Sproul Museum
In 1869, Atwood Sproul, on behalf of his brother, Gilbert, purchased 463 acres of land south of Los Angeles in an area known as Corazon de los Valles. In 1870, Gilbert built a house for himself and his family “with few pretensions to architectural style” near the planned path of the Southern Pacific Rail Road. After deeding 20+ acres to SPRR (with a clause compelling SPRR to maintain train service to Sproul’s Station), Sproul surveyed a town site and, in 1877, the name was recorded officially as Norwalk. The house became the site of civic cultural events as well as official city business. In 1962, Sproul’s granddaughter, Vida, donated the house to the City of Norwalk and it became the centerpiece of a historical park and museum. The house, now Sproul Museum, was later relocated to its current location on the southeast corner of Norwalk Park.
Norwalk, Los Angeles County
Photographer: Andrew Schmidt