Staggering and Heartbreaking - Page 2

Nearby, at his own Eichler, David Coker recalled the tempestuous experience of January 7, when his house was creaking "like an old ship, windows bowing in and out as if the house was breathing. Around 9:30 at night, however, we noticed this windstorm was different, more fierce than the others. We were quite startled by the sheer violence, and the sound of the pounding on the sides and roof of the house."

Meanwhile, 26 miles away, above Pasadena, foothill residents in Altadena mourned ever‐mounting losses. There, the firestorm incinerated entire swaths of their community, even decimating most of the 28 homes in architect Gregory Ain's historic Park Planned Homes development, considered the first modern tract built in the United States, in 1946.

With flames continuing to spread, winds and fires startled Hollywood residents on January 8 when the Sunset Fire erupted in the Hollywood Hills. Swift action by firefighters and immediate air support beat back the fire, sparing such world‐famous icons as Pierre Koenig's Stahl House, the Magic Castle, and the Hollywood sign.

Sadly, two Altadena homes previously featured in Eichler Network stories were reduced to ash during the Eaton Fire. One was John Agnew and Yipsy Borders' 1930s log cabin home and vintage trailer museum, Funky Junk Farms, both of which burned to the ground.

In our 'Dreamy With Postwar Pizzazz' story from 2021, we covered homeowners Deb Smith and Goli Karimi's retro kitchen remodel. Their Gisela Meier‐designed mid‐century home in Altadena unfortunately did not survive the high‐intensity flames.

Some welcome news also rose from the Altadena ashes; Buff, Straub & Hensman's Bass House (Case Study House No. 20B) was reported safe.

Tragically, irreplaceable landmarks of Old California have also been lost. A popular cultural landmark for so many, Will Rogers Ranch was yet another unfortunate victim of the Palisades Fire.

Celebrated as Altadena's first fireproof home, the historic Zane Grey Estate fell to the Eaton Fire. Architects Myron Hunt and Elmer Grey designed the 1907 Mediterranean Revival‐style house entirely of reinforced concrete.

Mourned by many was the loss of architect Frederick L. Roehrig's Andrew McNalley House, also in Altadena, a majestic Queen Anne‐style mansion built in 1887 for the co‐founder of the Rand McNally Publishing Company.

Every building tells a story, and as these tragic losses mount, the Eichler Network extends our condolences to all those who have experienced untold losses.

If you are in a fire area, consider going online to download the Watch Duty app for updates. Keeping a 'go bag' on standby is also a good plan in the event of a fire or other emergency. Click here for a handy 'tip sheet' for reference.

At press time, multiple fires were still burning, with mandatory evacuation orders in effect in many areas. The Los Angeles Conservancy has been working to confirm the state of landmark structures and lost landmarks. If you know of an historic place affected by the fires, please complete the Conservancy's Fire Impact Form here.

For those interested in making donations to help victims of the Los Angeles‐area fires, consider the American Red Cross, a nonprofit that has been offering disaster relief services for more than a century.