844 East Adams Boulevard

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  • Completed in 1903 on Lot 18 in Grider & Dow's Adams Street Tract for butcher Albert C. Winter
  • On December 24, 1901, the Los Angeles Herald reported Winter's purchase of Lot 18; on November 23 of the following year, the paper carried this item: "A. C. Winter and family now occupy rooms at 1100 East Adams street until their new residence is completed on their recently purchased lot at 838 [sic] East Adams street"
  • Albert Winter's Denver Market was nearby at the northeast corner of Central Avenue and Adams Street; he later became a builder and contractor. The comings and goings at 844 East Adams become somewhat unclear after 1916. While California death records indicate that an Annie Winter—with a spouse specified as "A. C. Winter"—died on April 19, 1917, Albert C. Winter was enumerated in the 1920 Federal census as "Divorced" yet living with a sister of Annie's in Silver Lake. His son Albert G. Winter lived with him
  • A. C. Winter may have retained 844 East Adams as rental property until it was purchased by Southern Pacific brakeman Charles H. Hardenberg in 1920. Hardenberg had made news in 1912 when he remarried before his divorce decree was final; after being granted an annulment for his second marriage to Carrie Hutson, he went from the courthouse to the marriage bureau to obtain a license to marry Mrs. Hutson a second time
  • Charles Hardenberg built a second dwelling on his property after being issued a permit by the Department of Building and Safety on November 24, 1930; it was designated 844½ East Adams
  • Hardenberg died at the age of 68 on March 25, 1931, while still living at 844 East Adams; Mrs. Hardenberg, who was 16 years her husband's senior, remained at 844 until she died on July 1, 1934, age 88
  • Another widow, Nina Blackwell, bought 844 East Adams in 1935; appearing to be a woman without the prejudices that had caused others of her race to decamp to restricted neighborhoods as the district evolved, Mrs. Blackwell remained on unrestricted East Adams Boulevard until her death on August 6, 1949. In 1940, she was one of just seven Caucasians among neighbors in the 800 block of East Adams composed of fourteen Chinese, two Filipino, and forty-four African-American residents 
  • A classified ad in the Los Angeles Sentinel on February 2, 1956, offered 844 East Adams as a "bachelor cottage" for $48.50 a month
  • In addition to the original house at 844 East Adams, at least three dwellings were added to the 50-by-150-foot lot after 1903. After 844½ was erected by Charles Hardenberg in 1930, 842 and 842½ were in place by May 1950. The latter two remain today along with a carport that replaced a garage in 2002

Illustration: Private Collection