Redondo Beach Original Townsite Historic District
Why it's listed
This residential district in Redondo Beach, California, covers several blocks around North Gertruda Avenue, Carnelian Street, North Guadalupe Avenue and Diamond Street. It holds one- and two-story houses, mostly sided in redwood clapboard, along with apartment buildings and many original garages and sheds. Craftsman bungalows and Colonial Revival houses predominate, with some neo-classical row houses and Mission-style buildings, all typical of Southern California in the early twentieth century. Most buildings date from about 1906 to the 1920s, when residents could see the Pacific Ocean five blocks to the west. Early occupants included Pacific Electric workers, shopkeepers, carpenters and Louis Molnar, mayor from 1916 to 1918. One rear house at 325 North Gertruda Avenue is described as one of the few original single-wall beach houses left in the city. Forty-nine buildings contribute to the district's character, and nineteen newer or altered ones do not. Integrity is rated moderately high, and most houses remain in good repair.
Significance in brief: The excerpt provided contains only the description section and no statement of significance. It shows a largely intact early twentieth-century neighborhood of Craftsman, Colonial Revival and neo-classical houses, including one of the few remaining single-wall beach houses. Early residents included railway workers, merchants and a mayor of Redondo Beach.
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 88000970, listed June 30, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N. Gertruda Ave., Carnelian St., N. Guadalupe Ave. and Diamond St., Redondo Beach |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | June 30, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000970 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/Craftsman; Mission/Spanish; Neo-Classical Revival/Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Houses are generally in very good repair, with integrity described as moderately high. One house at 305 North Gertruda Avenue has been vacant and neglected for over twelve years. Current uses are single and multiple dwellings. |
| Acreage | 3.4 |
| Coordinates | 33.84682, -118.38638 (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
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88000970.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q49548956
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.