Red Rest and Red Roost Cottages
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Why it's listed
Two small wooden cottages face La Jolla Cove from Coast Boulevard, built in 1894 by neighbors on a block of La Jolla Park. George J. Leovy's Red Rest and Dr. J. E. Fishburn's Neptune, later known as the Red Roost, were each one story with an attic room, a raised floor and a broad veranda. Both used frameless, tongue-and-groove diaphragm walls. The nomination presents them as early models of the beach cottage bungalow, which it credits as a forerunner of the California Bungalow, with its informality, large windows and indoor-outdoor living on the veranda. Newspaper items from 1894 document their construction, and families moved into the red cottages by the end of that year. The Neptune served briefly as a tea room, with its veranda extended in 1940, and the Red Rest later had part of its veranda enclosed. Mature palms and eucalyptus still frame the site, and the cottages remain in good condition and in residential use.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the cottages are early examples of the Pacific-coast beach cottage bungalow, a type it calls the forerunner of the California Bungalow. It also cites their early use of frameless tongue-and-groove wall construction and their intact relationship to the Cove beach setting. It notes they are among the oldest surviving buildings on their original sites in La Jolla.
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 76002247, listed March 15, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1187 and 1179 Coast Blvd., La Jolla |
|---|---|
| County | San Diego County |
| Listed | March 15, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76002247 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (built 1894) |
| Architect / builder | George J. Leovy, builder of the Red Rest and probably one of its designers |
| Architectural style | Beach cottage bungalow with veranda; California beach cottage vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in generally good condition and suited to full restoration. The cottages have served as residences, apart from a brief period when the Neptune/Red Roost was a tea room, and are rented out. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 32.84987, -117.27241 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 76002247.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5554797
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.