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The only home ever owned by screen legend Marilyn Monroe is at the center of a legal and cultural battle as its new owners seek to demolish it. The Spanish Hacienda-style house in Los Angeles' Brentwood neighborhood, where Monroe died in 1962, was purchased in 2023 for USD 8.35 million. Shortly after the sale, preservationists successfully petitioned the city to designate the property a historic landmark, halting the demolition. This ruling is now being challenged in court by the owners, who claim the home has been extensively altered and no longer holds historical significance.
A legal and cultural battle is underway in Los Angeles over the fate of Marilyn Monroe?s final home, the only one she ever owned independently. The single-story Spanish Hacienda-style home in the city's exclusive Brentwood neighborhood was purchased by a couple, Brinah Milstein and Roy Bank, in 2023 for USD 8.35 million. The new owners' plan to demolish the house to expand their property was quickly blocked by city officials, who, responding to public outcry, designated the residence a historic-cultural monument. Advertisement
The battle has moved to the courts, with Milstein and Bank filing a lawsuit against the city to overturn the landmark status. Their attorney argues that the house has lost its authenticity and no longer has any physical evidence of Monroe's presence due to numerous renovations by its previous 14 owners. The owners have also raised concerns about their privacy, citing an increase in tour bus traffic and drones since the dispute began. As a compromise, they have even suggested relocating the house to a more public site where fans can visit without disrupting their family's privacy.
However, preservationists, including the Los Angeles Conservancy, are fighting to save the home. They say that the home is a key part of Hollywood history and Monroe's legacy. An inscription in Latin, "Cursum Perficio," or "The Journey Ends Here," is etched in a tile near the home's front door, adding to its poignant history.
Source: Bloomberg
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