Hale House
Also known as: Bessie Hale Residence
Why it's listed
Built about 1885, this two-story wood-frame house originally stood at Avenue 45 and Figueroa Street in Highland Park, Los Angeles. It was later moved to Heritage Square on North Homer Street, suffering minor damage such as cracked plaster and a weakened front porch. Its Queen Anne design carries so many Eastlake details that it is described as Queen Anne-Eastlake. Notable features include a carved entrance porch with turned posts and milled balusters, clapboard and fish-scale shingle siding, a tower at the northwest corner, tall incised brick chimneys, and large windows with bands of small colored glass. The nomination describes it as one of very few surviving examples of the style in Los Angeles and a reminder of the 1880s influx of settlers brought by cheaper railroad fares. It was also the first building planned for a complex of restored Victorian-era structures opened to the public as museums.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the very few remaining examples of Queen Anne-Eastlake architecture in Los Angeles, with exceptionally rich ornamental detail. It also recalls the 1880s immigration to Los Angeles after railroad fares dropped. At its new site it is the first structure of a proposed complex of Turn-of-the-Century buildings.
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 72000230, listed September 22, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Heritage Sq., 3800 N. Homer St., Highland Park, Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | September 22, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000230 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne-Eastlake (also described as Victorian, Picturesque Eclectic) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Moved to Heritage Square and in fair condition; placed on a permanent foundation, re-roofed and replastered, with exterior and interior restoration under way and chimney reconstruction to follow. It is to become a museum open to the public. |
| Acreage | 8 |
| Coordinates | 34.08841, -118.20797 (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 72000230.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q1570835
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.