News
Sunday Afternoon, April 26, 1314 West 25th Street (University Park), at 2 pm
WAHA is looking for a few good men and women. Our annual Board of Directors election and potluck is slated for 2 p.m. Sunday, April 26, and we need candidates to step up. WAHA currently has a 15-member board, and one-third of these positions are up for election each three years, on a rotating basis.
read more...By Laura Meyers
MY HISTORIC L.A.: PRESERVING LOS ANGELES SurveyLA Kickoff Event Saturday, April 4, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Los Angeles Central Library, 630 West 5th St. (Downtown)
West Adams friends and neighbors are invited (urged!) to the citywide kickoff of SurveyLA, Los Angeles' first-ever comprehensive survey of its historic resources. Please join like-minded historic preservation advocates and share your knowledge of L.A.'s hidden gems -- historic and cultural sites in your neighborhood that may otherwise be overlooked. The survey marks a coming-of-age for Los Angeles' historic preservation movement, and will serve as a centerpiece for the City's first truly comprehensive preservation program.
read more...By Laura Meyers
Amending a decades-old historic preservation ordinance is not proving to be a smooth ride for city officials. After some vocal opposition by some owners of major historic properties, including the Biltmore Hotel, the Pacific Mutual Building and the Los Angeles Athletic Club, the previously scheduled public hearing on the matter has been deferred to May. The City Planning Commission's consideration of amendments to the Cultural Heritage Ordinance, originally scheduled for March 12, has been continued to the Commission's meeting of May 14. The City Cultural Heritage Commission voted on November 20, 2008 to recommend these amendments, which represent a significant overhaul of the City's historic preservation ordinance.
read more...Eminent restoration architect Martin Eli Weil, a longtime West Adams resident and a charter member of West Adams Heritage Association, passed away at his Harvard Heights home in late February.
read more...A Festival of Lights in West Adams Avenues.
WAHA's 22nd Annual Holiday Historic Homes Tour and Progressive Dinner was held December 6 and 7, 2008,. Our 22nd Annual Holiday Historic Homes Tour and Progressive Dinner, held Saturday, December 6, and Sunday, December 7. Photos by Harry Demas. We will have more photos for you later.
The 2008 annual WAHA Living History tour at Angelus Rosedale Cemetery at Washington Blvd. and Normandie Avenue in Los Angeles was held September 26. Volunteer actors portrayed the following personages at the site of their interment.
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- Monroe Salisbury (1875-1935). Broadway stage actor who achieved fame in early silent films, best known as Allesandro in the 1916 12-reel production of Ramona. Played by Chuck Kovacic.
- Ernestine Wade (1906-1983), old-time radio performer and pioneer black actress best remembered for her role as "Sapphire Stevens" on the comedy Amos 'n' Andy radio show (in the 1940s) and subsequent television show that ran from 1951 to 1953. She also did voice-overs in the animated Disney film Song of the South. Played by Phyllis Williams.
read more...The West Adams Heritage Association's highest honor, the annual Bob Bortfeld Award, was bestowed at our July 4 picnic on Pat Karasick, a longtime WAHA volunteer and former Western Heights resident now practicing her preservation skills from her home in Mar Vista. The award was a highlight of the annual event, held at the historic Tudor-Craftsman home of Roz Pina, on Victoria Park Drive. Ed Trosper, last year's winner, made the presentation.
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"Volunteers such as Pat are the life's blood of WAHA,' said President Jim Robinson, following the presentation. "We are always in need of people to plan activities, research positions, write communications, and cook and schlep for our events. It takes a lot of hands-on work, and Pat has done it for 20 years. That is a tremendous contribution."
read more...Some of the many reasons you would want to emphasize native California plants in your garden and some of the West Adams gardeners who do.
By Jennifer Charnofsky
Why Native Plants?
Why do you use native plants? I remember my mother's garden back East, my childhood garden, filled with flowers. When we moved to Los Angeles in the early 1950s she couldn't easily adapt to the Mediterranean climate, and kept trying to use the same trees, shrubs, bulbs, perennials and annuals that she planted before. Some couldn't survive; some did but only with large amounts of work and/or water. By the time I began my own gardens, it was easier to find the kinds of plants that like it here. And what likes it better than California natives?
read more...Under Sherwin-Williams new Neighbor-to-Neighbor program, the West Adams Heritage Association will receive cash back when WAHA members shop at any Sherwin-Williams location.
Soon, Sherwin-Williams will distribute to all WAHA members a Neighbor-to-Neighbor savings card which will have an account number assigned to WAHA. Every time a WAHA member buys merchandise and presents their card, Sherwin-Williams will not only give a 20% discount on all regularly-priced merchandise and 5% off sale priced merchandise to the WAHA member, it will credit an additional 3% to WAHA!
Your new card can be used when purchasing paint, stain, wallpaper, and tools. This is a terrific way to save on your home decorating projects and benefit WAHA as well. If you spend $1,000 on a home improvement project, you will save up to $200 just by using the card AND Sherwin-Williams will write a check to WAHA for $30.
read more...