Purchased in 1925, the house located at 12 E. Colorado Blvd., on the northeast side of the Santa Anita-Colorado intersection, was long known to Arcadians as the O.D. Harris home. The Harris home was originally built in 1887 to house the Southern California Floral & Perfumery Company.
An account of the Southern California Floral & Perfumery Company appeared in the Monrovia Planet on June 4, 1887:
“ … A pleasant ten-room modern house has been nearly completed which will be fitted up for the purposes of the (Southern California Floral & Perfumery) company. One room will be handsomely furnished and will be open to the public. Servants will be in attendance and lunch always ready for guests. This will be made a special feature, and those who visit the place may expect to see courteous attention. There is a seed room, one for preparing flowers for shipment and others for the manufacturing of perfume. A lake will be made in front of the house while beautiful walks and hedges of flowers and rare trees will be numerous. Everything will be very attractive and the place will become a resort for the lovers of flowers.”
The O. D. Harris home was a beautiful Victorian jewel and a favorite subject for Edna Lentz, an Arcadian artist, whose watercolors can be viewed in the Arcadia Public Library
Auditorium. The home was demolished in 1961.
O.D. Harris Home
Carol Libby and Karen Hou
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Carol Libby & Karen Hou
Arcadia Historical Society