avenues of old wind-swept cypress and eucalyptus tree where a long mile of firm grass-grown walk can be had. 100ft below the long rollers break on a firm sand beach. Alas, John died in 1890 and Mrs. Frémont’s finances became somewhat shaky, so a philanthropic committee came to her rescue and purchased the house at 28th and Hoover at a cost of $5,000. The effort was organized by West Adams resident Charles Silent of Chester Place who persuaded railroad baron Collis P. Huntington and U.S. Senator George Hearst to contribute $500 each. Once in residence in West Adams, Jessie spent most of her time editing her husband’s memoirs, but she also socialized with the neighbors: One of my nicest neighbors, a Boston woman who has lived long in Egypt, Syria and such places, has a comfortable carriage with a civilized step -- her husband loves driving, he and the horses are safe, so I go with them almost every afternoon from two to five o’clock. The orchards are in bloom and the natural growth of flowers and grass makes the hills of green plush, embroidered with violet, pink, yellow and white. It is lovely air, lovely scenery and all framed by the sudden mountains. Her retirement was elegant, leisurely and sociable with grandchildren performing in local productions of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Mikado; she spent lazy afternoons in the garden with its “curtains of roses” where she would fall asleep in her hammock; and she enjoyed frequent outings on the trolley system using her lifetime pass. Her only gripe about the West Coast was the unreliable mail; she wrote to her sister in Florence regularly, but none of the letters got through. Eventually, she switched to Wells Fargo! What happened to the Frémont house? We have several exterior photos in the USC archives and Jessie’s letters provide excellent descriptions of its interior and the household routine. The main room was a “boudoir-parlor” with a low bookcase running the whole length of one wall, and opposite two paintings: a portrait of her husband, and another of a windswept pine tree by her friend John Gutzon Borglum (later the architect of Mount Rushmore). Jessie described its “walls of pale olive-green with greyish white touches; the frieze is perfect: oranges just hinted in golden green, brightened by gilding the outlines.” The dining room was “equally charming” with corner cabinets to store the china and glass doors “to keep the dust off.” When she died in 1902, Jessie’s funeral at Christ Episcopal Church at 12th and Flower overflowed onto the sidewalk but alas, Los Angeles quickly forgot her. The house was moved in the late 1930s to the site of Valley College, and again to Panorama City where it was finally demolished in 1959. As the architectural historian Anna Marie Brooks comments mournfully, “No one knew what they had.” For more on the adventures of West Adams’ most famous resident, consult Pamela Herr’s excellent biography and also her edited letters -- both are available at the LAPL Richard Riordan Central Library.
Mrs. Jessie Benton Frémont
Exterior View of the home of General John C. Frémont on West 29th Street, c.1896
All photos, unless otherwise specified: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ University of Southern California. Libraries and California Historical Society
Portrait of General Frémont, his wife, daughter and friends near a giant redwood tree in the Mariposa Grove, [s.d.]
Mrs. Jessie Benton Frémont and company at her home in Los Angeles, ca.1892
Mrs. Jessie Benton Frémont at her home in Los Angeles, ca.1892
Andrew Taylor is a high school history teacher and lives in a converted 1911 bank building in downtown L.A. He is a fan of the Wild West and anything Victorian.
Portrait of Mrs. Jessie Benton Frémont inside her home, ca.1890
Jessie Benton Frémont's tombstone at Angelus Rosedale. Photo: Don Lynch
KCET and West Adams Heritage Association Join in a Community Partnership WAHA is proud to join in a promotional partnership with KCET, the nation’s largest independent public television station. As part of the partnership, KCET will promote the 30th Annual Holiday Progressive Dinner Tour that takes place December 3 and 4, 2016. Look for WAHA’s ads on KCET.org as well as in the KCET Member, Food and Artbound eNewsletters. Additionally KCET members will have a chance to win three pairs of tickets to the 2016 Holiday Progressive Dinner Tour. The ticket giveaway will be promoted in the KCET member eNewsletter, on KCET’s Facebook page and on KCET.org. In turn, WAHA will recognize the partnership with KCET in its promotional materials for the Holiday Tour including the invitations, printed programs, in social media and at the check-in table. The Holiday Progressive Dinner Tour is a unique architectural experience, where our guests visit a variety of significant homes and partake in a different dinner course at each stop along the way. Having been voted Curbed L.A.’s 2016 Neighborhood of the Year, WAHA is choosing to celebrate the multi-cultural diversity that is West Adams today. The tour will recognize many of the ethnic restaurants found in West Adams with cuisine that may include Italian, Indian, Korean, Mexican and more. KCET also focuses on our multi-cultural community and its influence on the culinary scene in our region with the new online and on-air program “The Migrant Kitchen.” This food series launched in September with a series of five weekly web episodes followed by an on-air broadcast on October 25. “The Migrant Kitchen” tells the story of immigrants within Los Angeles through the lens of food. The series examines how the experience of L.A. migrants has shaped the local food scene -- creating a bridge for understanding the many cultures that comprise the city’s food landscape. More information is at KCET.org/themigrantkitchen. The partnership between KCET and WAHA is a perfect synergy of celebration and community. Both are committed to serving the diverse Southern California region with quality events and programming. Community outreach and interaction bring our region together and unite us to tell a richer and more flavorful story. Bon Appetit !
WAHA’s Holiday Progressive Dinner Tour - Celebrating Diversity
There’s a very good reason that West Adams was selected as Curbed L.A.’s “Neighborhood of the Year” – it’s a fantastic and vibrant part of the city populated with a diversity of residents and a plethora of multi-cultural restaurants that reflect that variety through the food styles we find here. This year’s Holiday Tour – a milestone 30th edition – will be celebrating those qualities as well as the historic architecture of which we are so proud. Western Heights – a diverse neighborhood even as it was first being built – is the perfect locale for this theme. Dating back to 1903, the area immediately began attracting a divergent populace. Built adjacent to the gated enclave of Berkeley Square, this year’s tour will also celebrate what was lost to history when the Santa Monica freeway tore through the city – an impact on Los Angeles that compels the work that remains at the core of WAHA’s mission: How do we allow for the growth of our city while preserving its historic origins? WAHA is very excited to have been selected by public television’s KCET to be their “Community Partner” this year, inviting an even larger number of residents of greater Los Angeles to come learn why we are so proud to call West Adams home. Subscribers and friends of KCET will have the chance to win 3 pairs of Progressive Dinner Tour tickets in early November. We’re also building on last year’s successful collaboration with Chef Zadi’s REVOLUTIONARIO restaurant. Remember the delicious North African menu that delighted our guests throughout the 2015 tour? This year we’re taking it a step further as we share the “Culture & Cuisine” of West Adams. Following check in at the “Marvin Gaye House” our first stop will be serving “Appetizers for the Soul” in recognition of West Adams’ African American residents. Papa Cristo’s will be helping us serve up a delicious Greek lemon chicken soup; Los Anaya will provide their delightful Mexican “nopales” salad. Dinner is inspired by Pasta Sisters. If you haven’t delighted in any of their authentic Italian pastas and other dishes, you really must. Our Korean friends at SNOWLA will be bringing our tour to a sumptuous conclusion with a delightful serving of “pat bing-soo” – a flavored shaved-ice dessert – a uniquely Korean experience! This year’s tour has all the components to really celebrate our community. Be sure to join us for Christmas Cavalcade 2016!! Tickets are available at www.westadamsheritage.org.
Photos: Jeff Theer, Suzanne Cooper
Success! September’s Living History Tour at Angelus Rosedale Cemetery, “Making A Difference: The Bumpy Road toward Civil Rights, Social Justice and Equality,” was absolutely fantastic, and WAHA wants to thank our volunteers for their contributions. We've heard great things from many of our guests; one person wrote, "Thank you for a wonderful, powerful, memorable event!!!" Members of the John Ballard, Pearl Ng Kim Louie, and Sidney Dones (all of whom were portrayed) families who attended told us they enjoyed and were honored by the event. This was a very special, and very challenging, tour for us, as we explored the lives of people who are not widely known but whose individual struggles illuminate the wider struggle for civil and human rights in 20th century Los Angeles. Months of research, planning, and preparation went into this complex event. Many helping hands were needed, both in advance and on the day of the tour. We are especially grateful to those volunteers who stepped in at the last minute to complete the huge team of volunteers. Many people took on multiple roles before and during the day, an effort that was noticed, appreciated, and is proof, once again, that WAHA knows how to bring a village (of volunteers) together! Coordinators: Laura Meyers and Rina Rubenstein Organizing Committee Members: Elizabeth Fenner, Anne Hakes, Lisa Raymond, Lana Soroko, Michael J. Sonntag, Marius Stelly, Christie Webb, and Carrie Yutzy Actors in order of appearance: Carl McCraven as John Ballard Mel Hampton, Sr. as Willis Oliver Tyler Janel Glover as Vada Somerville Celeste Hong as Pearl Ng Kim Louie James Alford as Sidney Dones Colleen Crosby as Josefa Tolhurst Vickilyn Reynolds as Hattie McDaniel Marius Stelly as Hugh MacBeth Rico Dakhil as George Matsuura Judith Walton as Almeena Lomax And many other helping hands: Maureen Bailey, Blaire Baron, Paul Brynen, Paula Brynen, Jean Cade, Chrissy Carr, Liz Cooper, Rory Cunningham, Randi Danforth, Lianne Dutton, Mel Embree, Leslie Evans, Maralyn Facey, Maura Feely, Jean Frost, Allen Hamburger, Suzie Henderson, Phoebe Heywood, Pat Karasick, Nick Kasparek, Sarah Lange, Dennis Leski, Jose Jermais Martinez, Christopher McKinnon, Kim Michener, Danny Miller, Mitzi March Mogul, Marianne Muellerleile, Gisa Nico, Hunter Ochs, Sharon Oxborough, David Pacheco, Lanna Pian, Carmen Price Zigrang, Judy Reidel, Norma Reynolds, Maria Ruiz, David Saffer, Lauren Schlau, Flo Selfman, Deb Shadovitz, Michael Smith, Roland Souza, Terry Speth, Margaret Strong, Jeff Theer, Ed Trosper, Saida Vargas, Candy Wynne, and Michele York Thank you to our Patrons: Angelus Rosedale Cemetery History for Hire United American Costume And the advertisers who support our efforts: Papa Christo’s, the Blu Elefant Café, With Love Market and Café, El Pollo Loco, and the soon-to-open Alibi Coffee Company coffee house in Harvard Heights
West Adams’ easternmost neighborhood is known as University Park. Its roots date back to the post-Civil War period and the population boom following the arrival, in 1876, of the transcontinental railroad links to Los Angeles. University Park’s earliest residents were prosperous individuals with fortunes from real estate, banking and mining interests. They typically purchased five- to ten-acre parcels (carved out of Los Angeles’ original 35-acre city donation lots that encircled the Pueblo’s Plaza) on which they planted orchards. Beyond these parcels was the “West Los Angeles” section, later known as the “University District” after USC was established in 1880. It was mostly marshland, densely covered with trees and fields of mustard, beautiful to observe but difficult to drive a horse and carriage through. Early attempts to further subdivide the section for residences were unsuccessful, but by the late 1880s and 1890s, swank streetcar subdivisions like Chester Place (now home to Mount Saint Mary’s University), the Ellis Tract (Scarff Street, still lined with cobblestones), Park Villa Tract (Bonsallo and Estrella Avenues), and St. James Park became home to many magnificent residences. Adams Street, “The Street of Dreams,” was 90 feet wide, lined with eucalyptus and pepper trees, with an elegant landscaped parkway in the center. Notable Angelenos, including W. G. Kerckhoff, Thomas Stimson, J. S. Slauson, Hancock Banning, and Judge Charles Silent, built highly decorated gingerbread Victorians and handsome manors that placed grand wealth on display, including the famous Doheny Mansion in Chester Place, Stimson’s 3½ story Richardsonian Romanesque castle on Figueroa, the classical Stearns-Dockweiler Colonial Revival home at 27 St. James Place, and many Eastlake and Queen Anne Victorians that characterize the neighborhood today. Luck wasn’t the only factor in these homes’ survival. The core of University Park’s northeast quadrant, located north of Adams Boulevard, is protected by the University Park HPOZ, and there are several portions of the neighborhood designated as National Register Districts. By the 1920s two generations had passed since the birth of University Park. USC’s growth created a need for student housing, and the large residences were ideal as boarding houses. A 1950s history of the University Park library branch noted, “The upper middle class homes originally surrounding the [University Park] branch [library] have been taken over almost entirely as student housing for the University of Southern California….nearly all [students] have automobiles which are parked in every available foot of space for blocks around the campus.” So, not everything changes as time marches on. by Laura Meyers
Photos: Reggie Jones
Neighborhood Spotlight
Director of Historic Resources Ken Bernstein presents the Community Outreach Award to (top row L to R) Michael Chapman, Marius Stelly, Steve Peckman (bottom row L to R) Audrey Arlington, Lyn Gillson, Lizy Moromisato
jefferson Park HPOZ
Information table at conference with Community Outreach Award.
Friends of the Jefferson Park HPOZ received a Community Outreach Award from the City of Los Angeles at the October 15, 2016 biennial conference sponsored by the Los Angeles City Planning Department and the Los Angeles Conservancy in partnership with the West Adams Heritage Association“in recognition of excellence in Community Outreach by promoting education, fostering neighborhood pride, encouraging public participation and ensuring inclusivity in the Jefferson Park HPOZ.” Members Marina Moevs and Jefferson Park HPOZ member Michael Chapman were panelists in the discussion about strategies for community outreach, implementing the State Historical Building Code, and how to submit a project for review by an HPOZ.
Suzie Henderson was a founding member of WAHA and is the current Events Chair.
For this last newsletter of the year I have one amazing deal, another great resource, and one serious stern warning. There is a wonderful opportunity for house painting through a friend of mine. Her son is looking for painting jobs over this winter and has an amazing offer. He is a licensed painting contractor and is looking for houses to. He paints Walmarts in New Mexico most of the year but not in the winter because of the weather. He has quality paint and will paint any house in California for $2,000—even a two story. You can reach Rick Gromoll at 714-473-9892. He should be in town and ready to work by the time you are reading this. Thank you to Louise Manfe for another great recommendation. She says that One Day Tree Service is outstanding at tree trimming, super fast, did a great clean up job and is reasonable. She has at least 50 trees, most of which are part of two-story tall hedges, and says her regular gardeners were absolutely awful at tree trimming. She is very satisfied with One Day Tree Service and plans to use them twice a year to keep things tidy. One Day Tree Service Cell 213-272-1618 Office 323-506-2673 jose@onedaytreeservice.com onedaytreeser@aol.com Maura in Jefferson Park has had a terrible experience with a solar company; so be warned. American Solar Solutions gave her a bid for solar panels and wanted to replace her windows. Despite being told that they could not do that in the HPOZ, they did not remove it from the bid, which she unfortunately missed. They did not request permission for this work from the HPOZ or get a permit to replace windows when they got the permit for the solar panels, nor did they replace the 10 windows. So far, they have refused to credit her for the work they did not do and wanted to charge her to come back to verify that they did not do the work! In addition to this, they gave her false information about the financing available, saying there would be no interest for the first year. They have been very abusive to her, as well as outright lying about the business (I have actually been on the phone during some calls and heard this myself). In investigating this company, it has been determined that they have used various names, but the address remains the same, 6400 Laurel Canyon Blvd. #400 North Hollywood 91606. The additional names that we have uncovered are Green Solar Technologies and Y&S Development Projects. Green Sky is the financing arm that changed the terms of the financing. It appears that the recent name change and new license number was an attempt to escape the poor rating of American Solar Solutions. Avoid this business. They are scam artists. I will be eagerly awaiting your recommendations and warnings for your neighbors. Please email me at westadamsgoddess@aol.com and may all your projects be successfully completed in time for the holidays.
Jean Frost is the current Preservation Committee Chair. Contact her at preservation@westadamsheritage.org.
Carriage House, photos: Jean Frost
Growing Up with Character Saturday October 15 was a glorious day for networking and education as the Los Angeles Conservancy and the Office of Historic Resources hosted its Historic Neighborhoods Conference (subtitled Growing Up with Character) in partnership with the West Adams Heritage Association. The conference was a sold-out affair, as hundreds gathered at the historic St. John’s Cathedral. The keynote speaker was Charles Phoenix, delivering pictures of the undiscovered, underrated and misunderstood architectural gems, past and present. Such a success! If there is anything WAHA knows about, it is underrated architectural gems as we continue to lobby for those buildings from long ago as pieces of or history become prey to opportunistic developers. For many, it was a gathering of the converted, those already committed to historic preservation and conservation of neighborhoods in the City of Los Angeles. WAHA members John Arnold, Natalie Neith, Ed Trosper, Roland Souza, Laura Meyers, Jim Childs, Jim and Janice Robinson, Art Curtis, were just a few of the WAHA members in attendance. Several others who waited to the last minute to register were dismayed at the sold out status which prevented their participation. The conference brought many people from near and far, to celebrate West Adams. A display informed people about the I10-Flyover which made people incredulous that Caltrans would support a 50 foot high concrete elevated highway exit adjacent to the historic Cathedral. There were informational sessions, including “Designing the Future of HPOZs Current topics in Preservation Architecture.” City Architect Lambert Geissinger went through the Secretary of Interior’s Standards, which guides HPOZ Boards in their determinations. The panel stressed the importance of preservation plans to inform HPOZ Board decision making. Architect panelist Mary Richardt lamented the narrow purview of the Windsor Square Preservation Plan which limited design review to facades and to that which is visible from the street. She insisted that the Plan had to be amended to not only protect front facades but all four dimensions of a property as well as accessory structures (Fortunately, none of the West Adams HPOZs limit the review of exterior changes in this manner). At noon, the HPOZ Awards ceremony took place with four award winners. Two of the deserving winners came from West Adams, the Move–On Project at 2350 Portland Street in University Park, and the Outreach Projects in the Jefferson Park HPOZ. Congratulations to Southland Development, their team, and USC for the 2350 Portland Move-Ons and to the Jefferson Park HPOZ and its support groups sponsoring outreach. The Move-On project rescued two historic Victorian houses (the 1905 Mills Residence from 3018 Royal Street and the 1905 Goya Residence from 3024 Royal Street) to 2350 and 2352 Portland Street in the University Park HPOZ. The final events were four walking tours, three in West Adams. It was a unique opportunity to show off our neighborhoods. We worked closely with the Office of Historic Resources staff to develop the tours, provide research and provide touring paths and highlights. The four tours were the University Park HPOZ, the North University Park Specific Plan Area, the Adams Normandie HPOZ, and the Proposed 27th and 28th Street HPOZ. What was remarkable, as we guided tour goers though the University Park HPOZ, was the demonstrated achievements over the past sixteen years since the HPOZ was created. When you are in the midst of things, you tend to forget the list of successes and the walking tour was a stunning reminder. They include: the adaptive re-use of the 1899 Lee Foster Residence carriage house (Hunt & Eager Architects), 17 Chester Place, in 2004, by John Caldwell Architects, where a hundred year old unreinforced masonry carriage house was retrofitted and restored for the Mt. Saint Mary’s Toddler Center; the adaptive re-use of the 1909 Garner Residence, (Hunt, Eager and Burns, Architects) 745 West Adams, as the Administration Building for Mt. St. Mary’s University by Tom Michali, M2A Architects, wherein a carriage house garage was restored as the entry way linking the main campus to the Administration Building; and the adaptive re-use of the 1921 Nolte Garage, 922 West 23rd Street, into loft living spaces by Vijay Sehgal, VSJ Architects. The walking tour also featured three loving restorations: the 1893 Teed Residence at 2365 Scarff Street by Jim Robinson, the 1895 Dennis Burkhalter Residence by Mrs. Foo which was damaged by an arson fire that destroyed the adjacent 1902 Welles House (1902, John Zeller Architect), and the 1896 Weir House, 929 West 23rd Street by Elmer Cedillo. This is but a small sampling of the guided tour which lent a commemorative finale to the celebration of neighborhood preservation. We have come a long way since developers in 1980 called our homes “chicken coops.” Those chicken coops went on to be listed, as the St. James Park Historic District, on the National Register of Historic Places! What is also surprising, is that the battles and arguments continue as a new wave of entrepreneur developers find our historic neighborhoods and seek to develop them. Often we can work with the developer and find solutions – such as the Move-Ons at 2350 Portland demonstrate. More work to come. As the late Senator Paul Wellstone said “The future belongs to those who are passionate and work hard.”
After: Jean Frost
1896 Weir House, 929 West 23rd Before: Jm Childs
HOLIDAY PARTY Don your holiday finery and join WAHA for a holiday celebration on Sunday, Dec. 11 from 2:00-5:00 p.m. at the Holmes/Shannon House, 4311 Victoria Park Drive. Light appetizers, desserts and champagne will be served. We look forward to celebrating with you. Thank you to our hosts, Jeff Theer and Lisa Ellzey for sharing their beautiful home with us.
UPCOMING waha EVENTS
Jeff Valdez
Saturday, November 19, 2016 2:00 p.m. Batchelder: Tilemaker Exhibit On November 19th, WAHA will be visiting the Pasadena Museum of History to view the Batchelder: Tilemaker exhibit. Ernest A. Batchelder was an author, designer, artist and well known tilemaker who lived and worked in Pasadena in the early 1900s. Many houses in West Adams boast tiles from his backyard kiln or his factory (1910-1930). He also had a pottery business, which was founded in 1936. A collection of Batchelder’s tiles and archives was recently donated to the museum by Robert Winter, a leading authority on his work and the curator of the exhibit. Highlights of the exhibit include a full-scale fireplace, large scenic landscape and medieval tiles, a recreation of a Batchelder showroom and a 3-D immersive tour experience of the 1909 Batchelder bungalow and the downtown Los Angeles Dutch Chocolate Shop (1914), one of his earliest large commissions. Also on display is one of the "lost" murals from this landmark, a panel removed in the 1980s when a door was punched through into the Spring Arcade building. This is a great opportunity to get an education in the glories of the Arroyo Arts and Craft movement and see a charming relic that has been hidden for far too long. In addition to the tile exhibit, we will have a tour of the Beaux Arts style Fenyes Mansion with its original furnishings and California plein air art collection. Four generations lived in the estate, but many rooms remain as they were over 100 years ago, affording a unique glimpse of life on Pasadena's Millionaires' Row. We will meet at the museum at 2 p.m. The address is 470 W. Walnut St. Pasadena, CA 91103. The cost is $15. Please reserve your place by November 10th by email to events@westadamsheritage.org, so they can plan enough docents for our group. There are many great restaurants in Pasadena, if you wish to plan lunch before the tour. Tea Rose Garden at 70 N. Raymond is a lovely spot. Reservations may be made at 626 578-1144. We look forward to an enjoyable outing.
Volunteer Spotlight
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I first heard of the West Adams neighborhood shortly after I moved to L.A. in 1997. I was watching TV and Huell Houser had a piece on KCET about the West Adams district. It sounded like a magical place, one where people of all colors and orientations lived together in these amazing old homes and everyone got along. Over the next few years I would occasionally find myself in the area and I would drive down West Adams Boulevard looking for these mythical places Huell had described. I never dared to venture off the main drag, which today I know is where all the gems of the neighborhood are. So when John and I were looking for a place of our own to call home and Silverlake, which is where we had our store, turned out to be too much money for too little of everything (house, land & parking), we turned our sights further south to West Adams. When we found what would become our home on Kenwood Avenue the house itself was a complete wreck. People lived in it, but I considered it uninhabitable. Yet as we sat on the floor of the living room contemplating the enormity of it all, I could see past the neglect to what it could be. Our little house truly was a diamond in the rough. Eighteen months later we finally moved in and the renovations have been on going ever since. We are very proud of our “Craftorian” as I like to call it. We have now lived in West Adams for 12 years, the longest I have ever been in one location. I have no intention of living anywhere else in LA. Through WAHA we have met and become friends with a great number of people. I'm very proud to call West Adams home. We came to be involved with WAHA after we had lived here a few years. John was invited to attend a board meeting and when he got home from that meeting announced that he was now a board member. As is his nature, he jumped in and immediately became very involved with the organization. Now I on the other hand am not one to easily raise my hand when the call for volunteers is placed. However as one does for one's partner, you step up when asked. John volunteered us to do the sets for the Living History tour, which we did for a few years. From there, we started working with the holiday tour committee and helped in the planning of those events. I created the graphic covers for the tour brochures and did the photography of the featured homes for several years. After working on the planning committee for a few years and the chair of that committee stepped down, we took over the planning and production of the event. Somewhere along the way I also got involved with the Appetizer House of which Jean Cade is house captain. I became the kitchen captain and have created and executed the appetizer menu for the last five years, as well as the menus for the dinner house and to a certain extent the soup and salad houses as well. I don't think people realize how much time, planning and effort goes into this event. Have you ever hosted a dinner party for 500 people? It is WAHA's largest fundraising effort and we have raised well over $100,000 in the years that John and I have produced the event. Getting to know people of WAHA has been the biggest attraction of the organization. We are fortunate to live in the middle of a very outgoing and welcoming community. Being involved as a volunteer for many of the WAHA activities has added to that opportunity to meet new comers and old-timers alike. John and I are the owners of an interior design firm, Inspired Living Interiors, that specializes in the renovation of historic homes. Our specialty has become renovating kitchens; there's a fine line in updating the kitchen to function in today's world while respecting the heritage of the house in which that kitchen resides. Last year while manning the appetizer house, I overheard one of our guests comment to her friend, "I hope the kitchen in my new house can look like this someday." I interjected myself into the conversation and told her, "that's what I do, renovate kitchens, amongst other things." Coincidentally, standing behind me was one of our clients whose kitchen we had recently completed. He pulled out his phone and proudly showed her photographs of the completed kitchen, lending instant credibility to my unsolicited claim. Long story short, she called within the week and hired us to do the job. Why do I do it? To tell the truth, I mumble and grumble before, during and after every event. But I love being able to give back to this terrific community. People recognize me and compliment the food they had at this or that tour. I only wish that more people would get involved in this great organization. Yes, buying a membership helps support the functions of WAHA, but getting really involved is where the true satisfaction comes from. As we move full steam ahead getting ready for this year’s tour, Christmas Cavalcade Culture & Cuisine: A Celebration of West Adams, I pose this question to you… Volunteers are needed at all phases of this Celebration, from planning to clean up… are you ready to step up?
December 3 and 4, 2016 30th Annual Holiday Progressive Dinner Tour Tickets available www.westadamsheritage.org
Where's AJ's Hat? This month's answer: West Adams' very own Gus's Fried Chicken. Because you demanded it (actually, no one did), here's another edition of "WAHA Dudes Do Dinner," a chronicle of West Adams guys gathering to eat, talk, rinse and repeat. Today's robust collection of Dudes includes Don, David, Ed, John, Jeff, Reggie, and Roland. There's no carpool this time, so I arrive to see Don waiting patiently. "Nice to see you," I say, although it's always nice to see Don. "I walked here," he deadpans. "The weather's perfect." Well, that's just crazy talk, the weather's always perfect here. Besides, according to everybody's favorite '80s band Missing Persons, "Nobody walks in L.A." But I'm glad he's bucking the trend. We all should. Reggie enters next. You remember him from a previous dinner as the tall dude with the crazy collection of telescopes. What you may not know is that he served our country in the Air Force. And what a coincidence, because I too served . . . spaghetti & meatballs at Slippery Sam's Salami House in South Chicago. Reggie protected the country, I spilled marinara on it. Sometimes the universe gets it right. John and Jeff arrive next. They're a complete set. Buy one, get the other free. I'm kidding, they're sold separately although some assembly is required. "I'm starving," says John, "Where are these fried green tomatoes I've been hearing about?" Jeff laughs, "He skipped lunch. He'd eat fried green sneakers right now." You know those couples whose love is measured in jokes per minute? That's Jeff and John. They're made for each other, which works because they're also in business together. They can make a house look wayyyy better. I remember a kitchen renovation that featured a custom designed Marmoleum floor, soapstone counter tops, and Jadeite glass cabinet pulls. Who does that? John and Jeff, and they do it on budget, and on time. I'm A.J. Marinara, and I approve this message. I see that David and Ed are here. They've been West Adams residents since the dawn of West Adams. Legend has it that someone removing wallpaper from a 1904 Craftsman found a relief of them debating which Greene and Greene brother was older (It was Charles). Truth is, there's no part of WAHA that these two haven't worked to make better. We're lucky to have them. And finally, in strolls Roland. Need a vintage sink, or a slightly rusted barn door hinge? Call Roland, he has 76 of them in his cupboard. He also has 76 cupboards. He's the Pied Piper of vintage furniture. I once saw a Sagehill Vanity follow him down the street and into his house. They lived happily ever after. So, I address the legions, "Dudes, we're gathered on the corner of Crenshaw and Pico to enjoy the delights of Gus's Fried Chicken. Can I get a 'Here, here?'" "How about a, Get outta here, we're hungry," they say in unison. They're so cute. And off they go, menus in hand. Gus's came to the neighborhood thanks to a fella we'll call Raehan. We'll call him that because it's his name. He's also my neighbor. I'll never forget that sidewalk conversation, "I'm leaving the world of finance to get into the fried chicken business." I waited for the punch line that never came so I pivoted, "Great! Um, well, um, does your wife know about this?" He smiled politely because of course she knows, what kind of clown would even think she didn't (Hint: Me). And then he politely answered, "Yes, she does. Would you like a cookie?" (Disclaimer: Although this conversation did happen, it's been embellished. He never offered me a cookie.) The seeds of Raehan's future must've been planted the first time he took a bite out of Gus's crispy, spicy and unbelievably moist chicken. Even the style mavens at "GQ" called it the "best fried chicken in the world" . . . and they've been around the world. Gus's roots go back 60 years to the Memphis area where the secret recipe was created, devoured, and quickly placed under lock and key. Fact: I signed a confidentiality agreement before entering the prep kitchen. One last thing . . . although the chicken's the star of the show, the sides are a terrific supporting cast. Mac & cheese, baked beans, fried okra, coleslaw, seasoned fries—the list goes on. And don't get me started on the five different kinds of pie. Actually, DO get me started on the Chocolate Chess pie. Right now. Give me a slice. Because I know the boss, we also got a tour. Gus's is in the Coyne building, built for Dr. Joseph Coyne around 1915. It warms my WAHA heart when someone respectfully restores a vintage building. Decades of acoustic tile, drywall, and plaster were removed revealing original brick, 100-year-old wood beams and the original concrete flooring. The blend of old and new is wonderful. It has a juke-joint feel to it, with throwback neon signs and posters of blues legends dotting the walls. Okay, so, time has run out. The tour is over, the bellies are full, and the Dudes quietly disperse into the night. As the shadows fade I see Don, as advertised, walking confidently through this wonderful neighborhood we're all doing our damndest to preserve, support, and in my case, brag about. Love ya, WAHA. See you next time.
Where's AJ's Hat?
During the last quarter of the nineteenth century ceramic tiles were used primarily on fireplace hearths and around the opening of the fireplace. Occasionally tile was used on the floor of the foyer. One of the distinctive tiles used was encaustic tile. It was originally manufactured in England but it was being manufactured in the United States by the late 1870s. Encaustic tile had a matte finish and was designed with geometric patterns usually executed in terra cotta red, buff and black. Towards the end of the century highly glazed tiles with a vitrified finish had become popular. Both regular and crackle glazes were used. Tiles were often decorated with bas relief designs using classical themes or floral fauna details. While many of the tiles were monochromatic, several colors mixed together to give a marbleized appearance was often used. These tiles were usually restricted for use on the fireplace mantels and hearths. The fireplaces at the Roy Jones House in Santa Monica can be seen when the house is open for exhibitions. By the turn of the century small 2" white hexagonal tile was being used on floors in bathrooms and kitchens of the more expensive homes. These tiles usually had a matte finish. Sometimes a simple border was created using black, blue or green tiles. Some borders were little more than a band of color. More elaborate border could have a greek key design. The tile used on the lower wall of a bathroom were usually 3” x 6” glazed white tiles. The bullnose tile or a simple tile molding would provide a cap at the edge of the wainscot. In less expensive houses, the plaster walls in the bathrooms were scored to imitate 3” x 6” tiles. Decorative tiles with a wide variety of glazes were used around the fireplace opening and the hearth. Tiles made by the prestigious tile factories in the east, such as the Grueby Faience Company, can be found in Southern California homes. Examples of Greuby tiles can be seen at the Gamble House. These tiles can usually be identified by their mottled matte finishes. Colors such as sea blue, grey/green and rust were popular. Early in the twentieth century ceramicists were moving to Los Angeles. Ernest Batchelder, an eminent ceramicist, came to Pasadena in the first decade to teach at the Throop Institute (now the California Institute of Technology). In 1909 Batchelder organized the Batchelder Tile Company in Pasadena to manufacture tile for the growing Southern California building industry. By the 1920s the firm was known as the Batchelder Wilson Tile Company. The tiles manufactured were encaustic non-vitreous material with the color created by a mineral slip fired at a high temperature. The surface of the tile was free from gloss and had a mottled appearance in shades of blue, buff and brown. During the 1910s and 1920s his products were used extensively throughout Southern California. His products for the interior included complete tile fireplace mantels, fountains, wall plaques and panels, brackets and pilasters, in addition to tiles for the floors, walls and countertops. Bathroom fitting included fountains, grilles, window surrounds and complete frontispieces for entrances. The designs for Batchelder tiles were quite intricate and generally were executed in a bas relief. Some of the themes for his tiles include Classical, Medieval, Camlingian, Aztec, American West, nature, mythology and fairy tales. The most common uses of Batchelder tiles in residences were for fireplace mantels, hearths, countertops, floors and wainscots. Today they may exist in residences covered by layers of paint. Examples of Batchelder tiles can be seen in the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton and the lobby of the Fine Arts Building in downtown Los Angeles. The Malibu Potteries, operated by the Rindge family on their property in Malibu, made floor and wall tiles that can be found in houses throughout the Basin. Although they were in business only six years from 1926 to 1932, their products were used extensively in the large number of houses built in the late 1920’s. Their products included unglazed red quarry tile, vitrified brown glazed and unglazed tile and red floor tiles with Moorish and Sarcacen designs that were incised and decorated with colored glazes. They made Mayan tiles that were “replicas of the original stone carvings,” Moorish tiles with “Hispano- Mooresque” designs inlaid over intricate patterns that were “interesting replicas of the Early Spanish Decorator,” and Saracen tile of inlaid enamel “influenced by the ceramic art erf the Saracens.” Their fountain tiles (bright and matte glazed) were “glistening, brilliant colorful Moorish and Saracen tile assembled in patterns of exquisite beauty and embellished with spouting dolphins, frogs and grotesque heads — stocked particularly for garden and patio decoration. When Mrs. May Rindge, the owner of the Malibu Tile Potteries, built her home at Vaquero Point in Malibu she incorporated numerous examples of the tiles made in her plant. One of the most beautiful and technically accomplished feats of tile making in the house is the 18' x 30' tile replica of a Persian carpet complete with a braided silk fringe that adorns the main hall. The floor is on view as part of the tour of the Adamson House at the Malibu Lagoon Museum. Malibu tile is best known for the intricate designs and brilliant colors that they employed. Their tile can be found most often in bathrooms and kitchens. One of the most commonly recognized designs used in these two areas include bands of flowers and branches in pastel hues. This is in contrast to the rich and vibrant designs and colors usually associated with their tile. The tiles used on the floors, walls and counters of bathrooms in the 1920s and 1930s are particularly notable due to the unusual palette that was popular at the time. By far the most distinctive colors were lavender, pink, sea foam green, pale yellow and black. They were often used together in various combinations. In many cases the porcelain lavatory, toilet and bathroom matched one of the colors of the tile. Bathrooms of this period that survived intact are valued by aficionados of period houses. Spanish type tiles made of clay and decorated with traditional designs using blues, yellow and green on an ivory background were popular in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Good examples of this type of tile can be found in the Temple House at the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum. With the introduction of built-in cabinets and sinks in the 1920s, tile covered kitchen counter tops became a common feature in most residences. The counters were covered with hexagonal, square and 3" x 6" oblong tiles. The colors that were most popular were white or yellow with black trim, yellow, green, or yellow and green used together. In the 1930s rich colors such as maroon were introduced. Ceramic tile and quarry were used on kitchen floors; however, linoleum seems to have been a more popular material compared to tile. In the 1920s and 1930s ceramic tile and quarry tile were also being used more widely on entrance foyers. In grand houses, particularly those designed in the Spanish style, tile floors were used throughout the rooms on the main floor. Decorative tile borders often were used to surround a field of plain clay tile. In other cases decorative tiles would be interspersed among the simple tiles to create interest. The most famous house using ceramic tile is the home and garden built by Simon Rodia in Watts. The decoration of the house, garden walls, tower and other site features are worked out in ceramic tile, pottery and glass he found in Los Angeles. The front wall of the house and the garden walls survived. This internationally acclaimed work of art may include more examples of ceramic tile used in Los Angeles than can be found in any other place in the region. Historic House Museums with Tile Features: Roy Jones House (1894), California Heritage Museum, Santa Monica, https://www.californiaheritagemuseum.org Gamble House (1908), Pasadena, http://gamblehouse.org/ Muckenthaler Cultural Center, Fullerton, http://themuck.org/ Banning House, Wilmington, http://www.thebanningmuseum.org/ Temple House, Workman & Temple Family Homestead Museum, City of Industry, http://www.homesteadmuseum.org/ Adamson House (1929), Malibu Lagoon Museum, Malibu, http://www.adamsonhouse.org/ Watts Towers Art Center, Los Angeles, http://www.wattstowers.us/ Sources for reproduction tiles and tile conservation: Malibu Tile:Malibu Ceramic Works: http://www.malibuceramicworks.com/ Batchelder Tile and tile conservation: Tile Restoration Center, http://www.tilerestorationcenter.com/
Ceramic Tile (Continued)
John Kurtz can be reached at president@westadamsheritage.org.
Martin Weil was a highly regarded preservation architect who lived in West Adams. This article is reprinted.
It’s that time of the year again where the non-stop holiday season is upon us. Thanksgiving is just around the corner and right afterward WAHA has the honor of hosting our annual Progressive Dinner Holiday Tour. As you probably know tickets have been on sale now for about a month and the sales are brisk. This year WAHA has partnered with KCET (thanks to Paula Brynen) who is a co-sponsor for this tour. Behind the scenes a capable, committed and competent group of comrades are pulling the tour in Western Heights together. Led by the ever efficient John Patterson (ex-WAHA President) the team includes Jeff Valdez and Don Lynch. Several never-before-toured homes have been solicited and selected to present a unique multicultural menu. Lisa Raymond is lining up volunteers so be prepared to respond when she gives you a call. This year’s tour promises to be an early sell out especially with the added sponsorship of KCET. So if you haven’t gotten tickets yet you may want to do so ASAP. Again as President of the WAHA Board of Directors, if any of you want to touch base with me about WAHA, the best way to do this is by email at President@WestAdamsHeritage.org, I check that email address on a regular basis and use it exclusively for WAHA business.
Benefactor Circle Lore Hilburg and Reggie Jones Patron Circle Craig Bartelt & Nick Mercado Ellen Farwell John Kurtz Hilary & A.J. Lentini Hunter Ochs & Kim Michener Ivy Pochoda & Justin Nowell Ed Trosper & David Raposa Heritage Circle Edy & George Alva David Bottjer & Sarah Bottjer Jean Cade Robert Cresswell Lisa Ellzey & Jeff (Ulrik) Theer Natalie Fousekis & Laura Carrillo Friends of Hazy Moon Zen Center Blake McCormick Jim & Janice Robinson Maryanne Sawoski, Continuity Care Home Nurses Elvie Tuttle
Transitioning from Paper to Digital
As you know, one of our major goals this calendar year is to transition the WAHA Matters Newsletter from the printed document you’ve received in the mail to one you are able to read online. By now, most if not all of you have had a chance to review the digital version of the newsletter. This digital format is now the primary newsletter version and will be the source material for the printed version AND it includes FULL-COLOR photographs and many bonus features that the printed version will not have. The bonus content in the digital version includes: The ability to link directly to other online content such as photographs, articles and websites for more content, including the WAHA website. Click and enlarge FULL COLOR photographs for easy viewing or to see additional photographic content. Download the newsletter to any device and take it with you wherever you go. Allows printing of multiple copies of specific articles or the whole newsletter if you desire in FULL COLOR. An interactive document that will allow members to participate and share information, events and resources. This new digital format is much less expensive to produce and deliver to WAHA to members, both from a financial and manpower perspective. Every print copy of the newsletter costs roughly $1.70 to produce and about $1.50 to mail. Sending the newsletter in digital format saves the organization between $1,000 to $1,500 each month or approximately $13,000 per year. In terms of the total budget for the organization, printing the newsletter consumes approximately 70% or more of most members’ annual dues. In addition to the financial cost, a considerable amount of volunteer labor and time are required to prepare, label, seal, stamp and mail each newsletter to members. The financial and man-hour savings by not printing the newsletter can be reinvested in preservation efforts, additional web site improvements, tours or events. The Communications Committee is now consistently producing and sending the newsletter electronically to every member with an email address. If for some reason you’re not receiving the electronic format (Do we have your current correct email address?) or if you’d like to only receive the digital edition and opt out of receiving the paper edition, please contact me at news@westadamsheritage.org. As a reminder, you will receive the electronic format through a download email sent by the Communications Committee Chair, John Patterson via his email communications@westadamsheritage.org. Thanks Reggie Jones
Preservation Circle
Board of Directors
Officers John Kurtz, President 323-732-2990 Jean Frost Vice-President, Preservation Suzanne Henderson 323-731-3900 Vice-President, Events Jean Cade, Treasurer 323-737-5034 Paula Brynen, Secretary 323-936-7285 Board Members Regina Berry 323-333-0175 SeElcy Caldwell 323-292-8566 Jim Childs 213-747-2526 Lore Hilburg 323-934-4443 Janel Glover Laura Meyers 323-737-6146 John Patterson 213-216-0887 Roland Souza 323-804-6070 Jeff Theer 323-964-9999 Candy Wynne 323-735-3749 Advisor Harold Greenberg Legal Advisor 323-732-9536
James C. Alford Blaire Baron Larsen Seth & Linda Bass Barbara & Patty Britton Clare & Michael Chu Colleen & Shawn Crosby Maria & Felix Davila Adrian Scott Fine Susan Gans Gwen & Sasha Goldbloom Jacqueline & James Goodman Randi Katz Daniel Lockwood & Barrett Crake Patricia & Richard Mathias Gail & Joseph Mills Lawrence & Debra Poteet Vickilyn & Albert Reynolds Deborah Richman & Steven Kusunoki Yumi Ro & Wasima Khan Cheryl Stone & Warren Kawakami Judith Walton
Harry Anderson & Terry Bible Audrey Arlington Albert Aubin Traci & Eric Bates Jeffrey & Patricia Baum Anna & Mason Bendewald Regina Berry Paula & Paul Brynen Odel Childress & Donald Weggeman Clare & Michael Chu Rory Cunningham & David Pacheco Art Curtis & Shelley Adler Suzanne Dickson & Steven Stautzenbach James Downey & James Waller Andrea Dunlop & Max Miceli Nazelie Elmassian Sarah and Charles Evans Craig Fajnor Elizabeth Fenner & Brian Robinson Jean Frost & Jim Childs Sharon Hartmann Donald & Suzanne Henderson Sophie Jefferies Amanda & Tomas Jegeus Patricia Judice Patricia Karasick & Christopher McKinnon Kevin Keller & Marc Choueiti Paul King & Paul Nielsen Adrienne & Blake Kuhre Sarah & Steve Lange Los Angeles Conservancy,Linda Dishman Cassandra Malry & Thom Washington Joseph McManus & Lara Elin Soderstrom JoAnn Meepos & Steven Edwards Marina Moevs & Steven Peckman Mimi Munson Michael Nigosian Sharon Oxborough John Patterson & Jeff Valdez Gail D. Peterson Mary Power & Librada Hernandez Judy Reidel & Al Hamburger Becky Rhodes Walter Rivers, Jr. Donna & Mark Robertson, Sr. Amy Ronnebeck & Alan Hall David Saffer Debbie & Stan Sanders Chris Taylor & Ansley Bell Willie Thomas Jeffrey Weiss & David Bailey Lindsay Wiggins Ned Wilson & Carrie Yutzy Candy Wynne Ashley Wysong & Robert Lobato
New Members
WAHA (and Friends) Calendar Tuesday, November 15, 2016 6:00-9:00 p.m. Los Angeles City Historical Society Annual Gala 2016 Huffington Center at Saint Sophia Cathedral 1324 Normandie Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90006 Tickets $75-$2,000 For more info or to purchase tickets www.eventbrite.com/e/los-angeles-city-historical-society-annual-gala-2016-tickets-28171850764 Saturday, November 19, 2016 2:00 p.m. Batchelder: Tilemaker Exhibit Come admire beautiful tile when WAHA meets at the Pasadena Museum of History’s exhibit, Batchelder: Tilemaker. WAHA has also arranged a tour of the Fenyes Mansion where the museum is housed. For more information about the exhibit, the museum’s website is http://pasadenahistory.org/all-exhibits/batchelder-tilemaker/ Please RSVP to westadamsgoddess@aol.com before November 10th. December 3 and 4, 2016 10:00-3:00 Masuo Ojima Pottery Sale 2143 West 21st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90018 December 3 and 4, 2016 30th Annual Holiday Progressive Dinner Tour Tickets available www.westadamsheritage.org December 11, 2016 2:00-5:00 p.m. WAHA Holiday Party 4311 Victoria Park Drive, Los Angeles Light Appetizers, Desserts and Champagne will be served.