Francis Lederer - Lederer Estate and Residence

Lederer Estate and Residence

In 1934, Francis Lederer began design and construction, with the help of artisan builder John R. Litke, of his landmark residence and stables on the hilltop of a large rancho in the Simi Hills in Owensmouth, renamed Canoga Park, renamed again to present day West Hills. It is in the western San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California. The house is sophisticated example of a distinguished blending of Mediterranean Revival style with Mission Revival Style architecture in which the interior and exterior integral design, artisan work, and construction details are in a refined landmark quality. The rich building materials were chosen with greatest of care and painstakingly employed to make the finished buildings appear centuries old. The imported original 14th and 15th century Italian Renaissance and Spanish Renaissance museum-quality art pieces, decorative arts elements, and furnishings, are of particular rarity, value and interest.

The stables are in pure Mission Revival Style architecture, also designed by Francis Lederer with John R. Litke in the 1930s. It was built beside Bell Creek. Marion Lederer, his wife, transformed them into the Canoga Mission Gallery in the 1970s, which continues to present day.

The residence and stables are both protected Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monuments. The 1994 Northridge earthquake damaged the house. It is currently undergoing a major renovation. The estate is next to the very large 1845 Mexican land grant Rancho El Escorpión, which was his southern rural viewshed and remained undeveloped open space until 1959. The home and grounds are still in the hands of the Lederer family, and will become a public historical resource center.