Wellington Square, Los Angeles
Encyclopedia
Wellington Square is a neighborhood in Mid City Los Angeles
, California
. The neighborhood is conveniently located in the heart of L.A., at the western edge of the West Adams Historic District. The collection of 209 mostly historic homes, predominantly dating to the 1920's, have been lovingly preserved over the years by its residents. Today, Wellington Square is a vibrant, active, and beautiful neighborhood - a little slice of the past, smack dab in the center of the City of Angels.
Wellington Square was subdivided in 1912 by George L. Crenshaw
. Wellington Square was developed by prominent real estate developer M.J. Nolan. M.J. Nolan was a native of Syracuse NY and settled in LA in 1886. In 1914, M.J. started to develop 90 acres of land between Adams and the new La Fayette Square. He passed in 1918 and the W.I. Hollingsworth Co. continued lot sales. The boom years of the 1920s saw the most development of the neighborhood. The homes in the neighborhood are an architectural mixture from Craftsman and Revival styles of the 1920s and 1930s.
In 1955, the Santa Monica Freeway was started. The first segment opened in 1961 and the freeway was completed in 1966. It was named by the State Highway Commission on April 25, 1957. Many homes in Wellington Square were taken by Caltrans to build the freeway. In the current Wellington square, the 10 freeway is the south border with West Blvd on the West , Crenshaw on the East, and Washington Blvd on the North.
Always prominent in the African American community, the neighborhood has been home to many famous residents including, Dorothy Dandridge
, Juanita Moore
, Dorothy Donegan
, Nick Stewart
, Evelyn Freeman, and Lucius Allen
.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The neighborhood is conveniently located in the heart of L.A., at the western edge of the West Adams Historic District. The collection of 209 mostly historic homes, predominantly dating to the 1920's, have been lovingly preserved over the years by its residents. Today, Wellington Square is a vibrant, active, and beautiful neighborhood - a little slice of the past, smack dab in the center of the City of Angels.
Wellington Square was subdivided in 1912 by George L. Crenshaw
George L. Crenshaw
George L. Crenshaw was a banker and real estate developer who built several upscale residential developments in mid-city Los Angeles in the early 1900s. Among these was Lafayette Square and Wellington Square . The Crenshaw district of Los Angeles and its principal thoroughfare, Crenshaw...
. Wellington Square was developed by prominent real estate developer M.J. Nolan. M.J. Nolan was a native of Syracuse NY and settled in LA in 1886. In 1914, M.J. started to develop 90 acres of land between Adams and the new La Fayette Square. He passed in 1918 and the W.I. Hollingsworth Co. continued lot sales. The boom years of the 1920s saw the most development of the neighborhood. The homes in the neighborhood are an architectural mixture from Craftsman and Revival styles of the 1920s and 1930s.
In 1955, the Santa Monica Freeway was started. The first segment opened in 1961 and the freeway was completed in 1966. It was named by the State Highway Commission on April 25, 1957. Many homes in Wellington Square were taken by Caltrans to build the freeway. In the current Wellington square, the 10 freeway is the south border with West Blvd on the West , Crenshaw on the East, and Washington Blvd on the North.
Always prominent in the African American community, the neighborhood has been home to many famous residents including, Dorothy Dandridge
Dorothy Dandridge
Dorothy Jean Dandridge was an American actress and popular singer, and was the first African-American to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress...
, Juanita Moore
Juanita Moore
Juanita Moore is an American film and television actress. She is the fifth African American to be nominated for an Academy Award in any category, and the third in the Supporting Actress category.-Career:...
, Dorothy Donegan
Dorothy Donegan
Dorothy Donegan was an American classically trained jazz pianist primarily known for performing in the stride piano and boogie-woogie style. She also played bop, swing jazz, and classical music.-Life and career:...
, Nick Stewart
Nick Stewart
Nick Stewart was an American television and film actor. Stewart was best known for his role as Lightnin' on the Amos and Andy television series.-Acting Career:...
, Evelyn Freeman, and Lucius Allen
Lucius Allen
Lucius Oliver Allen, Jr. is a former professional basketball player. Prior to his NBA career, he became an All-American as part of two of legendary coach John Wooden's UCLA NCAA Championship teams, 1967 and 1968...
.