Updated 8/30/15
Elliott in 1902 |
Our "first home" from the early days of Los Angeles.
It was built for John Mackay Elliott (1844-1929), a successful Los Angeles banker, who first came to the city in 1870, rising to president of the First National Bank. By the late 1890's his family resided in Alhambra, but in 1900 he moved to his new home on West 28th in the up and coming fashionable West Adams district. By 1905 he was also a director of the Los Angeles Trust Co., along with his neighbor two doors east, John Norton.
Elliott was appointed to the L.A. Water Board in 1903, and worked with local notable city engineer George Mulholland and others to insure a long-term supply of water for the city, resulting in the Owens Valley Aqueduct.
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The Board of Water Commissioners ca. 1905 (L-R) John J. Fay, J. M. Elliott, Moses H. Sherman, William Mead, and Fred L. Baker. |
In 1910, Elliott was living on West 28th St. with all four of his children--Mary, John Jr., Alice, and Robert. His wife, Alice Ingram Peel (b. 1851), had passed away in 1902. Son John Mackay Jr. (1886-1920), and daughter Alice (1888-1920) were to die as a result of an auto accident with a streetcar in pea soup fog on the evening of November 17, 1920.
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By 1934, the property had been sold to Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, and Robert had moved back to the South Hobart residence.
In 1961 the ZTA chapter closed at USC, and Phi Kappa Tau, located next door east at 904 W. 28th, bought the property and tore down both old houses to make the building you see today--current occupiers are fraternity AEPi.
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Today's view of 914 W. 28th (courtesy of Google Maps) |
A short biography on John Mackay Elliott
Old Homes of Los Angeles
J M Elliott
The building the fraternity constructed is a monstrosity!
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