Los Angeles Historic Architecture Tour｜Lummis Home 🏛️🌿

If you love history and architecture, don’t miss the Lummis Home in Los Angeles! 📍 200 E Ave 43, Los Angeles, CA 90031 📸 Built between 1897 and 1910, this unique home was designed and constructed by Charles Fletcher Lummis—a writer, photographer, and sociologist whose life was nothing short of legendary. A Harvard dropout (who happened to be classmates with President Roosevelt!), Lummis became a journalist and a passionate advocate for Native American rights. In 1884–1885, he spent 143 days walking 3,507 miles from Cincinnati to Los Angeles, documenting his observations of Western culture and nature along the way. He also founded the Arroyo Seco Foundation in 1905 to preserve Spanish colonial missions—a visionary idea far ahead of its time. 📸 The house, originally named El Alisal, takes its name from the alder and sycamore groves along the Arroyo Seco. Over 13 years, Lummis gathered stones from the riverbed to build this stunning home and handcrafted its wooden furniture. Many of these turn-of-the-century pieces are still displayed inside! Don’t miss the beautiful octagonal windows and the lush garden filled with desert and native LA plants—perfect for photos and family strolls. 🌵 In 1940, the Arroyo Seco Parkway—LA’s first freeway—was built, with Lummis Home located just west of Exit 27. It became the headquarters of the Historic Society of Southern California in 1965 and opened to the public. By the 1970s, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, designated a California Historical Landmark, and recognized as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. Though the HSSC moved out in 2015, the city continues to maintain this harmonious blend of history and nature. The site manager shared that it’s challenging to sustain the property alone, and there’s concern the city may close it to cut costs in the near future. For now, it’s open Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. #HiddenGems #UrbanExploration #CulturalSites #ArchitectureLovers #History #LosAngeles #WeekendVibes #Irvine #HistoricPreservation #LocalHistory #ExploreLA