This 1-story building, at the now-gone northeast corner of Vista del Mar and Hollywood Boulevard, was built in 1919 for the Howard Automobile Company’s new Hollywood Buick showroom. It was originally addressed as 6157 Hollywood Boulevard.

The property owner was investor Harry H. Ziegler, who bought it from the E. W. Twist realty Company as part of the Del Mar tract.

Twist Realty had previously occupied this corner itself; this section of Vista del Mar between Hollywood Boulevard and Carlos Avenue, was known Cyril Drive until 1915.

Elias W. Twist was the husband of Josephine Gassagne. Josephine and her surviving siblings – Charles Gassagne, Marie (Mrs. Louis Drouet), Constance (Mrs. James Larquier later Mrs. Pierre J. Picherie), Adele (aka Jenny, Mrs. Henry Kracke) and Eugenie (Mrs. Alexander T. Hoover later Mrs. Frederick Gambold)- were the grandchildren of the French-born Los Angeles pioneer Jose Mascarel, who had settled in Los Angeles in the 1840s and served 1-term as mayor from 1965 to 1966. Among his many real estate holdings was a large parcel of land on the north side of Hollywood Boulevard (originally Prospect Avenue) between Gower and Vine. Mascarel, in his 80s, began subdividing the property in 1897. He died in 1899 and a battle over his estate ensued, initiated by his three surviving adult children. The adult children were not, as was sometimes reported, cut out of his will- they were to receive 1/3 of the sizable estate, but that was not sufficient. They didn’t want any of it going to the grandchildren- whom they accused of poisoning the old man’s mind against his children and, moreover, alleged that they were not Mascarel’s biological grandchildren.

Census records for 1850 and 1860 show Mascarel living with his wife, Cerilda Lugo and the couple’s children- Marie Conception Mascarel included. However by 1870, Jose was living with another woman, Jesus, at least two decades his junior. Cerilda died in 1887 at age 59. Jose and Jesus remained together until his death; they formalized the relationship by marrying in 1896.

Jose and Cerilda Mascarel’s daughter Marie Conception married a livery stable owner named Charles (“French Charlie/Charley”) Gassagne. They were the parents of the 6 grandchildren who became Jose Mascarel’s chief heirs. Marie C. Mascarel Gassange died sometime between 1871 and 1875.

The heirs settled out of court over the will in 1900, agreeing to split the estate 50-50. The grandchildren resumed subdividing the Del Mar tract. They sold a 5-acre parcel on the west side of Vista del Mar Drive to pioneer music company head A. G. Bartlett in November 1900.

Josephine Gassagne married Elias W. Twist in 1880. They built a large residence in Hollywood at 6129 Carlos Avenue, facing south, that in 1914 was leased to a military academy and in 1916 became the first home of the Hollywood Studio Club.

In 1912, Twist operated his real estate office at 6157 Hollywood Boulevard before selling the property to Ziegler.

Detail of a January 1913 Sanborn Fire Insurance Company map for Hollywood. Vista del Mar Dr. here was called Cyril Drive until 1915. Library of Congress.

Hollywood Citizen 1/17/1913.

Zeigler built the Buick showroom on the site in April 1919 as well as another 1-story garage, addressed as 6151, adjacent to the east for use as an automotive paint shop. The Buick showroom has a facade of artificial stone; the interior featured a blue and white color scheme.

Charles S. Howard was the Buick distributor for California. The Hollywood branch operated out of temporary quarters at 1734 Cahuenga before moving to the new building in July 1919.

Hollywood Citizen 3/28/1919.

Hollywood Citizen 7/4/1919.

Hollywood Citizen 7/11/1919.

Howard Motor Co.’s Buick showroom at 6157 Hollywood Blvd. c. 1925. The Doll ‘Em Up Shop auto painters was at 6151. This photo is from the Homestead Museum collection.

Doll ‘Em Up Shop auto painters were next door to Buick at 6151 Hollywood Boulevard. LA Times 3/15/1926

Howard Motor Co.’s Hollywood Buick showroom moved to larger quarters at 6660 Sunset Boulevard on May 1, 1936. The building was a former Packard showroom. 6157 Hollywood Boulevard in turn became the new Packard showroom of W. H. Collins.

Hollywood Citizen News 5/26/1937.

Wartime Packard ad. LA Times 9/6/1943.

W. H. Collins remained at 6157 into 1945, when he moved to 6028 Hollywood Boulevard. Abner Elliott England’s A. E. England Pontiac dealership moved into the vacated space from 6032 Hollywood Boulevard. England re-addressed the building as 6161 Hollywood Boulevard.

Hollywood Citizen News 11/9/1945.

Though the building had a new address, it retained its 1919 appearance until late 1948, when A. E. England began modernizing it. Architect Victor Gruen oversaw the remodel, which gave the building a late-moderne rounded curve on the southwest elevation and large, backlit A. E. England Pontiac signage across the front entrance. The work was completed in February 1949.

Hollywood Citizen News 12/8/1948.

Postcard view of the 1948-1949 remodeled A. E. England Pontiac building. From the Boston Public Library collection.

A. E. England Pontiac remained here into 1971. Ab England died in May 1971. In January 1972 it became Jack Poet Toyota. Toyota moved down the block in 1983.

LA Times 1/22/1972.

6161 became an auto radio shop and other auto-related businesses. Today this site is part of the Eastown Apartment complex, addressed as 6201 Hollywood Boulevard.

Notes:

Jesus only received $5 in Jose Mascarel’s will; this was reportedly satisfactory to her, having received gifts of property from him during his lifetime. She died in 1902.

Josephine and E. W. Twist lived at 6127 Yucca Avenue after leasing the mansion. She died in 1925. He died in 1930.