Echo Park, located about 2 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, is a hillside community with a unique organic design, a mixture of inner city vibrancy and quiet country lanes. The areas eclectic mix of houses range from tiny two room hunting cabins off of stairs streets, to large Craftsman and Victorian villas on wide avenues. A truly diverse neighborhood exemplified in its large Latino, Asian, and Bohemian communities.
Elysian Heights at the north end attracts many writers, artists, and musicians, who are drawn to the areas quirky shops, impromptu events, and stunning downtown views. The southern most area has been designated as “Historic Filipino Town” and is home to one of the city’s largest Filipino populations.
Angelino Heights, L.A.’s first suburb located at the eastern end of Echo Park, was originally served by a cable car line along Temple Avenue. This area thrived during the large exodus of Americans who moved to California with the railroads, shortly after California was wrested from Mexico and became the 31st state. People were drawn in by the temperate climate and the elevation which provided beautiful vistas in a quiet suburban local just outside the big city. The Kensington Loop of Victorian homes built in the 1880’s are now preserved by a Historic Preservation Overlay Zone – the first of its kind in the city. Carroll and Kellem Avenue have many designated Los Angeles Historic Monuments, including the 1300 block of Carroll which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.