In 1992, the city council of La Habra went into two and a half hours of deliberations, debating the demolition or preservation of Richard M. Nixon’s first law office.
The City Council concluded that the site, which included RN’s law office and the Wester Hotel, did not meet state earthquake standards and stood only as an ‘eyesore’ to the community. The battle to save the historic landmarks, which lasted over a year, was lost, and preservationists and a group of residents witnessed the demolition that started in October of 92.
Because the law office was originally constructed in 1917, it met eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places. However what stands now in its place is the La Habra Community Center and a plaque that notes when Nixon established his office (August of 1939) at Bewley, Knoop, and Nixon and when he left the firm (January 1942).
The Los Angeles Times covered the story in 1992. The article can be seen here.
The plaque was originally on the building but is now rested on bricks removed from the law office.
There is another site that also claims to be the home of Richard Nixon’s first law office.
The site is the National Bank of Whittier building, constructed in 1923, is still standing and on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was home to Wingert and Bewley, the firm RN joined after passing the bar. The future President’s office, however, is not found in the building. That space has been converted into a ‘stealth tower’ by AT&T. A replica of the office does exist, and can be found in the Whittier Historical Museum.