St. John's Episcopal Church
Why it's listed
St. John's Episcopal Church, at 514 West Adams Boulevard in Los Angeles, is a two-story basilica-plan church in the Romanesque style, completed in 1925. Architect J. Pierpont Davis modeled it on the 11th-century church of San Pietro in Tuscania, Italy, adapting its proportions so the building is twice as high and three times as long as it is wide. The side walls are board-formed concrete, while the gabled front is carved tufa stone with hammered bronze doors, a rose window and an outdoor pulpit. Inside, the nave has Corinthian columns, English stained glass, a timber ceiling and clay floor tiles fired on site. Mosaics by Judson Studios and carving directed by sculptor Cartaino Scarpitta add to the decoration. The church replaced a smaller Gothic Revival building from the 1890s and was funded by prominent parishioners. It is valued for its architecture and craftsmanship, and it remains in religious use with much of its original character intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an outstanding local example of Italian Romanesque Revival ecclesiastical architecture under Criterion C. It is also significant for its stained glass, mosaics, marble ornamentation and stone carving, including work by Judson Studios and sculptor Cartaino Scarpitta. It reflects the ambitions of a prosperous West Adams congregation.
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 00000425, listed May 5, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 514 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | May 5, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000425 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925 |
| Architect / builder | Davis, Walter and Pierpont /Hanson, Luis |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Art |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in religious use; the exterior and main sanctuary retain almost complete integrity, the interior is largely unchanged, and the Liberty Chapel has been altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.02712, -118.27567 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 00000425.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7588588
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.