6522 Washington Avenue was built in 1936. This residence was home to Reider Mirth, as listed in the 1939 Whittier City and Suburban Directory.
This residence is significant as an excellent example of a duplex featuring Spanish Colonial Revival architectural style. Spanish Colonial Revival is the later of two design movements with intent to define a prototypical regional architectural style inspired by the California’s Spanish Colonial and Mexican heritage. Accompanying the rise of eclectic Period Revival styles attributed to architects trained in the tradition of l’Ecole des Beaux Arts, a group of influential French design institutions that emphasized literal representations of European architectural precedents, Spanish Colonial Revival derived inspiration from ornate buildings in Latin American and Mediterranean regions, specifically Spain. Spanish Colonial Revival style is featured prominently throughout Whittier and decorative elements associated with this style continue to influence designs of new buildings in the city.