Lummis House
Also known as: Charles Lummis Home
Why it's listed
Set on a sloping three-acre tract along the Arroyo Seco in Los Angeles, El Alisal is a rambling two-story house of random rubble stone and concrete. Its walls, two to four feet thick, are made of riverbed boulders laid in cement, lime and sand mortar on deep concrete footings, and the sloping roof is covered with wood shingles or shakes. The house has about 14 rooms. Charles Lummis began building it in 1897 and worked on it for roughly 15 years, assisted by a few Indian laborers. He consulted architects Sumner Hunt and Arthur Benton on structural problems. Lummis was an author, editor, poet, athlete and archeologist. The nomination says the home drew more famous visitors than almost any other in Southern California. While living there he wrote and lectured widely on the Southwest and founded the California History and Landmarks Club and the Southwest Museum. Safety codes now restrict how many people may occupy the building.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites the house as the work of Charles F. Lummis, an author, editor, poet, athlete and archeologist, who built it largely himself from local stone. It was a destination for many famous visitors, and while living there Lummis wrote and lectured on the Southwest and founded the California History and Landmarks Club and the Southwest Museum.
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 71000148, listed May 6, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 200 E. Ave. 43, Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | May 6, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000148 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1897-1912 |
| Architect / builder | Charles F. Lummis (builder), who consulted architects Sumner Hunt and Arthur Benton on structural problems |
| Areas of significance | Literature, Education, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked fair and altered. The building does not meet current Los Angeles City Building Code requirements, and occupancy is limited by safety code restrictions. Owned by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. |
| Acreage | 1.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.09311, -118.20696 (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 71000148.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6703371
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.