This is the house that Nat King Cole moved into in 1948. It stands at 401 South Muirfield Rd, in the ritzy area known as Hancock Park, south of Paramount studios. However, the locals were not happy with the prospect of a black family moving into their hood. They were so disgruntled that the Hancock Park Property Owners Association offered Nat $25,000 plus the purchase price of the residence to walk away. According to one report I read, one of his new neighbors told Nat that he didn’t want “undesirables” living in the area, to which Cole replied, “Neither do I. If I see any, I’ll let you know.” The nearly 7000 square-foot him is still there, remarkably unchanged, except perhaps for the car parked out front.
This is the house that Nat King Cole moved into in 1948. It stands at 401 South Muirfield Rd, in the ritzy area known as Hancock Park, south of Paramount studios. However, the locals were not happy with the prospect of a black family moving into their hood. They were so disgruntled that the Hancock Park Property Owners Association offered Nat $25,000 plus the purchase price of the residence to walk away. According to one report I read, one of his new neighbors told Nat that he didn’t want “undesirables” living in the area, to which Cole replied, “Neither do I. If I see any, I’ll let you know.” The nearly 7000 square-foot him is still there, remarkably unchanged, except perhaps for the car parked out front.
When I was a kid, we traveled by car to visit my mom’s parents on Sundays. We passed by his house on our way. My favorite song was his Route 66.
I would have been honored and delighted to have Mister Nat King Cole as my neighbor!!!