Lummis House

Lummis House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
California Historical Landmark #531[1]
Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #68
Lummis House (in 2012)
Location	200 E. Ave. 43, Los Angeles, California
Coordinates	34°05′35″N 118°12′25″W / 34.093056°N 118.206944°WCoordinates: 34°05′35″N 118°12′25″W / 34.093056°N 118.206944°W
Area	3 acres (1.2 ha)[2]
Built	1897
Built by	Lummis, Charles F.
Architectural style	Rustic American Craftsman
NRHP Reference #	71000148[3]
CHISL #	531[4]
LAHCM #	68
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	May 6, 1971
Designated LAHCM	September 2, 1970

Lummis House, also known as El Alisal, is a Rustic American Craftsman stone house built by Charles Fletcher Lummis in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Located on the edge of Arroyo Seco in northeast Los Angeles, California, the house's name means "alder grove" in Spanish.^[5]

The property is a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument and on the list of the National Register of Historic Places.

History

Lummis purchased the three-acre lot (1.2 ha) sometime between 1895 and 1897 and named it "El Alisal" in tribute to the thicket of alder and sycamore trees that grew in the arroyo. The 4,000-square-foot home (370 m²) took 13 years to build. The exhibition hall has a concrete floor so that after a party that might include artists, writers and musicians, it could easily be cleaned with a bucket of water. Notable people who stayed in his guest houses included Clarence Darrow, Will Rogers, John Philip Sousa and John Muir.^[2] The property was on the edge of the scenic Arroyo Seco and Lummis founded the Arroyo Seco Foundation in 1905 to promote recreational use and preserving habitat. In 1939, strong consideration was given to creating a theater and Spanish supper room at El Alisal since this was Lummis' wish.^[6] In 1940 the Arroyo Seco Parkway, the first freeway, was built between the house and the newly constructed flood control channel in the arroyo.

In 1965, it became the headquarters for the Historical Society of Southern California and the house was opened to the public. By 2014, the city was concerned that visiting hours were too limited and that the historical group was not truly focused on a partnership with the Parks and Recreation Department. The Historical Society was concerned about the city's expectations that a tenant would invest in the house without committing to a long-term lease.^[2] The Historical Society of Southern California left the Lummis House in January 2015. The Lummis House is now operated by the City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department.

Museum

View of the house with the bell

The Lummis House is operated by the city of Los Angeles as a historic house museum. The exterior of the house is built of river rock and originally contained a stone tower, but that was later demolished. The interior contains some of Lummis's collection of artifacts, as well as copies of many of his books. The museum is open to the public for tours.

Gardens

The drought-tolerant and native plant gardens encompass the gardens and natural landscape around the residence, including namesake El Alisal California Sycamore trees.

See also

• Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments on the East and Northeast Sides
• List of Registered Historic Places in Los Angeles

References

1. "Lummis House". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved 2012-09-06.
2. Pool, Bob, (November 11, 2014) "Historic Lummis House faces an uncertain future" Los Angeles Times
3. Staff (2008-04-15). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
4. "Lummis House". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved 2012-09-06.
5. William Bright; Erwin Gustav Gudde (30 November 1998). 1500 California place names: their origin and meaning. University of California Press. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-520-21271-8. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
6. "Charles F. Lummis' Friends Lay El Alisal Theater Plan". Los Angeles Times. September 25, 1939. p. A2.

External links