California Club, The
Why it's listed
Built in 1929-30 at 538 South Flower Street, the California Club is an eight-story clubhouse in downtown Los Angeles, immediately south of the Los Angeles Public Library and its park. Architect Robert D. Farquhar designed it in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, with George W. Kelham as consulting architect. The steel-frame building is clad in red-brown Roman brick, with restrained stone trim, a stone entrance surround, and a hipped clay tile roof above a series of setbacks. Inside, the Main Dining Room, Main Lounge and Great Hall feature oak paneling, marble pilasters, and ornate coffered plaster ceilings. The second-floor Ladies' Dining Room has murals by decorator Anthony Heinsbergen. The Club moved here from a small, noisy site at Fifth and Hill Streets that lacked parking and room to expand, while its rival, the Jonathan Club, had built a much larger clubhouse. Few changes have been made to the exterior or major interiors, and the Club still occupies the building.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the building as a distinctive work of society architect Robert D. Farquhar, with George W. Kelham as consulting architect. It holds some of the largest and most refined historic interiors in Los Angeles and keeps very high historic integrity. It also records the Club's move from a cramped Fifth and Hill Streets site to a larger facility suited to 1920s Los Angeles.
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 10000425, listed July 6, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 538 S Flower St, Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | July 6, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000425 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Robert D. Farquhar, architect; George W. Kelham, consulting architect |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals/Italian Renaissance Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still occupied by the Club as a clubhouse, described as in excellent condition with very high historic integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.05058, -118.25662 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 10000425.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5020327
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.