Bolton Hall
Why it's listed
Bolton Hall is a rough field stone building at 10116 Commerce Avenue in Tujunga, California, completed in 1913 as a community center and clubhouse for the Little Landers, the early settlers of the area. For years it was the only public building in town, so it hosted town meetings, dances, potluck suppers and church services. The American Legion bought it in 1925, and in 1927 the newly incorporated city of Tujunga purchased it for use as a city hall. It continued in that role after Tujunga joined the city of Los Angeles in 1932, until a new municipal building opened in 1957 and the hall was left empty. The stone came from the site or nearby hills. Later additions include a two-cell jail at the rear and a tiled roof on the bell tower. The hall is Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Landmark No. 2 and was recorded by the Historic American Buildings Survey for the Library of Congress. It sits in a small park.
Significance in brief: It was built as a community center and clubhouse for the Little Landers, the early settlers of Tujunga, and was the town's only public building for many years. It later served as an American Legion hall and as a city hall. It is Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Landmark No. 2 and was recorded by the Historic American Buildings Survey.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 71000159, listed November 23, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 10116 Commerce Ave., Tujunga |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | November 23, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000159 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1913-date (20th Century) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as deteriorated and altered; unoccupied since 1957 when a new municipal building opened. Preservation work was marked in progress, and a later grant application describes rehabilitation of the building. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Within district | Big Creek Hydroelectric System Historic District |
| Coordinates | 34.25268, -118.28857 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 71000159.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4940176
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.