Mt. Washington

Mount Washington is a hilly residential neighborhood in the hills of northeastern Los Angeles.  It was founded in 1909 as a subdivision by real estate developer Robert Marsh.  It is still one of the few affordable areas left in Los Angeles to buy a home.  Mount Washington lies halfway between downtown Los Angeles and Pasadena.  It’s often called “The Poor Man’s Laurel Canyon,” another more affluent neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills.

Mount Washington is nestled in between Glassell Park to the northwest, Eagle Rock to the north, Highland Park to the northeast, Montecito Heights to the southeast, across the Arroyo Seco, and Cypress Park to the southwest.

The boundaries of Mount Washington are roughly defined by Division Street on the west, El Paso Drive and Avenue 50 on the northeast, Marmion Way on the southeast, and Isabel street on the southwest.

One of the many attractive features of living in the hills of Mount Washington is that it boasts views of the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles Basin to the Pacific Ocean on clear days.  The hills provide mounds of green with views of downtown L.A., the San Gabriel Mountains, tranquil canyons, hillsides, and valleys.  This is one of the only neighborhoods in metro Los Angeles that still has significant numbers of trees and wildlife.

Currently this residential enclave is inhabited by a very diverse, ethnic & racial groups, even for L.A. standards, consisting of mostly middle- and upper-income professionals in the arts, music, and writing, and a group with a bohemian element from the 70’s and 80’s. Over the past decade the neighborhood has been experiencing gentrification as young urban professionals and families who are increasingly priced out of Eastside LA neighborhoods such as, Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Echo Park have moved to this area for its artistic vibe, ethnic & class diversity and, of course, for the priceless views atop the hills… Also, in recent years, many homebuyers have become attracted to this neighborhood as a relatively affordable alternative to the Westside.

Also homes in the neighborhood’s award-winning, Mount Washington Elementary School district, command top dollars and sell quickly when it comes in the market.  This hilltop campus with beautiful views, boasts that the students,”consistently score among the top schools in Los Angeles on the Academic Performance Index.”

Many  motion picture actors and actresses, along with writer, musicians and others involved in the industry, have lived in Mt. Washington over the years; such as, John Doe, Bill Barminski, Patrick Bristow, Guy Hendrix Dyas, and Daddy Kev.

The most famous former resident of Mt. Washington is Antonio Villaraigosa, mayor of Los Angeles and former speaker of the State Assembly, along with Gloria Molina, Los Angeles County supervisor , Richard G. Polanco, State Assembly member and Ed Reyes, Los Angeles City Council member.  Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times columnist has also have been a resident.

Mount Washington is split between Los Angeles City Council districts 1 and 14 and is part of California’s 31st congressional district. The neighborhood lies mostly within ZIP code 90065, with an eastern portion in 90042.

HISTORY

Mount Washington was founded in 1909 as a subdivision laid out by real estate developer Robert Marsh. Marsh built the Mount Washington Hotel at the summit of Mount Washington, and the Los Angeles and Mount Washington Railway Company was soon established as a funicular railway up the hill as an alternative to constructing roads up the area’s steep hillsides. The railway operated until January 1919.

ARCHITECTURE

Mount Washington houses are an eclectic mix of Victorian mansions, 1920’s bungalows, and architectural Modernist masterpieces from 1950s and 1960s by the likes of Bauhaus émigrés Richard Neutra and Rudolf Schindler.

LANDMARKS

Southwest  Museum
A Mount Washington prime visitor attraction has one of the most extensive and important collections of Native American art and artifacts in the world. In recent years, the Gene Autry Museum of the American West had taken over the operations of the Southwest Museum.

World Headquarters of the Self-Realization Fellowship
Located at the top of the hill, the Self-Realization Fellowship throws  a Halloween celebration, where they open their estate gates to the entire community. Intricately carved jack-o-lanterns were laid out all over their extensive grounds.  This wonderful display and the panoramic view of the twinkling city skyline down below is always the highlight of their Halloween celebrations.

ENTERTAINMENT & RECREATION

Moon Canyon Park

300 San Rafael Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90065

The 4.5-acre canyon is nestled in a bend of San Rafeal Avenue, high atop the neighborhood of Mount Washington. Dedicated in 2003 by the city of Los Angeles as a safeguard against developers, the canyon is now an ideal location for a picnic or a short stroll.

Carlin Smith Recreation

511 west avenue 46
Mt. Washington, CA 90065
323.225.4960

The Carlin G. Smith Recreation Center is a recreational facility that serves residents throughout east Los Angeles. The center is equipped with a children’s play area, community room, auditorium, barbecue pits, basketball courts and picnic tables.

MT. WASHINGTON’S RESTAURANTS & NIGHTLIFE

Mt. Washington is a residentail hillside bedroom community with trees and wildlife, away from major thoroughfares, so I recommend entertainment and nightlife from sister neighborhood in Eagle Rock.  Click Here.

MT. WASHINGTON’S FAMOUS RESIDENTS

Many  motion picture actors and actresses, along with writer, musicians and others involved in the industry, have lived in Mt. Washington over the years; such as, Bill Barminski, Patrick Bristow, Guy Hendrix Dyas, and Daddy Kev.

The most famous former resident of Mt. Washington is Antonio Villaraigosa, mayor of Los Angeles and former speaker of the State Assembly, along with Gloria Molina, Los Angeles County supervisor , Richard G. Polanco, State Assembly member and Ed Reyes, Los Angeles City Council member.  Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times columnist has also been a resident.

SCHOOLS:

Mount Washington Elementary School, is an award-winning hilltop campus with beautiful views where students “consistently score among the top schools in Los Angeles on the Academic Performance Index.”

FACTOID:
Eldred Street, between Avenue 50 and Cross Avenue on the northeast side of Mount Washington, with a slope of 33% grade, is one of the three steepest streets in Los Angelesand one of the steepest streets in the world.