This late Victorian mansion was built around 1888 and stood at 325 S. Bunker Hill Ave in downtown Los Angeles. Known locally as “The Castle” (it had 20 rooms and a three-story staircase) it took a battalion of staff to run, including a guy who looked after the horses and carriages, like the ones parked out front in this photo. The one at the front is highly decorated, so maybe it was taken for a public holiday? For the first couple of decades, this was a one-family home, but then, for six decades it was, like many of these large homes, a boarding house. In 1969, it was moved to Heritage Place to save it from demolition because of the coming construction of the Hollywood Freeway.
My family owned the “Castle” for its last 30 years before the CRA took it from us in eminent domain when Bunker Hill was razed in the 1960’s. It was a boarding house, but my father and his mother lived in part of it when he was a boy. It was a grand building which we loved. I spent much time there too when I was young. It was shown in several scenes in the 1954 noir movie, “Kiss Me Deadly.” I believe this photo was taken during one of the Fiesta De Las Flores parades in DTLA which was like the Rose Parade. We were thrilled that they decided to save the Castle and move it to Heritage Square but then were devastated when it was burned down by arsonists after the move. I could go on.
Oh wow, Gordon! I knew you once lived in the Bunker Hill area, but actually in The Castle! I knew that they moved it to Heritage Square but didn’t know it burned down. What an awful blow. I don’t suppose you have any interior photos? I did wonder if those carriages had been decorated for the Rose Parade. I’ve not heard of the Fiesta De Las Flores – I’m guessing it was a predecessor?
This late Victorian mansion was built around 1888 and stood at 325 S. Bunker Hill Ave in downtown Los Angeles. Known locally as “The Castle” (it had 20 rooms and a three-story staircase) it took a battalion of staff to run, including a guy who looked after the horses and carriages, like the ones parked out front in this photo. The one at the front is highly decorated, so maybe it was taken for a public holiday? For the first couple of decades, this was a one-family home, but then, for six decades it was, like many of these large homes, a boarding house. In 1969, it was moved to Heritage Place to save it from demolition because of the coming construction of the Hollywood Freeway.
My family owned the “Castle” for its last 30 years before the CRA took it from us in eminent domain when Bunker Hill was razed in the 1960’s. It was a boarding house, but my father and his mother lived in part of it when he was a boy. It was a grand building which we loved. I spent much time there too when I was young. It was shown in several scenes in the 1954 noir movie, “Kiss Me Deadly.” I believe this photo was taken during one of the Fiesta De Las Flores parades in DTLA which was like the Rose Parade. We were thrilled that they decided to save the Castle and move it to Heritage Square but then were devastated when it was burned down by arsonists after the move. I could go on.
Oh wow, Gordon! I knew you once lived in the Bunker Hill area, but actually in The Castle! I knew that they moved it to Heritage Square but didn’t know it burned down. What an awful blow. I don’t suppose you have any interior photos? I did wonder if those carriages had been decorated for the Rose Parade. I’ve not heard of the Fiesta De Las Flores – I’m guessing it was a predecessor?
The Fiesta did predate the Rose Parade by a few years. Here is a photo of the front entry hall. https://tessa.lapl.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/photos/id/94678/rec/283
Yep, that’s pretty much what I was picturing.