Craig Residence by Paul Williams in West Hills

8431 Pinelake Drive

6 Beds/4 Baths on 4,780 sqft on a total lot size of 0.67 acres built in 1939 West Hills. This home was last sold on July 25, 2008 for $775,000. This home was originally built for Talton R. Craig, an owner of the Los Angeles Full-Flow Valve Company by famed architecht Paul Revere Williams. Williams designed a one story U-shaped home with stables on 1600 acres known as the Peppergate Ranch which bordered the Chastworth Reservoir and The Orcutt Ranch (which was declared HCM# 31 in 1965).  This area was later subdivided into the Woodlake and Pinelake Estates in the 60s. According to the Paulwilliamsproject.org site, 

Local lore suggests that one of the three basements was used as a sanctuary for Japanese Americans hiding from internment during World War II and “drug fueled” parties of the sixties were attended by psychedelic rockers and their entourage of groupies. Through the years the house underwent a number of remodelings, not always sympathetic to the Williams’ aesthetic.  Because the present owners appreciate the home’s “charm and grandeur,” they hope to undo some of the previous work and preserve it for future generations. In April 2011, their hard work was rewarded when the house was given official status as  Historic-Cultural Monument #992.

In the SFV, Paul Williams also designed the Barbara Stanwyck home which was later purchased by Jack Oakie which was eventually preserved by the City of LA and received HCM# 484 (note, there is some speculation that Williams may have not been the prinicpal architect on this property). The other home that Williams designed is the Dr. A.E. Abdun-Nur residence in Tarzana which still exists but has not received an HCM status and its condition is not known as well as the Livingston Motor Car Company dearlership in Woodland Hills which also is not an HCM but still present. There may be other homes in the SFV designed by Williams which I am unaware of. If you have any info, please let me know.

Although this home is not currently for sale and probably wont be for awhile, I wanted to blog about this home because of its Historical status and its such a unique home which was heaved onto the public market before this blog was started. You can also view more pictures at Paulwilliamsproject.org.

You can view more SFV Architecture and Real Estate here. 

Above images courtesy  Broussard Realty 

Craig Residence in 1952 on 1600 acres of farmland. Image courtesy Historicaerials.com

Craig Residence in 1959 on 1600 acres of farmland, still undeveloped. Image courtesy Historicaerials.com

Craig Residence in 1977 which had already become fully subsidized and developed with the original house remaining. Image courtesy Historicaerials.com

[Update July 15, 2013]: Some more pictures of the Craig Residence courtesy current owner Dodd Harris and through the Friends of the Craig Hacienda at Peppergate Ranch Facebook Page.