Smith Estate, Victorian mansion in Highland Park, Los Angeles, California, US
The Smith Estate is a Queen Anne style mansion in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, known for its asymmetrical facade and varied exterior surfaces. The building features ornamental details, a corner tower, decorative woodwork, and a mix of textures that are typical of this architectural style.
The estate was built in 1887 by architect Abram M. Edelman and first served as the home of Judge David Patterson Hatch before passing to railroad executive C.W. Smith. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
The house has been used as a filming location for several horror films, including "Spider Baby" and "Insidious: Chapter 2", which gave it a following among cinema fans. Many visitors come to the street specifically because they recognize the facade from the screen.
The estate is a private residence and can be seen from the street, making it easy to view the exterior from the sidewalk without entering the property. Daytime is the best time to visit, since the woodwork and tower details are much easier to appreciate in natural light.
During the Smith family years, the estate was known as El Mio, and a nearby street was named after it, a detail most visitors today do not realize. That street name is one of the few traces the family left on the neighborhood.
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