August 4, 2025 Your Source for Brentwood News

Opinion: Does Los Angeles Want a Historical Monument That Can’t Be Seen?

By Raymond Klein

The purpose of a monument is to be seen. A monument is a tangible embodiment of a historical legacy that is protected for future generations. But the Los Angeles City Council is about to consider adding to the list of L.A. Historic Monuments the “Marilyn Monroe House,” that will not be able to be seen or experienced by the public nor by the celebrity home tour buses and sightseers who would nevertheless seek out the address if it is added to the list of Los Angeles Monuments. What they would see is a wall and gate shown in the current photo below. The result would be traffic, noise, and a general nuisance endangering the safety and, peace, and quiet of the neighbors on a narrow cul-de-sac street.   

Councilwoman Traci Park, the Cultural Heritage Commission, and the Planning and Land Use Management Committee of the City Council have proposed the designation of the privately-owned property in Brentwood as a Historical Monument because Marilyn Monroe lived there for less than a year in 1962, and it was the place, according to the L.A. County Coroner, of her “probable suicide.” Proponents of historic designation can cite only one interview Marilyn Monroe had with a reporter during her short residency at the house and only two photo sessions. Opposed to the designation are the current owner of the property, the Brentwood Community Council (representing approximately 35,000 stakeholders), the Brentwood Homeowners Association, the Brentwood Park Property Owners Association, and the Mandeville Canyon Association. 

Marilyn Monroe undoubtedly played a significant role in the entertainment industry on a national level and continues to be a Hollywood icon with fans throughout the world. But should this particular property be a Los Angeles Historic Monument? After the president of the Cultural Heritage Commission was able to tour the property, he said at the hearing that, “When I stood in the bedroom, I was moved.” But, the public will not have access to the house. The Commissioners were able to enter the locked gate and view the exterior and interior of the house, which are hidden to anyone else behind a high wall. The public will not be able to see the house from the public roadway or experience the house in the way that influenced the Commissioners. This would be the only Los Angeles Historic Monument that the public will not be able to experience or see.

The Motion by Councilwoman Park to designate was made quickly to stop demolition and was emotional and impulsive. But now that there has been time for a rational, analytical review of the issue, designating a Monument that no one can see or experience and that would have serious nuisance side effects for thousands in the nearby neighborhood should not be done. Even Marilyn Monroe would oppose designation to preserve her house. An article in LIFE magazine written after an interview in her house around the time of Marlyn Monroe’s death said: “She had refused LIFE any pictures of it, saying, “I don’t want everybody to see exactly where I live, what my sofa or my fireplace looks like. Do you know the book Everyman? Well, I want to stay just in the fantasy of Everyman.” In other words, Marilyn Monroe would be opposed to designating the Brentwood house as a Monument. Councilwoman Traci Park and City Council should grant her wish.

Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed by the author are strictly personal and do not necessarily represent the views of any group or organization with which he is affiliated, nor do they reflect the stance of this publication.

in News
Related Posts

Family Behind Gas Station Empire Lists $45M Brentwood Estate

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

Kohanoffs Debut 21,000-Square-Foot “Willow Crest” Compound Perched in the secluded Crestwood Hills neighborhood, a newly constructed Brentwood estate built by...

Cary Grant’s Former Beverly Hills Estate Hits Market for $77.5M

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

Rebuilt by His Widow, the Home Now Offers Sweeping Views Once owned by Hollywood legend Cary Grant, a Beverly Hills...

LA Housing Permits Rebound in Q2: Wildfire Rebuild and Fast-Tracked Reviews Spur Modest Growth

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

New Data Shows a 37% Quarterly Jump in Residential Permits, Long-Term Uncertainty Looms Residential development in Los Angeles picked up...

Federal Court Upholds Stay on Trump-Era Immigration Raids in California

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

Detention Horror Stories and Legal Pressure Keep Feds at Bay  A federal appeals court on Friday upheld a temporary order...

Two LA County Deputies Charged in Off-Duty Scheme Tied to Crypto ‘Godfather’

August 2, 2025

August 2, 2025

Deputies Accused of Abusing Law Enforcement Powers for Beverly Hills Mogul One Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy pleaded guilty,...

Metro Releases Draft Environmental Report for Sepulveda Transit Project, Public Comment Now Open

August 2, 2025

August 2, 2025

Six Route Alternatives Under Review for Valley-To-Westside Connection The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has released its Draft...

Trump Administration Freezes $200M in UCLA Research Funds Over Student Protests

August 2, 2025

August 2, 2025

UCLA Says Freeze Harms Life-Saving Research With No Connection to Stated Reason Donald Trump’s administration has blocked $200 million in...

City Installs Crosswalks In Sawtelle District After Residents Paint Their Own

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

Los Angeles Begins Official Safety Upgrades Near Stoner Park City crews began installing official crosswalks Friday near Stoner Park in...

HARD Summer Returns This Weekend With New Sound Strategy After 2024 Noise Complaints

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

Sold-Out EDM and Hip-Hop Festival Runs Saturday and Sunday at Hollywood Park The HARD Summer music festival is set to...

Brentwood Fine Wines Hosts Rosé All Day Event This Saturday

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

Enjoy Handpicked Glasses of Rosé on August 2 Wine lovers can sip and savor this weekend as Brentwood Fine Wines...

LAPD Honors Sgt. Shiou Deng as ‘Gold Standard of Selflessness’ at Memorial Service

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

Veteran Officer Remembered After Being Killed While Aiding Crash Victims in Brentwood Family, colleagues, and fellow officers gathered Thursday morning...

1,000 Additional National Guard Troops Withdrawn From LA as Federal Presence Continues to Shrink

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

National Guard Presence in Los Angeles Slashed Again Amid Ongoing Rollback Roughly an additional 1,000 National Guard troops have been...

Luxury Watches Stolen From Keanu Reeves Recovered in Chile, To Be Returned to Actor

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

Six Rolex Watches Worth Over $120,000 Were Seized in Santiago Police Raid Six high-end watches stolen from actor Keanu Reeves’...

Aging Mindfully: Zen-Inspired Senior Living Takes Shape in Simi Valley

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

Two Zen-inspired senior living communities are embracing the reality of aging — consciously. Ensō Village, open since 2023 in Sonoma County,...

Lulu Hosts Summer Tardeada With Guest Chef From Oakland’s Bombera

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

Chef Dominica Rice-Cisneros Joins Alice Waters for a Courtyard Celebration Lulu, the acclaimed restaurant located at the Hammer Museum, will...