The late nineteenth century was a time of extraordinary change for both the United States and California. As the Industrial Revolution drew to a close, a new world of knowledge and innovation was rapidly emerging—one that blended the old with the new, and the foreign with the familiar.
The nation was transforming into a modern society equipped with efficient systems of transportation, communication, and the distribution of mass-produced goods. In Southern California, the great land boom gave rise to an abundance of new and elaborately eclectic architecture throughout Los Angeles. These structures—distinguished by gabled roofs, windowed turrets, and intricately carved balustrades—once symbolized progress and prosperity, yet today they face the threat of extinction amid continuing urban development.
In response to the loss of these irreplaceable buildings, a group of concerned citizens, working with the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Board, began planning a refuge for endangered architectural treasures. Their efforts led to the founding of Heritage Square Museum in 1969 by the Cultural Heritage Foundation of Southern California, Inc. Situated along the historic Arroyo Seco, the museum occupies land that was once part of the 1781 Spanish land grant establishing the Pueblo de Los Angeles.
Heritage Square is an open-air museum dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and interpretation of Southern California’s architectural and cultural history. Buildings of historical and architectural significance that cannot remain in their original locations are relocated to this village-like setting, where they are restored, displayed, and interpreted for the public. Through its collections, exhibits, and educational programs, Heritage Square Museum tells the story of everyday life in Los Angeles from 1865 to 1914—an era of profound transformation and enduring legacy.