Smith Estate
Also known as: Peters Residence
Why it's listed
Built about 1890, this large two-story wood frame house at 5905 El Mio Drive crowns a small hill in the Mt. Washington-Highland Park area of Los Angeles. It is a Queen Anne design with a three-story polygonal tower under a steep conical roof, a multiplaned roofline with cresting, fish scale shingles, octagonal bays and differently patterned ornamental pediments. Inside are five fireplaces, each with its own ceramic tile and carved mantel, a parquet dining room floor, carved stair finials and brass door hardware. A survey cited in the nomination found only 15 extant structures in the area dating to the nineteenth century, and this is the only remaining Queen Anne among the notable buildings there. From 1914 to 1950 it belonged to Charles W. Smith, a real estate promoter, and it reflects the era when hillside country estates helped sell subdivisions. The house is also a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the oldest in the Mt. Washington-Highland Park area and the only remaining Queen Anne among the area's notable structures. It keeps the style's characteristic features inside and out. Its hilltop setting recalls the country-estate homes built to attract wealthy buyers to Los Angeles hillside subdivisions, and it was owned from 1914 to 1950 by real estate promoter Charles W. Smith.
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 82000971, listed October 29, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5905 El Mio Dr., Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | October 29, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82000971 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date c. 1890) |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; condition listed as good, altered, on its original site. Interiors have been restored. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 34.11471, -118.19273 (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 82000971.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7545136
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.