Mount Pleasant House
Also known as: Mount Pleasant Museum House
Why it's listed
Mount Pleasant House is an Italianate residence designed by Ezra F. Kysor and W.H. Mathews and built in 1875-1876 for William H. Perry, an early Los Angeles lumber magnate. Originally on Pleasant Avenue in Boyle Heights, it was moved in December 1975 to Heritage Square, a city-designated cultural park. The wood-frame house has balloon framing, redwood shiplap siding, a hipped roof, bay windows, wood quoins and a bracketed cornice. Later owners included Judge Stephen C. Hubbell, and the building served as a YWCA dormitory and a home for unwed mothers. Stucco, a clay tile roof and an addition were added in 1926, and restoration was removing them. The house is valued for its link to Perry and Hubbell, who shaped early Los Angeles business, utilities, transportation and parks, and for its design by Kysor. It is described as one of the few surviving 1870s dwellings of its type in the city. Plans called for a museum house.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is historically significant for its association with lumber magnate William H. Perry and Judge Stephen C. Hubbell, both civic leaders in early Los Angeles. It is architecturally significant as an early surviving residence by pioneer architect Ezra F. Kysor, with a high level of integrity in design, materials and workmanship. It is also one of the few 1870s balloon-frame Italianate houses left in the city.
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 76000490, listed December 12, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Heritage Sq., 3800 Homer St., Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | December 12, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000490 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Ezra F. Kysor and W.H. Mathews (architectural firm); built for William H. Perry |
| Architectural style | Classic Italianate (neo-classic Italianate of the post Civil War period) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Moved to Heritage Square in 1975; restoration under way, with stucco and clay tile roof being removed, and intended for use as a museum house and headquarters. Condition listed as deteriorated and altered. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 34.08805, -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 76000490.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20858124
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.