Comprised of several historic residential tracts in 1905, including Boulevard Heights, the Norton Tract, and others established by speculative developers, this area was unincorporated (not within the Los Angeles City limits), and was referred to as Colegrove. In 1909, Colegrove was annexed, city services became available, and construction began in earnest on the lots.

The first home in Wilshire Park was built on Norton's 700 block in 1908, and the area for the most part was fully built out by 1921, with speculative development spiking in 1918 as dozens of Colonial Revival variants completed the neighborhood. Notable architects include J. T. Zeller, Frank M. Tyler, Lloyd Wright, and Edith Northman.