A Visual Tour of the Spectacular Victorian Mansions of Carroll Avenue

Star ForemanArts

1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.c. 1889
1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.Famed San Francisco architect Joseph Carter Newsom created this amazing 12-room house for dairyman Charles Sessions. While it spent some time as a boardinghouse in the 1920's1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.with one of the occupants having grown up in the home.
1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.1329 Carroll Ave.: the Innes House1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.Also known as Halliwell Manor1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.the house also is featured as an add-on purchase for the Sims game.1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.1321 Carroll Ave.1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.1321 Carroll Ave.1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.Home to Historic Preservation Overlay Zone chairman Tom Morales1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.Home to Historic Preservation Overlay Zone chairman Tom Morales1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.c. 1894
1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.this house has gingerbread1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.spindles and turrets1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.and is painted purple! Alternately known as “the Gay Nineties House1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.this home is one of the original seven on Carroll Avenue that were declared a city landmark on Feb. 31325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.this home is one of the original seven on Carroll Avenue that were declared a city landmark on Feb. 31325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.c. 1887
1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.the house combines two of the most popular Victorian architectural styles1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.the house combines two of the most popular Victorian architectural styles1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.the house combines two of the most popular Victorian architectural styles1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.c. 1887
1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St." the name given to two homes that had identical floor plans when built and were both occupied by members of the Hall Family1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.724 E. Edgeware Road: Libby House1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.although some records claim 19031325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.L.A.'s first official suburb1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.L.A.'s first official suburb1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.c. 1912
1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.for the ultimate timey-wimey experience1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.1407 Carroll Ave.: the Winstone House1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.by architect Joseph Cather Newsom1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.801 E. Edgeware Road: the Stilson-Botsford House1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.801 E. Edgeware Road: the Stilson-Botsford House1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.c. 1887
1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.c. 1887
1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.with room to grow.1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.1345 Carroll Ave.1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.This is the house from "Thriller." Sad but true fact: On the day of Michael Jackson's death1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.This is the house from "Thriller." Sad but true fact: On the day of Michael Jackson's death1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.c. 18721325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.only landing on Carroll Avenue in 1992. Ezra Kysor is anecdotally credited as the architect.1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.The "balloon lamps" are not original to Carroll Avenue but are in fact 1880s street lamps that have been sourced from all over the country and brought to the street. Legend has it that each homeowner who wanted a street lamp in front of their home was required to pay for it themselves1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.The "balloon lamps" are not original to Carroll Avenue but are in fact 1880s street lamps that have been sourced from all over the country and brought to the street. Legend has it that each homeowner who wanted a street lamp in front of their home was required to pay for it themselves1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.c. 1887
1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.this stately manor was a residential hotel with five small apartments within its massive frame.1325 Carroll Ave.: Irey House, c.1887
The Irey house was moved to Carroll Street in 1978 from its original address at 1123 Court St.

Established in 1887 as part of L.A.'s first official suburb, Angelino Heights, Carroll Avenue is famous for having the largest concentration of Victorian-era homes in the city, and the highest concentration of Eastlake and Queen Anne residences in Southern California. A dozen or so of the houses appear on the historic sites register. Located just a mile from downtown, Carroll Avenue also features a few homes that have been featured on television and music videos, including the Charmed house and the abode shown in Michael Jackson's “Thriller” video.

Angelino Heights was L.A.’s very first designated Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ), created largely due to the efforts of the committee's chairman, Tom Morales.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Carroll Avenue became a very rough neighborhood and renovation has only come about in the last few years. Today, the neighborhood is an urban explorer's dream, showcasing these painted ladies proudly displaying their gingerbread trimmings and gabled roofs.

All photos by Star Foreman