Freeman, Samuel, House
Why it's listed
Perched on a hillside at 1962 Glencoe Way in Los Angeles, this two-story house was built in 1922 of concrete block cast with patterned faces. The patterns show on both interior and exterior walls, and some blocks are pierced to admit light. A covered loggia between house and garage leads to the entrance, and a long hall lit through perforated blocks opens to a living room with clerestories, corner windows and French doors toward a wide view of the city. Frank Lloyd Wright designed it as one of four textile block houses for Southern California, a group considered unique in his work. He sought to lift concrete block from a humble material to a noble one, and the sloping walls and ornament draw on Mayan temples in Yucatan. The plan and structure remain as designed. Later changes include a 1932 apartment conversion and 1940 kitchen alterations by R.M. Schindler, a 1956 kitchen remodel by Robert Clark, and 1968 steel window frames by John Lautner.
Significance in brief: The house is one of four textile block houses Wright designed in the early 1920s for Southern California, which are unique in his work. They show his interest in common materials such as concrete block and draw on Mayan architecture for their sloping walls and ornament. Each house expresses the semi-arid climate with its own motif drawn from nature.
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 71000146, listed October 14, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1962 Glencoe Way, Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | October 14, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000146 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 20th Century (built 1922) |
| Architect / builder | Frank Lloyd Wright (original design); later alterations by R.M. Schindler, Robert Clark and John Lautner |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition and used as a private residence; plan and structure are as originally designed, with later remodelings. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 34.10590, -118.33821 (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.
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 71000146.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7411421
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.