Colonel John E. Stearns commissioned John Parkinson in 1900 to design a substantial residence in the newly platted St. James Park subdivision, one of the elite residential enclaves developing west of downtown Los Angeles at the turn of the century. The military title reflects an earlier chapter in the Colonel's life, while the commission of a prominent architect for this address signaled his established position in the city's commercial landscape. The house rose during the same period when Parkinson was building his reputation with major institutional commissions, making this residential work a quieter but no less carefully composed project in his early Los Angeles portfolio.
[RESEARCH NOTE: The designation file held by the Office of Historic Resources should contain the architectural description needed to complete this paragraph. Without access to that document or photographs, specific design features cannot be accurately described. The style, materials, floor plan, and visible architectural elements require documentation before this section can be written.]
