Whitley Heights 101

6711 Whitley Terrace (1921)

6711 Whitley Terrace was built in 1921 by architect Arthur S. Barnes and the original owners Richard and Beatrice Green. Richard Green moved to Los Angeles in 1913 and married Beatrice Hansen in 1915. Richard was born in Great Valley, NY and was a civilian representative for the US Government in the Philippines during the Spanish American war and specialized in commissary work. He then represented packing houses in New Orleans, LA, Richmond, VA, and other southern cities. It does not appear that the Greens had any children. Mr. Green started a business in 1919 with two other partners, Willits, Peterson, and Green, 823 Tracton Avenue, Los Angeles. The company was a hog ranch and the biggest scandal of Los Angeles in 1921 was that the company was feeding the hogs from city garbage. (The hog farm happened to be next to the city dump.) A newspaper reporter attempted to take pictures of the hog farm to prove that the animals were being fed garbage. The reported ended up getting assaulted by a foreman and sued the company. Green was also involved in real estate in Baldwin Hills.

Beatrice was a housewife and was often in the society pages hosting a party or a wedding at 6711 Whitley Terrace. She was also known for her great fashion style. (See below). When Richard died in 1948, he luckily wrote a will in 1922 which left her this house. Beatrice remained in the house until the mid-1970’s. Little work had been done on the house. In 1927, the Greens covered a porch on the second floor and turned it into a sunroom. The 3 bedroom, 1.75 bathroom Mediterranean house has three stories, a Mission tile roof, multi-arched entry, matching galleries of wooden balustrade on house and garage, and five sided French bay window which was framed in iron filigree.

The Greens housed a long-term tenant, a Los Angeles teacher named Mrs. Grace G. Morse (not to be confused with silent screen actress Miss Grace Morse). Grace was a widow (born Grace Grady) and had a daughter, Betsy. Grace may have been Beatrice’s cousin as it was mentioned in a 1930 federal census. Grace lived at this home with her daughter from 1924-1958. Betsy was a graduate from Hollywood High School and UCLA (chemistry major). Betsy moved to Knoxville, TN and married Seymour Friess. They lived at this house from 1946-50.

6711 Whitley Terrace was owned by one family for over 50 years, and the house has been left in its original form, the house is somewhat of a mystery of what it looks like inside. The Greens had other tenants residing in the home (there were 3 bedrooms, so the sleeping arrangements are not clear). There may be another bedroom on the first floor listed as maids quarters.

6711 Whitley Terrace is adjacent to 6697 Whitley Terrace (Vignola/Davies residence). 6691 Whitley Terrace is around the corner, but backs up to 6711 Whitley Terrace. 6691 Whitley was owned by actor Eugene O’Brien (Richard Barthelmess rented this house from him) and was being built the same time as 6711 Whitley Terrace.