A Jolly Holiday in Oxford Square

Sunset in Oxford Square from the porch of the Craftsman McQuillan/Clark Residence

On a freezing Saturday evening we drove a few miles east to Oxford Square and the 27th Annual Holiday Tour and Progressive Dinner hosted by the West Adams Heritage Association (WAHA).  We've been attending these tours and dinners, of and on, for about 10 years.  We always have a wonderful time, touring these magnificent historic homes in our great City.

This year's tour was just north of the West Adams border...north of Pico Boulevard on Windsor Boulevard and Victoria Avenue.  Most of the homes were built in the early 1900s and Craftsman in style.  We also visited some transitional Victorian/Craftsman homes, a Tudor Revival and a Colonial Revival home.  The tour homes were on a slight knoll, offering magnificent views of the City.  

From the Tour Guide about Oxford Square...."It was the introduction of the streetcar that was paramount to the growth and expansion of Los Angeles, as the young city began spreading further outward from its downtown core at the beginning of the 20th Century."

We were very lucky that the rain subsided.  It was cold, but everyone was bundled up.  As long as we were walking from home to home, we stayed reasonably warm.  

We were served a course of our dinner at each house.  We had Afternoon High Tea Appetizers; Soup; Salad; Dinner and Dessert....5 houses, in addition to the sign-in house.  There were members of WAHA in each home serving our meal to us and docents giving us tours of various architectural details of each home.  Many of the owners displayed before and after photographs, showing their renovations.  We also learned of the history of each home, ownership and title, when available.

Salad:  Winter spinach with roasted squash and sweet potatoes and warm citrus dressing

We always meet the most interesting people on this tour too.  Of course, most are fascinated with the beauty of these old homes and interested in preservation.  Our tour guides for the event were Rory Cunningham and David Pacheco....two fellows we know from the L.A. Conservancy.  We were delighted with Rory's descriptive and enthusiastic pontifications about the history of the area!

Tour Guide, Rory Cunningham and Photographer Larry "Tam-O-Shanter" Underhill

I drove back to the neighborhood on Sunday so I could take a few photos during the light of day of the exteriors of some of these magnificent homes. 

Backyard at the Welcome House

Champagne and appetizers at the McQuillan Clark Residence

Entertainment at the Salad House, Clark Residence

Dining in the Tent on the Tennis Court at the Lukei Residence

We ran into our Wilshire Vista neighbor, Judy on the tour!

WAHA Members helping prepare our feast

The Dinner House, Lukei Residence, Colonial Revival Style Architecture

Craftsman Style, McQuillan/Clark Residence

Broodeen/Quitzow Residence, Craftsman Bungalow

WAHA sponsors another interesting tour during the year,  The Living History Tour at Angelus Rosedale Cemetery.  This tour takes place at the Cemetery.  From the website:  "Each year in the fall a half dozen famous or interesting people buried at Angelus Rosedale are selected, their lives researched, and community members enlisted to portray them, in costume and at graveside."  WAHA is a most active group of enthusiastic preservationists.  I've also run into a few of their community meet-ups at The Blu Elefant Cafe.

Each year in the fall a half dozen famous or interesting people buried at Angelus Rosedale are selected, their lives researched, and community members enlisted to portray them, in costume and at graveside. - See more at: http://www.westadamsheritage.org/angelus#sthash.6ie425tZ.dpuf

Each year in the fall a half dozen famous or interesting people buried at Angelus Rosedale are selected, their lives researched, and community members enlisted to portray them, in costume and at graveside. - See more at: http://www.westadamsheritage.org/angelus#sthash.6ie425tZ.dpuf

Each year in the fall a half dozen famous or interesting people buried at Angelus Rosedale are selected, their lives researched, and community members enlisted to portray them, in costume and at graveside. - See more at: http://www.westadamsheritage.org/angelus#sthash.6ie425tZ.dpuf

Angelus Rosedale Cemetery

Next year, you MUST make reservations for this progressive dinner and tour on the WAHA website.  It's highly entertaining.