Playa del Rey in Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Dodd Playa Del Rey Residence

Dodd Residence Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, February 6, 2022

1. Dodd Residence Marker

Inscription.
Spanish Colonial Revival style. William J. Dodd, architect. Dickinson & Gillespie, contractor. Fritz B. Burns, developer. Built 1930. Declared 2019, Historic-Cultural Monument No. 1195, Cultural Heritage Commission, City of Los Angeles.

Residence
William J. Dodd, AIA
Ione Estes Dodd
February 1, 1928 to November 7, 1932
8107 Delgany Avenue
Playa del Rey, California

Erected 2019 by City of Los Angeles. (Marker Number 1195.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1930.

Location. 33° 57.594′ N, 118° 26.567′ W. Marker is in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Playa del Rey. It is on Delgany Avenue 0.2 miles north of Manchester Avenue, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8207 Delgany Ave, Playa del Rey CA 90293, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s Transverse Ranges.

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It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Gabrielino-Tongva People (approx. 0.3 miles away); Marina del Rey (approx. ¾ mile away); The Helmsman (approx. 1.1 miles away); Marina del Rey Small Craft Harbor (approx. 1.2 miles away); The Land and The People (approx. 1.3 miles away); Tongva Memorial (approx. 1.4 miles away); The Freedom Tree (approx. 1.4 miles away); Lt. Col Roosevelt Hestle (approx. 1.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.

Regarding Dodd Playa Del Rey Residence.
This two-story single-family residence was designed by architect William James Dodd (1862-1930) for himself and his family.

Dodd was born in 1862 and worked as an architect and designer in Louisville, Kentucky, and moved to Los Angeles in 1912. He constructed a number

Photographed by Craig Baker, February 6, 2022

2. Dodd Residence Marker

of residential and commercial properties in the Los Angeles area. He notably worked with master architect Julia Morgan and J.M. Haenke on the design of the Herald-Examiner Building in 1915 (Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 178).

In 1921, the Minneapolis-based real estate firm Dickinson & Gillespie, led by developer Fritz B. Burns, purchased a three-mile tract south of Playa del Rey. Most of the houses in the subdivision were designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style to evoke the aesthetic of a resort community. Following the 1929 stock market crash many of the speculators failed and much of the land remained undeveloped for another two decades. In 1928, architect William J. Dodd and his wife, Ione Estes Dodd purchased 12 parcels in the Del Rey Hills subdivision, but only two homes were built prior to Dodd’s death in 1930, including this home. The Dodd Playa del Rey Residence represents one of the few properties from this period of early residential development in Playa del Rey.

Also see . . .
1. Owner's Manual - William J. Dodd Playa Del Rey Residence HCM No. 1195. The link is a downloadable file of the

Dodd Residence Markers image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, February 6, 2022

3. Dodd Residence Markers

residence's owner's manual at archive.org. (Submitted on February 26, 2022, by Thomas L. McMahon of Playa del Rey, California.)

2. Dodd Playa Del Rey Residence Grant Deed Chronology. Dodd Playa del Rey Residence Historical Chronology 8207 Delgany Avenue, Playa del Rey, California Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 1195

Property Description
• Tract 9809, Block 34, Lot 52
• Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN): 4115-004-017
• Map Book 145, Pages 91-96
• Current Address: 8207 Delgany Avenue (renumbered from 8107 in 1955)
• Architectural Style: Spanish Colonial Revival

(Submitted on January 22, 2026, by Thomas L. McMahon of Playa del Rey, California.)

3. Ione Estes Dodd, Deed Of Executors, Lot 52, Block 34, Tract 9809, August 31 1932. Dodd Playa del Rey Residence OCR Transcription: Deed of Executors (August 31, 1932)

THIS INDENTURE, made this 31st day of August, 1932, by and between IONE ESTES DODD and SECURITY-FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF LOS ANGELES, a corporation, Executors of the Last Will and Testament of WILLIAM JAMES DODD, deceased, parties of the first part, and HARRY A. SCOTT and
Photographed by Craig Baker, February 6, 2022

4. Dodd Playa Del Rey Residence
GLADYS GRANT SCOTT, his wife, as joint tenants, parties of the second part,

WITNESSETH: That WHEREAS, after due and legal notice as required by law, the said Executors of the Last Will and Testament of WILLIAM JAMES DODD, Deceased, did except the bid of Harry A. Scott and Gladys Grant Scott, subject to confirmation of the Superior Court of the State of California, in and for the County of Los Angeles, for the property situated in the City of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, State of California, hereinafter fully described, at the price of forty-two hundred and fifty dollars ($4250) said second parties being the highest and best bidders and that being the highest and best bid sum; and

WHEREAS, the said Superior Court, upon due and legal return of their proceedings made by the Executors on the 16th day of August, 1932, and after making said sale, and upon due and legal notice of at least ten days, given as required by law, and on the 31st day of August, 1932, considered said matter in open court, and no person making a higher bid, did make an order confirming said sale unto the said Harry A. Scott and Gladys Grant Scott as joint
Photographed by Thomas L. McMahon, May 30, 2018

5. Living Room
tenants, and directing conveyance to be executed to said second parties of the second part, a certified copy of which order of confirmation will be filed for record concurrently herewith, in the office of the County Recorder of Los Angeles County, in which said County the property sold is situated, which said order of confirmation is hereby referred to and made a part of this Indenture.

NOW THEREFORE, the said Ione Estes Dodd and Security-First National Bank of Los Angeles, a corporation, the Executors of the last will and testament of William James Dodd, deceased, as parties of the first part, for and in consideration of the sum of Forty-two Hundred and Fifty dollars ($4250.00) to them in hand paid by the said parties of the second part, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have granted bargained, sold and conveyed, and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell and convey unto the said second parties, as joint tenants, all the right, title, interest and estate of the said William James Dodd, deceased, at the time of his death, and also all right, title and interest that the said estate, by operation of law or otherwise, may

6. Dodd Residence, approximately 1958
Owned by Ivan Miller at that time.
have acquired since his death, in and to that certain property situated in the City of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, State of California, and described as follows, to-wit:

Lot 52, Block 34, Tract 9809, as per Map recorded in Book 145, Pages 91 to 96 inclusive of Maps, in the office of the County Recorder of said County.

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, all and singular, the above mentioned and described property unto the said parties of the second part, as joint tenants.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the said Ione Estes Dodd has hereunto set her hand, and the said Security-First National Bank of Los Angeles, a corporation, has caused these presents to be executed by its officers thereunto duly authorized and its corporate seal hereunto affixed, the day and year first above written.

(Submitted on January 22, 2026, by Thomas L. McMahon of Playa del Rey, California.)

"Architect to Occupy Residence Along Seashore" image. Click for full size.

courtesy Los Angeles Times, March 9, 1930

7. "Architect to Occupy Residence Along Seashore"

“Construction work has started on a seven-room Spanish-type home for W.J. Dodd at Playa del Rey, according to V.L.Gentry, manager for the Dickinson & Gillespie Corporation, developers of the project, who reports plans completed for fifteen additional residences and building work in progress on eight others. The Dodd home contains three bedrooms, living-room, large dining-room, combination breakfast and serving room and kitchen. It is situated on sloping ground and overlooks the ocean."

The Dickinson & Gillespie Building image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, February 6, 2022

8. The Dickinson & Gillespie Building

Located nearby, on Culver Blvd at Vista Del Mar. Built in 1922. Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 955.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 23, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 8, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 1,026 times since then and 103 times this year. Last updated on January 22, 2026, by Thomas L. McMahon of Playa del Rey, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 8, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 5, 6, 7. submitted on February 26, 2022, by Thomas L. McMahon of Playa del Rey, California. 8. submitted on February 8, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.