Richard Henry Dana Branch

The Richard Henry Dana Branch is a library building in Cypress Park featuring Georgian Revival and Colonial design elements. Its most distinctive features include a steeply pitched gable roof, symmetrical facade, traditional window details, and classical ornamentation throughout the structure.

Designed by architect Harry Sims Bent in 1926, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. It was built during an era when Los Angeles created many new library branches to serve its rapidly expanding neighborhoods.

The building reflects how early Los Angeles borrowed architectural ideas from the East Coast, with its New England Colonial style clearly visible throughout. Walking through the space, visitors notice how the classical details and balanced design create a formal, deliberate character.

The building now operates as the Cypress Park Club House under the Department of Recreation and Parks. Visitors should check locally for current hours and available activities before planning a visit to the site.

It ranks as the largest wooden structure among Los Angeles's original branch libraries. The distinctive porthole-style windows and wooden clapboard siding make it visually distinctive and set it apart from other buildings of its era.

Location: Los Angeles

Inception: 1926

Architects: Harry Sims Bent

Architectural style: Georgian Revival architecture, Colonial Revival architecture

GPS coordinates: 34.09083,-118.22167

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:10