The Street Seen: Virginia Apartments
2804 - 2408 Main Street @ Ashland
The Virginia Apartments, named for its owner, Virginia M. Palm, is a 2-story brick building with residential over ground-floor retail.
In about 1921, Palm builds a 1-story brick plumbing shop on the vacant lot at 2806 Main St.
In 1926, in conjunction with the widening of Main St, Palm acquires the 2-story brick apartment building at 2820 Main St and moves it to the vacant lot at 2804 Main St. The renamed Virginia Apartments has 8 rooms for 4 families.1
In 1933, Palm builds (J.L. Schimmer, Jr is the contractor) a new 2-story residential over Main St retail brick addition (2804 - 2808 Main St) in front of the existing buildings.
Virginia Palm2 and her plumber husband, E. J. Palm,3 live here and run a plumbing business. Self-titled World Women's Billiards Champion, Bertha M. King lives there from 1928 to 1948.
The rear fire escape is added in 1953. The unreinforced masonry (URM) building is seismically strengthened in 1995. In 2005, the building is still in the family - owned by her Ponder grandson.
Today there are still 4 rent-controlled apartments over the ground floor retail.
Virginia M Ferrero Palm Will (1896 – 1983). Born in California, Virginia Ferrero moves to Ocean Park with her family in 1905. In 1916, Virginia marries E. J. Palm. Their daughter Pauline Frances Palm (1917– 1991), marries William Moore Ponder in 1939 and they had two children Gary W Ponder (1945 – ) and Ronald D Ponder (1946 – ). In 1939, Virginia Palm marries WW1 veteran, and Douglas Aircraft employee, Bert Edmond Will (1895 – 1968).
Einar Julius Palm (1894 – 1936). Born in NB. Comes to California in 1907. He marries Virginia M Ferrero in 1916. Palm is a plumber - Palm Plumbing. All Santa Monica area plumbing shops close from 11 am to 2 pm for his funeral service.