West Adams was one of the first upscale residential communities in LA. Like so many faded beauties in the city, it fell on hard times, only to be rediscovered and now, restored.

Over the past decade residents of Historic West Adams have restored the pre-WWII (and sometimes pre-WWI) neighborhood to its former architectural glory. Located near USC, the area is now bound by Pico Boulevard to the north, Jefferson Boulevard to the south, Figueroa Street to the east and West Avenue to the west. The classic homes, which are among some of the city's oldest, include Craftsman, Victorian, Mediterranean and Spanish revival architecture. Once a hopping area of town, West Adams was home to city politicians, oil magnates, lawyers, doctors and silent movie stars like Fatty Arbuckle. During the Great Depression, many of West Adams' residents fell on hard times and were forced to leave the area. In the '30s West Adams became a site of controversy when white residents wanted to keep the area segregated. Black entertainers like Oscar winner Hattie McDaniel pushed for their right to take up residence in area and ultimately won—since then West Adams has been mostly populated by African Americans. In the '60s and '70s the neighborhood began to decline due to the construction of the 10 freeway. Thankfully, people began to take interest in the area in the '80s and made an effort to restore and preserve the deteriorating homes. Today, West Adams makes up one of the largest collection of historical abodes this side of the Mississippi.