Kress, George R., House
Why it's listed
Set on a one-acre hillside in Benedict Canyon, this 1931 Tudor Revival house was built for George R. Kress, a Los Angeles engineer known for moving large buildings. The wood-frame residence has two stories over a partly subterranean concrete basement. Its first floor is red brick studded with Santa Rita stone, and the upper level is half-timbered stucco and wood under a terra cotta tile roof with three chimneys. A quoined cast stone entry, a large glazed living room bay, beamed and trussed ceilings and extensive woodwork mark the interior. Kress moved structures such as the Commercial Exchange building in downtown Los Angeles, cut in two and rejoined in 1935, as well as studio stages and school buildings. The house was listed for that association and as an example of period revival architecture. Original terraces, river rock retaining walls and a woodshed survive, and the building retains nearly all of its original layout, finishes and hardware.
Significance in brief: The house is listed under Criterion B for its link to George R. Kress, an engineer who made a noteworthy contribution to local history by moving large buildings. It is listed under Criterion C as a well-preserved period revival house of the 1920s and 1930s. Its exterior and interior are remarkably intact.
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 98001196, listed September 25, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2337 Benedict Canyon Dr., Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | September 25, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98001196 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1931-1940 |
| Architect / builder | Muck, Harry I |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; the form describes the house as remarkably intact, with minor 1960s interior changes and a swimming pool added in 1975. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 34.11323, -118.43574 (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 98001196.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5543648
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.