The Original House

The original Solheim was a 12-room house, called the Chambers house, on one acre.  It contained a living room, dining room, kitchen, six bedrooms, two bathrooms and a 2nd floor sitting room.  Originally, residents lived two in a room.  Two sets of outside fire escape stairways were added, as required by the Los Angeles Fire Department.  Early improvements included a furnace, new toilet fixtures and a laundry.  The house was expanded in 1932 to accommodate four more men.  The house continued to be used until it was demolished in 1979 to make way for the new Manor Building.

Source:

“Solheim Lutheran Home, Its Life and Times, 1923-1996” by Elizabeth Batchelder and Joyce Dohlin, 1996