Lafayette Square Historic District
Since 2001, architectural photographer John Bare has documented numerous historic residential districts throughout Southern California. Today SoCal Landmarks is presenting selections from in and around the Lafayette Square Historic Preservation Overlay Zone in Los Angeles. While some of the homes and buildings may be noteworthy on their own, we’re only mentioning one as the goal of John’s documentation, and our presentations, is to provide an overview of the districts and the variety of architectural styles that contribute to their notoriety.
Lafayette Square was the last and greatest of banker George Lafayette Crenshaw’s ten residential developments in Los Angeles. Crenshaw founded the tract in 1913, naming it after the French Marquis de Lafayette of American Revolutionary War fame. Houses in Lafayette Square generally reflect residential styles popular during the 1910s and 1920s such as Craftsman, Italianate, Spanish Colonial Revival and American Colonial Revival. Several houses designed in the Modern style, most notably architect Paul R. Williams’ own home, exemplify architectural trends into the 1950s. Early residents included the founder of Pepperdine University, George Pepperdine, actors W.C. Fields and Fatty Arbuckle, art collector Norton Simon, boxer Joe Louis and the Crenshaw family. It was designated as a Los Angeles Historic Preservation Overlay Zone in 2000.
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County
Photographer: John Bare