Larchmont Chronicle Story Archive

Larchmont Chronicle Neighborhood newspaper representing Hancock Park, Larchmont Village
Miracle Mile, Park La Brea Fremont Place in the Wilshire center area of Los Angeles. Local News and
stories about the local Los Angeles Scene. Historical informattion regarding the Larchmont Chronicle and
Hancock Park area. Founded in 1963 on Larchmont Bouelvard, Los Angeles, CA, California

April 1, 2001

History of Hancock Park

Jane Gilman

The following is the first in a series of features on Mid-Wilshire neighborhoods in the Larchmont Chronicle circulation area.

Hancock Park owes its name to developer-philanthropist G. Allan Hancock who subdivided the property in the 1920s. Hancock, born and raised in a home at the La Brea tarpits, inherited the 440 acres which his father, Major Henry Hancock, had acquired from the Rancho LaBrea property owned by the family of Jose Jorge Rocha.

A 23-acre site where the Hancock family home stood was donated to the County in 1923 and is called Hancock County Park. This land is now the site of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Page Museum.

Some 71 oil wells were operating at capacity on the land from 1905 to 1910. Nine years later Hancock subdivided the property into residential lots. He leased 105 acres to the Wilshire Country Club with an option to buy.

Hancock also insisted that his master plan include concrete streets and the location of utility lines at the rear of each development, out of the sight of homeowners. Another condition was that homeowners build no less than 50 feet from the curb.

He also gave $100,000 to the Los Angeles Railway to extend its tracks along Third Street (which stopped at Larchmont Blvd.) west to La Brea Ave.

Architects such as Paul Williams, A. C. Chisholm and John Austin were hired to design homes for many of the city's pioneer families including the Dockweilers, Duques and Bannings.

Hancock, whose many talents included scientist, musician, financier and engineer, died in Santa Maria in 1965. To learn more about the area's namesake visit the Hancock Museum in the Allan Hancock Foundation building on the USC campus. It contains several rooms from the villa his mother built at Wilshire Blvd. and Vermont Ave. and is open for tours by appointment; call 213-740-5144.

Hancock Park boundaries are: Rossmore to Highland avenues; Melrose Ave. to Wilshire Blvd. There are approximately 1200 homes.

Larchmont Chronicle
542½ North Larchmont Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90004

Editor & Publisher: Jane Gilman
Associate Publisher: Irwin Gilman

Admin

Information about the Larchmont Village, Hancock Park, Miracle Mile, Park LaBrea areas of Los Angeles, california. The larchmont Chronicle provides information, news stories, local events, advertising, real estate information, real estate listing advertisings, Los Angeles area demographics and other neighborhood news.