Discover the Bohemian Charm of Mount Washington, Los Angeles, California

Mount Washington, next to Highland Park, is a bohemian community developed in the early 20th century. Nestled in the hills are Victorian and craftsman-style homes with a close view of Downtown Los Angeles. You’ll find Gothic Revival, Colonial Revival, Italianate, Octagon and other homes.

By 1909 Mount Washington was the home of artists, intellectuals, free thinkers, and some hunters who made their homes there.

I lived there in the mid-1970s and remember hearing tales of the Night Stalker who dropped off victims in the hills near Mount Washington. At the time, the neighborhood was distressed but now it has become populated with the younger generation who work in downtown Los Angeles and have good-paying jobs.

Most of the old homes in the hills have steep steps to climb which are difficult for older residents so that makes sense.

The building that housed the old Southwest Museum is a landmark in Mount Washington established in 1907 by Charles Fletcher Lummis. He was an anthropologist, historian, journalist, and photographer. It was acquired by the Gene Autry Museum and closed for good in 2022.

Still, the Mission Revival building, designed by architects Sumner P. Hunt and Silas Reese Burns, cannot be missed from the 110 Freeway and is quite impressive. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).