Etan Does LA 202-206: Whole Bunch o’ Bungalow Courts, pt. 2 (Pasadena) | Los Angeles history

National Register visits 202-206: Whole Bunch o’ Bungalow Courts, pt. 2 📍Pasadena

Kosy Knook Court 📍830 Brooks Ave.
Palmetto Court 📍100 Palmetto Dr.
Euclid Court 📍545 S. Euclid Ave.
Bonnie Court 📍140 S. Bonnie Ave.
Washington Court 📍475 E. Washington Blvd.

There are 30 bungalow courts in Pasadena on the National Register of Historic Places. That’s a whoooole lot of small housing units lining a central walkway or courtyard. Do they all deserve their spot on the pedestal? I used to be skeptical, but after visiting ‘em all, I’m a convert. These courts tell the story of Pasadena’s growth between 1910-1930: after decades of functioning as a winter playground for the wealthy, Pasadena began attracting more working-class folks, and the bungalow court was a novel housing solution for them.

For tenants, the bungalow court was a cheaper option than buying or building a house, but it still offered a sense of privacy that you couldn’t get from an apartment building or hotel. For developers, bungalow courts were attractive because you could squeeze more money out of a plot of land with multiple units (usually rentals) than you could if it was just a single-family home.

And architecturally, many of these courts are just darling. It’s really cool to see how all the different styles of the day were applied to the court form. In this batch of five, you’ll find craftsman, colonial revival, English cottage revival and a truly transportive Tudor-style court.

🚨PSST: EUCLID COURT ONE IS FOR SALE AND IT’S AMAAAAAZING🚨

I’m visiting all the LA landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places. Read about the ones and many more at Etandoesla.com: https://etandoesla.com/202-206-whole-...

#pasadena #housing #bungalowcourts #bungalows #americanbungalow #nationalregister #historicpreservation #architecture #archigram #historichomes #housingcrisis #affordablehousing #craftsman #craftsmanarchitecture #colonialrevival #tudorrevival #englishvillage