Some people take the “A man’s home is his castle” literally. In this case, it was Dr. Schloesser, a physician who made a fortune in real estate and investments. When he moved from Chicago to LA, he bought land around what is now Franklin, Argyle, and Vine Streets. That was in 1904, when Hollywood hadn’t yet been invaded by those pesky motion picture people. Schloesser built what he called Castle San Souci at 1901 Argyle St. And as if that wasn’t grand enough, he also added that elaborate gate. Built in 1912, Sans Souci didn’t have a long life. It came down in 1928 to make way for the Castle Argyle Apartments that overlook the Hollywood Freeway.

The Sans Souci site is now occupied by the Castle Argyle Apartments, which overlook the Hollywood Freeway. This image is from May 2011.