John Duerler | Principal | 213-924-2208hancockhomes.com | johnduerler@gmail.com

Historic Home of the Month issue no. 34 January 2015

HANCOCK HOMES REALTY JOHN DUERLER | Principal

501 North Larchmont Boulevard

www.hancockhomes.com | 213-924-2208

A Hancock Homes Preferred Vendor

(818) 773-5600

This is not a solicitation if your home is currently listed with another broker. For article sources visit hancockhomes.com

Percy Mortimer Pike / Earl B. Gilmore Residence | 534 S. Muirfield Rd.

There are certain homes in the neighborhood that simply have a presence - an unquantifiable characteristic of quiet dignity and prestige. Upon driving past, one can’t help but slow down and marvel, wondering what secrets the storied walls would tell. One such home, which has sat quietly and knowingly at the corner of 6th and Muirfield for over 90 years, is a proper piece of Hancock Park history. The stately Tudor Revival style mansion was built in 1924 on a prominent corner in the heart of Hancock Park proper. It was designed by architects Sumner Hunt and Silas Burns, built by C.J. Nordquist, and served as a residence for a long line of prominent Angelinos, including the Pike family and the Gilmore family. Interestingly enough, the Pikes were also associated with the Mediterranean mansion directly across 6th St., at 600 S. Muirfield (see our article from March 2014)! Born in 1882, Percy Mortimer Pike was an oil man who made his name selling oil well parts and supplies. Along with his brother, he started the Tay-Pike Company, which would later become the Republic Supply Company of California. Percy’s son, Thomas, would follow in his father’s footsteps, finding great footsteps,

NEW

NEW

It’s a year.

There’s a number one.

Sales figures obtained from theMLS® 12/22/2014 show John Duerler as the number one agent for Area 18 (Hancock Park / Wilshire) in terms of

BOTH total sales volume AND total number of transactions.

John Duerler – #1 Agent in 2014 for Hancock Park / Wilshire per theMLS®

success as the founder and president of the Thomas P. Pike Drilling Company, the largest oil well drilling firm in California at the time. Thomas and his wife Katherine would be remembered as some of the most generous and outspoken philanthropists in the battle (cont’d p.2)

(cont’d from p.1) against alcoholism. The next owners of the home, coincidentally, were also from a family who had amassed a great deal of wealth from the oil business, among other enterprises. The Gilmore family, one of the best-known local dynasties, leapt to the forefront of LA commerce when patriarch Arthur F. Gilmore discovered and started drilling for petroleum on the family’s dairy farm. The A.F. Gilmore Oil Company would later be taken over by Arthur’s son, Earl Bell Gilmore, who was also involved in the founding of The Original Farmer’s Market, Gilmore Stadium, and other family ventures. With numerous landmarks such as Gilmore Gas, Gilmore Bank, Gilmore Field, and the old drive-in movie theater, the family name has become synonymous with LA History. And Earl Gilmore, at the height of his success, chose to make his home in the nearby, exclusive, upscale development of Hancock Park. The Pike/Gilmore home had been commissioned in 1923, and was designed in the popular and timeless Tudor Revival style by the firm of Hunt and Burns. Sumner Hunt, the self-taught draftsman from Brooklyn, and Silas Burns, the MIT-educated architect from West Virginia, were both prominent figures in the planning and development of Los Angeles, and were also responsible for many of the fine estates in this and other historic neighborhoods. This home, which boasts 8 bedrooms and sits on 0.8 acres, would have been a true showpiece for the firm, as it occupied a prestigious corner lot on one of the best blocks in an up-and-coming neighborhood. Today, it stands proudly as a reminder that, since its beginnings, our neighborhood has been a haven for the city’s movers and shakers.

John’s Recipe Corner

5-Star Mulled Cider A perfect warm drink for your winter gathering. Makes 8 servings, but feel free to multiply out for larger groups! • 2 quarts apple cider • 2 cinnamon sticks • 2 whole allspice berries • 2 whole cloves • 1 orange, thinly sliced

JOHN DUERLER | 213-924-2208BRE 01848596 | www.hancockhomes.com

Your Neighborhood Specialist

Enjoy! - John

1. Place all ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer o n t h e g r a t e s o f refrigerate 8 hours. 2. Gently stir in bread c u b e s u n t i l w e l l m o i s t e n e d . P o u r thefdsa

Year-End Report2014 Home Sales

HancockPark

WindsorSquare

Larchmont Village

Brookside Park

# Properties Sold 49 46 44 19

Avg. Days on Mkt. 66 52 57 63

Avg. Sold Price $3,068,449 $2,631,066 $1,081,563 $1,242,374

Avg. Square Feet 4,411 3,791 1,801 2,219

Avg. Price / Sq. Ft. $704.34 $704.89 $600.50 $559.67

John’s Statistics Corner | Market Update

your favorite grill or over a burner. 2. Divide among individual mugs and serve hot. For an added flair, place an orange slice and/or a cinnamon stick in each mug as a garnish. 3. Optional – spike with your favorite spirit to kick it up a notch, for the adults at your gathering!

THE CD4 RACE

Candidate Spotlight:Carolyn Ramsay

Photo: Carolyn Ramsay with Councilman LaBonge and Mayor Garcetti

A local resident and long-time Chief of Staff for Councilman LaBonge, Carolyn Ramsay is a champion for our neighborhoods. Her campaign for the Council District Four seat is based on a few fundamental principles:

-  Alleviating traffic -  Getting our finances back on track -  Doing more for our neighborhoods -  Creating good-paying, local jobs -  Promot ing sus t a inab i l i t y and

conservation

Elections will take place March 3, 2015 And Absentee Ballots will be distributed

in February – Make sure to vote!

For Sale | 631 N. June St.

Classic Hancock Park Spanish Revival | $2,149,000

3,046 SqFt | 4 Bed 3 Bath

FOR SALE FOR SALE SOLD

236 N. Arden4bd/3ba | $2,265,000

574 N. Plymouth4bd/3ba | $1,902,564

517 N. Lucerne4bd/3ba | $2,199,000