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Southern California is known for a lot of things. One area of particular interest to collectors and design aficionados worldwide has always been the dense concentration of preserved early and mid-century modern architecture. Legends of their craft like Richard Neutra, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Charles & Ray Eames used the west coast as the canvas for some of their most important creations.

Some of those incredible pieces of architectural art from an era long gone have stood for decades, mostly untouched. Unfortunately, along with the devastating losses for families and communities, at last tally the California wild fires have claimed more than 35 well known historically significant structures. 

In an LA Times article this past Monday, Ken Bernstein, of the Los Angeles City Planning’s Office of Historic Resources said “It’s staggering and heartbreaking — I don’t know any other way to put it… This is widespread destruction of significant architecture and places that are cherished in our communities.”

This week, as we continue to keep the entire southern California community in our thoughts, we take a look at a few of the most historic, and in many senses “collectible” homes, institutions, and landmarks that were lost - with a bit of history, and hope that the next generation’s take on design and architecture evokes the same emotion and creates the same history.

We also want to acknowledge that this issue's focus on California’s architectural history is in no way meant to overshadow the profound human tragedy. Our thoughts are with the individuals and families who have lost their homes, livelihoods, and loved ones.

The Keeler House — Pacific Palisades

Ray Kappe’s hillside masterpiece was a hallmark of his innovative architecture, embodied bold design and harmony with nature. Built in 1991, it was considered “the apotheosis of the California Modern House” as much of Kappe’s work embodied. Sitting high on the Palisades hillside looking down on the ocean, it featured cantilevered floors, expansive windows, and a skylit central staircase connecting floating levels and balconies. Exposed redwood and smooth concrete balanced the ethereal structure with warmth and strength. Even those without an emotional connection design were able to look at the home and say “that’s beautiful,” but beyond that it was a structure built with the natural surroundings in mind — perfectly blending in with the grounds on which it was built, adding to nature’s beauty and taking away nothing.  Owner Anne Keeler was away at the time of the fire, and found out through a neighbor that the home had been destroyed. 

Will Rogers Ranch House — Pacific Palisades

A true time capsule of Old California was the Will Rogers Ranch House in what is now California State Park in the foothills of the Pacific Palisades. The cowboy comedian purchased hundreds of acres of land in the area in the 20’s, and built what would become one of the most famous homes in Southern California. When the news of the loss along with the Topanga Ranch Motel broke on Wednesday, California State Parks director Armando Quintero said “California State Parks mourns the loss of these treasured natural and cultural resources.” The look and feel of the entire estate was a throwback to a time when much of California was still the ‘Wild West.’ Sprawling over a total of 359 acres and overlooking the Pacific Ocean, it featured 31 rooms, horse stables, corrals, a golf course, and riding trails. The property, donated to the state by Rogers' widow in 1944, served as a living museum up until this week, dedicated to the memory of Hollywood's highest-paid actor of the 1930s.

Andrew McNally House  — Altadena

Inspired by the 1893 World’s Fair, The McNally house was one of the true California “mansions.” The Frederick Roehrig design was famous for its bell shaped roof, seven fireplaces, and blue shingles making it one of the most historic victorian homes in the entire country. Before being subdivided in the early 1900s, the home was owned and maintained by co-founder and president of the Rand McNally Publishing Company, Andrew McNally. The grounds resembled a Disney movie — lush with perfectly landscaped gardens, an aviary, and a private railway that McNally built from Altadena Junction to his own station on the property. He had a staff to tend to the cedar trees that surrounded the property along Santa Rosa Avenue which would eventually became known as “Christmas Tree Lane” (which, thanks to the work of locals who combated the fire with buckets of water as it approached, survived). In 1955 the Sylvestre Dupuy family bought the home and fully restored it to reclaim the bulk of its vintage glory.

Robert Bridges House — Pacific Palisades

The Bridges House, by architect Robert Bridges, was a famous piece of scenery on Sunset Boulevard. Standing on concrete pillars perched 100 feet above the street below it was considered an extremely risky build in the early 1980s. To add to the folklore around the home, the entire structure was built by just Bridges with a single crane and a three man crew. In response to concern over the design, Bridges said "It may look precarious, but it's not. From an engineering standpoint, this thing is absolutely rational.” After a decade of building and some hiccups along the way, the house was completed in 1989 — completely clad in redwood with an interior that displayed exposed concrete ceilings and furnished entirely in pieces designed by Bridges. 

Scripps Hall — Altadena 

Scripps Hall, a historic landmark built in 1904 by William Armiger Scripps and designed by Charles W. Buchanan, stood as a three-story callback to a moment that defined much of the early 1900s. The American Craftsman home was a symbol of Altadena's "Millionaire's Row" era, when the new class of wealth began building grand homes as the Gilded Age took hold out west. Threatened with demolition in 1979, the Altadena Heritage Association saved it, and it eventually became home to the Pasadena Waldorf School. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999, it stood as a tribute to the Scripps family legacy and the area's architectural heritage. 

The Benedict and Nancy Freedman House — Pacific Palisades

The Benedict and Nancy Freedman House, designed in 1949 by renowned modernist architect Richard Neutra, was a textbook example of true mid-century design in Pacific Palisades. Commissioned by the Freedmans, authors and emerging screenwriters at the time, the home showcased Neutra’s seamless integration of indoor and outdoor spaces, innovative materials, and human-centered design. When people say “mid-century modern,” they mean this. It was a designed as a “writers sanctuary” with privacy as one of the core design principles even though many of the common spaces were designed to open entirely to the grounds around the home. Thoughtful renovations by architect Peter Grueneisen preserved its architectural integrity over the years. This iconic piece of Neutra’s legacy was destroyed early last week. 

This is just a small sampling of the amount of history that has been lost over the last two weeks in California. While many landmarks have been spared, some continue to be in danger. As we’ve watched these connections to early and mid-century America and the modern era of design fall victim to mother nature, they serve as reminders that everything is vulnerable and no physical possession is permanent. 

Though at the end of the day, “things” can be replaced. We hope you all stay well, and we continue to keep the west coast in our thoughts.

✨ See You All Next Sunday…