Hollywood's miniature Taj Mahal, The temple was built in 1938, eight years after the Vedanta Society of Southern California was founded by devotees of the Ramakrishna Order of India.

The Vedanta philosophy was introduced to the United States in the late 1890s by Indian mystic Swami Vivekananda. One of his followers was South Pasadena resident Carrie Mead Wyckoff. Her father, William Mead, owned an oak-studded, four-acre Hollywood hillside retreat where he had built a cottage. By the mid-1920s the area's proximity to movie studios had turned it into one of Los Angeles' first film colonies. After her father's death, Wyckoff donated the property to a protege of Vivekananda named Swami Prabhavananda, who established the society's local chapter.

Located at 1946 Vedanta Place in Hollywood, California.

Tags:   Hollywood Hills Vedanta Temple Taj Mahal Hollywood Architecture Michael Locke Michael Locke, Photographer Michael Locke, Realtor

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Mt. Washington is a Los Angeles neighborhood noted for its rural feeling yet is only about 10 minutes north of downtown Los Angeles. The best homes are located near the top; San Rafael Avenue has quite a few of them. Please do not use this image in any media without my permission. © All rights reserved.

Tags:   3740 San Rafael Av. Mt. Washington Mt. Washington Architecture' Michael Locke Realtor Michael Locke Treasures of Los Angeles Architecture Los Angeles Architecture Los Angeles History Michael Locke, Photographer

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Contractor A.E. Banks designed the Craftsman style residence for C.S. Farnerook in 1924. Located at 3756 San Rafael Avenue in the Mt. Washington neighborhood of Los Angeles. The house last sold in 2005 for $1.5M. Please do not use this image in any media without my permission. © All rights reserved.

Tags:   Michael Locke Realtor Michael Locke Treasures of Los Angeles Architecture Los Angeles Architecture Los Angeles History Mt. Washington Mt. Washington Architecture Bret Israel Los Angeles Times Hollywood Hills Kevin Michael Daly Michael Locke, Photographer

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Unfortunately my resource, the Los Feliz Improvement Association (LFIA) Survey of 2000, provided few details regarding the history of the Colonial Revival style residence located at 2310 North Vermont Avenue. .

Tags:   Los Feliz Los Feliz Architecture Vermont Avenue Vermont Canyon Michael Locke Treasures of Los Angeles Architecture Michael Locke, Photographer Michael Locke, Realtor

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I took a detour while driving back from Altadena this afternoon, hoping to find an interesting house or two to photograph. My search was rewarded when I spotted this mid-century beauty among the typical suburban mix of modest ranch houses. Designed by contractor Arthur C. Swab for William L. Duquette in 1951. Located at 1947 Harding Avenue in Altadena, California.

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Tags:   Altadena Altadena Architecture 1947 Harding Av. Michael Locke Treasures of Los Angeles Architecture Michael Locke, Photographer Michael Locke, Realtor

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