At the turn of the twentieth century, Germain Pellisier bought 160 acres between Normandie and Western Avenues to raise sheep and barley. His land formed the basis of Wilshire Center. The first church in the area (Wilshire Christian Church) arose in 1911 at Normandie Avenue, paving the way for the many congregations that moved here […]

The L.A. Conservancy now offers Adventures in Architecture workshops in person and virtually!  Adventures in Architecture workshops take students on a virtual or in-person field trip to significant historic sites located within a unique Los Angeles neighborhood. Students will meet members of the community and learn why protecting historic places matters.  All of the Conservancy’s workshops are […]

Following three years of planning and effort, the County of Los Angeles adopted its first ever historic preservation ordinance, which went into effect on October 1, 2015. The ordinance becomes the central fixture of the County’s nascent historic preservation program, which includes the Mills Act property tax abatement program. The ordinance spans a vast area including […]

Baldwin Park established its historic preservation program in 1988 with the adoption of a historic preservation ordinance.  The ordinance allows for the designation of both individual landmarks and historic districts, though the City has not been active in the use of the ordinance.  The City has only designated one landmark in the past, the former […]

Whittier has a long track record in preservation, having adopted its Historic Preservation ordinance in 1986. The city has designated both local landmarks and four historic districts, the most recent of which was designated in 2011. The city does not require owner consent to designate landmarks. Incentives available to owners of historic properties include the […]