Rosewood in Topanga Canyon has a rich history as a bohemian getaway for artists of all kinds seeking to escape to the urban wildlands of Los Angeles. Up winding canyon roads and surrounded by oaks and chaparral, the Canyon is home to a community of 11,000 and a serious destination for hikers, lovers of the Santa Monica Mountains, and the romantic allure of Topanga’s past.

Like many of the older locations in Topanga, Rosewood carries its own share of stories and memories. Lower Rosewood–now reconfigured as airy creative space for artists and Topanga New Times–was once the site of Topanga Elementary School. Originally purchased and built in 1948 to accommodate the growing number of students originally located in the property next door (now known as Froggy’s) the school building was divided into several large classrooms with a six-foot covered porch extending the entire length. Some Topangans recall walking to school through a running creek. Years later, following the acquisition of another, larger site for the school, the rooms were occupied by artists—potters, glass blowers, wood carvers and others. Owner/architect Janek Dombrowa has since refined the structure to accommodate creative office space but has retained the “bones” of the original school with its ribbed ceilings and tall glass windows offering views of the creek and sky with birch, willow, sycamore trees, and laurel.