Bell in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Bell House
Photographed by Craig Baker
1. Bell House Marker
Built 1876 by James George Bell.
Home of James George Bell and Susan Abia Hollenbeck Bell and their children Alphonzo Edward, Otis, Mary and Maude Elizabeth.
California State Historical Resources listed August 6, 1999. Dedicated March 6, 2000.
Erected 2000 by City of Bell.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1876.
Location. 33° 58.705′ N, 118° 11.33′ W. Marker is in Bell, California, in Los Angeles County. It is at the intersection of Gage Avenue and Pine Avenue, on the right when traveling west on Gage Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4401 E Gage Ave, Bell Gardens CA 90201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los Angeles and in the Transverse Ranges. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, on 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
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Tree of Remembrance (approx. 2½ miles away); El Pueblo de Los Angeles (approx. 2.8 miles away); La Mesa Battlefield (approx. 3 miles away); The Battle of La Mesa (approx. 3 miles away); Ruben Salazar (approx. 3.1 miles away); Casa de Rancho San Antonio (approx. 3.1 miles away); Bob’s Big Boy (approx. 3.2 miles away); Augustus F. Hawkins (approx. 3½ miles away).
Regarding Bell House. James George Bell was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in 1831. His friend J. Edward Hollenbeck persuaded Bell to join him in California. In 1875, Bell and his extended family purchased 360 acres near modern Los Angeles. The area was originally part of the Spanish land grant Rancho San Antonio. Between 1870 and 1890, the grant was broken into smaller land holdings and acquired by newly arriving settlers.
Bell engaged in cattle raising and dry farming, developed water wells, and rented land to vegetable farmers. The family's "Bell House" was built in an early Victorian architectural style. Bell helped
Photographed by Craig Baker
2. Bell House and Marker
He served as Bell's first postmaster, and rose through the ritual ranks of the Masonic Lodge. Late in life, Bell would subdivide his land into tracts of 5-acre farms. He was one of the founders of Occidental College.
Photographed by Craig Baker
3. Bell House
Credits. This page was last revised on October 12, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 12, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 12, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
