ROBERT ARNOLD ROWAN

Los Angeles County

Biographies

ROBERT ARNOLD ROWAN

ROWAN, ROBERT ARNOLD, Real Estate and Investments, Los Angeles, California, was born at Chicago, Illinois, August 27, 1876, the eldest son of George Doddridge Rowan and Fannie F. (Arnold) Rowan. He married Laura Schwarz at Los Angeles, February 28, 1903, and to them there have been born four children—Lorraine, Robert A. Jr., George D. and Louis S. Rowan. Mr. Rowan is descended of a family of New York State pioneers, his paternal and maternal grandfathers having been prominent in commercial affairs. His father was a merchant and real estate operator in Los Angeles and reckoned among the men who started that city to its present greatness.

Mr. Rowan was taken to California by his parents in his infancy and has lived in the Southern part of the State ever since. He was educated in the public schools of Pasadena, California, where the family home was established in 1877. He gave up his studies in 1893, however, and began his business career, going to New York City. He remained in that city for several years subsequently, the first year as an employe (sic) of Ward & Huntington, exporters of hardware to South America.

In 1894 Mr. Rowan embarked in business for himself as a merchandise broker and continued in that line until 1897, when he sold out his interests in New York and returned to Los Angeles to engage in the real estate business. This has been his field ever since and his career from that time forward has been one of the most remarkable successes in the business annals of Los Angeles.

During the year 1898 Mr. Rowan was associated with William May Garland, another successful real estate operator of Los Angeles, and for some time afterwards was engaged with others, but in 1901 he went into business for himself. He was successful from the outset and in 1905, with his several brothers as partners, he organized the R. A. Rowan Company, with himself as President. As the head of this company Mr. Rowan has conducted, from the time of its formation, a campaign of real estate development which placed him among the notable business men of the Southwest.

The operations of his company have included residential tracts and business property in Los Angeles, but more especially the latter, and in connection therewith Mr. Rowan has been the leader in an enormous amount of building in the city. In association with A. C. Bilicke, he formed the Alexandria Hotel Company and built the Alexandria Hotel of Los Angeles, one of the most magnificent hostelries on the American Continent, and he is, with Mr. Bilicke, joint owner of the enterprise. The hotel, being absolutely modern in construction and beautiful in appointment, is known from one end of the country to the other and has been a factor in attracting visitors and investors to Los Angeles, all of which have aided materially in the general growth of the city. Mr. Rowan holds office as Secretary and Treasurer of the company and as such takes an active part in its management.

Several years ago Mr. Rowan and associates erected a handsome office structure known as the Security Building, next put up the Merchants’ National Bank Building, followed it with the Title Insurance Building, another stately structure, and has now (1913) in course of erection a fourth, to be known as the Title Guarantee Building. All of these buildings are fireproof, of beautiful architecture, and form an important part of the business center of Los Angeles. Their combined cost represents an investment of millions of dollars, and while Mr. Rowan is not alone in these enterprises he is generally credited with having inspired them and directed the business connected with their construction.

As his record indicates, Mr. Rowan has devoted himself largely to the improvement of business property, but he has also been active in the general real estate development of Los Angeles, and his company has opened up several important residence sections, among them Windsor Square, an exclusive and restricted district embracing two hundred acres. His property holdings are extensive and he is also a stockholder or director in various business concerns.

Mr. Rowan enjoys wide popularity with all classes in Los Angeles. He is President of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, member of the Los Angeles Realty Board, the California Club, Jonathan Club, Los Angeles Country Club, San Gabriel Valley Country Club, Pasadena Country Club, and of many commercial and civic organizations.

Transcribed 9-13-11 Marilyn R. Pankey.

Source: Press Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 789, International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta. 1913.

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