Irving, Washington, Branch
historic place
Welcome to the site of the Irving, Washington, Branch, also known as the Washington Irving Branch Library, in Los Angeles, California. This historic place was constructed in 1926. Designed by the firm Allison & Allison, the building features a Romanesque Revival-Mediterranean Revival architectural style. Its exterior combines brick and stucco, topped with red clay tiles. A distinctive circular bay window projects from its east side. The library was one of fourteen new branches built between 1926 and 1928, following a $500,000 bond measure approved by voters in 1925. The local West Washington Improvement Association had advocated for a library in the neighborhood since 1922. In 1984, the Washington Irving Branch was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. It was later added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 19, 1987, as part of a thematic group of Los Angeles Public Library branches. The original building served the community for over 60 years before a new branch opened in 2000. This site remains significant for its architecture and its role in the expansion of the Los Angeles Public Library system.