A Birdhouse in Paradise: William Mellenthin and the San Fernando Valley Ranch Homes by Chris Lukather
Foreword by Alan Hess
A
paean to the humble vernacular ranch house, this book explores a builder
responsible for more than 3,000 homes from the 1940s to the ’60s. Mellethin Birdhouse
homes—named for their distinctive roof ornament—were more traditional and less
celebrated than Eichler Homes. The author discovered them on his personal house
hunt, and was inspired to learn more; the main essay chronicles his search for
both a home and the story of William Mellenthin. The book has the attitude of
an enthusiast rather than a scholar, yet presents a wealth of archival
material, from blueprints and family photos to contracts and advertisements. Though
the book focuses on Mellenthin as the builder, Lukather acknowledges architect
Leo F. Bachman, with whom the builder worked for many years.
