About

Arthur Letts residence, also called Holmby House, ca. 1905, demolished 1927.

The three-story house situated on a hill features dormer windows, cant windows, stone masonry walls, a covered porch, several chimneys and window awnings. An immaculate courtyard adorned with well-manicured lawns and gardens precedes the house. Walkways navigate around the courtyard.; “Six years later, wealthy retailer Arthur Letts bought the entire property for $100 an acre ($2,000,000).

Letts, an Englishman, was the founder of the Broadway Department Store and was an initial investor in a similar enterprise founded by his former employee, John G. Bullock. Letts’ interest and involvement in Los Angeles retailing made him very comfortable financially. He owned a large estate in Hollywood, a Tudor mansion surrounded by formal gardens filled with statuary. Always interested in downtown real estate development, he also invested in ranch land and subdivisions in Hollywood as well. He was particularly attracted to the Wolfskill ranch because its diversity made it suitable for a variety of uses. Unlike Wolfskill and the Santa Monica Land and Water Company, whose activities had been based around the Beverly Glen/Santa Monica Boulevard area, Letts was primarily interested in developing estate parcels which he called ‘Holmby Hills’ after his birthplace on the northwestern edge of the rancho near Beverly Hills.” — unknown author.

Source: USC Libraries