National Historical RegisterIndependent guide · not a government site

Menlo Avenue-West Twenty-ninth Street Historic District

Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California Listed Ref. 87000139 District
Menlo Avenue-West Twenty-ninth Street Historic District, Los Angeles, California
Photo: Los Angeles, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Why it's listed

Menlo Avenue and West 29th Street in North University Park, Los Angeles, hold a district of 42 building sites, most of them large houses from the turn of the twentieth century. Thirty are counted as contributing, all built between 1896 and 1908, and they show Queen Anne, Shingle, Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Craftsman and Classical Revival influences. The houses are wood frame, nearly all two to two and a half stories, and many keep scrollwork pediments, bracketed eaves, corbelled brick chimneys and shingle patterning. Edwin Rowley built several of them for resale, and architects Sumner P. Hunt and Wesley Eager designed the Crombie House. Early residents included businessmen, a physician and a girls' school. Over time many houses were divided into flats, some were damaged by fire or altered with siding and porch enclosures, and several were later restored. Nearby streets have lost most of their older homes to apartment buildings, which makes this block an unusually cohesive survivor.

Significance in brief: The district preserves a largely intact group of turn-of-the-century wood-frame houses in Queen Anne, Shingle, Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Craftsman and Classical Revival styles. Thirty of the 42 sites contribute, and most keep their distinguishing details. The surrounding area has lost most of its comparable older housing to apartment buildings and newer construction. The form's significance statement (Section 8) is not included in the supplied text, so this reflects the description section only.

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 87000139, listed February 12, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).

Key facts

AddressBounded by Adams Blvd., Ellendale, Thirtieth Ave., and Vermont, Los Angeles
CountyLos Angeles County
ListedFebruary 12, 1987
Reference number87000139
Resource typeDistrict
Architect / builderSumner P. Hunt and Wesley Eager (architects) and Alta Planing Mill Company (builder) for the R.S. Crombie House; Edwin S. Rowley built several houses for resale; D.A. Van Vranken (architect) for 1329 W. 29th Street; R.C. Thompson (builder) for 1346 W. 29th Street
Architectural styleQueen Anne, Shingle, Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Craftsman and Classical Revival
Areas of significanceExploration/Settlement, Architecture
Level of significanceLocal
Status (as stated in the nomination)Most buildings are basically intact and in fair to good condition. Some have been renovated, some neglected or fire-damaged, and many were subdivided into apartments. Three lots are vacant.
Acreage11
Coordinates34.02999, -118.28990 (NPS GIS)

What listing means for this property

This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.

Sources and further reading

Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.