About

Completely rebuilt on old foundation in late 1980s.

Irwin, architect of 1922 residence.

History:

This was home of H. A. Van Norman, a 1941 Director of LFIA. President of LFIA 1934 & 1935. 

Harvey Arthur Van Norman was born in Victoria, Texas on October 5, 1878. At the age of five, with his parents, three sisters and two brothers, he moved to California where the family settled in Santa Ana. In 1887, he moved to Los Angeles where he was to spend the rest of his life. 

Mr. Van Norman succeeded William Mulholland as Chief Engineer and General Manager of the Bureau of Water Works and supply when Mr. Mulholland retired November 12, 1929, holding that post until his appointment as General Manager and Chief Engineer of the entire Department when the separate water and power bureaus were merged into a single organization, Department of Water and Power, in November 1, 1943. Van Norman originally joined the Department forces in 1907, when he resigned as superintendent of construction for the Los Angeles Gas and Electric Corporation to become superintendent of two divisions of the Los Angeles aqueduct. Following completion of that project Mr. Van Norman became Aqueduct Engineer in charge of operation and maintenance.

Outstanding projects completed under Mr. Van Norman’s direct supervision as head of the water system included the Mono Basin project, diverting the waters of five streams into the Owens River watershed through an eleven mile tunnel under the Mono Craters, augmenting the Aqueduct supply by some 40 percent; construction of Bouquet dam and reservoir together with 18,500 feet of pipeline connecting it with the penstocks leading to powerhouse No. I in San Francisquito Canyon; and the interconnection between the Colorado River Aqueduct and the local water system.

Van Norman was a member and past president of the Los Angeles section of the American Society of Civil Engineers and of the California section of the American Waterworks Association. He was an LFIA Director from 1929 until 1946, and served as President in 1934 and 1935. He died on January 16, 1954.

See also: Van Norman Bio – Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering

Listed at $1,599,000 in 2001.

1930 census:
2621 N. Commonwealth Avenue: (Value: $18,000): 1) Miles Van Norman, owner and head of household; 51 year old white married male; married at age 26; born in Texas; father born in Mississippi, mother in Texas; retired. 2) Bessie Norman, wife; 49 year old white married female; married at age 24; born in Illinois; parents born in Sweden; not working. 3) Alice Ross, mother-in-law; 72 year old white female widow; married at age 18; born in Sweden, parents born in Sweden; speaks Swedish; to US in 1873, citizenship pending; not working. 4) Margaret Meyer, servant; 35 year old single white female; born in England; parents born in England; to US in 1911, a naturalized citizen; a servant in a private family.

1940 Census:
2621 Commonwealth Avenue (estimated value $10,000): 1) Harvey A. Van Norman, head of household; white married male 61 years of age; born in Illinois; civil engineer in the Bureau of Water and Power; earning over $5,000. 2) Bessie C. Van Norman, wife; white married female 59 years of age; born in Illinois; 3) Marie Farnsworth, maid; white 35 years old female widow; born in Oklahoma; maid in a private home.