Five stately and rarely seen homes in Hancock Park, dating back to the 1910s, will be open during the Windsor Square-Hancock Park Historical Society Annual Home Tour on Sunday, October 6 from 1 to 5 p.m. Docents will guide visitors through the houses and gardens and describe the history of each home, featuring some of Hancock Park’s most iconic architectural styles including Georgian, Tudor Revival and Mediterranean Revival. In addition, guests will enjoy refreshments and a backyard concert at one of the homes, along with a silent auction.
All the homes are on Rossmore Avenue. The street name honors honors G. Allan Hancock’s stepfather, Judge Erskine Ross. The oldest home on the tour was built in 1914 and moved to its current location from Western Avenue. It’s a wonderful opportunity to peek inside these historic homes that have been generously opened to the community.
“Each of our homes on the Rossmore tour is quickly approaching its 100th birthday celebration,” tour chair and WSHPHS president Richard Battaglia said. “One of our homes had a significant role to play in the motion picture business, since Harry Warner mortgaged it to pay for the financing of the first talking picture, “The Jazz Singer,” featuring Al Jolson. The rest is history.”
Assisting Battaglia are Tour committee leaders Kiel Fitzgerald, Karen Gilman, Joan Osinoff, Judy Zeller, Jane Gilman and June Bilgore.
Ticket prices are $60 for non-members; $50 for Society members. Proceeds from the tour are donated back to the community for beautification projects. Funds from this year’s tour will support the installation of a permanent sign marking the Ebell of Los Angeles, the city’s oldest women’s club located at Wilshire and Lucerne, which is now celebrating its 125th anniversary.
Tour tickets can be purchased on day of the event at 4th Street and Rossmore, or online at wshphs.com.
