Friday, October 10, 2008

Geriatric Home Lover Bonanza


For local geriatric home lovers, the next week offers architecture aplenty. Here's a little bungalow, there's a little cottage, or maybe a few Greene and Greene homes might tickle your fancy.

The fun starts with the Claremont Heritage Home Tour this Sunday (10/12).It will feature seven fascinating homes including some of Claremont's most charming cottages and bungalows. The tour will begin at 1201 N Indian Hill Boulevard (corner of N Indian Hill and 12th Street); will include homes on 12th Street and corners of Indian Hill and 12th, all within walking distance. Allow at least two hours to see all homes and visit them in any order.Cost: $20 in advance and members $25 Day of tour


Pasadena Heritage Home Tour is running its 17th Annual Craftsman Weekend from Friday 10/17 to Sunday 10/19. Of local interest is a bus tour on Friday from 9-4PM which will tour the Claremont village area and take a glimpse of the currently being renovated Darling House. This home was the first Greene and Greene commission outside of Pasadena. The brochure makes this bus tour sound interesting, but for those of us who live way out here, $85 is a little steep. The official Home Tour is scheduled for Sunday from 9-4PM and will feature two homes by Sylvanus Marston, some Greene and Greene cottages, and a 100 year old Swiss-Chalet influenced house designed by Roehrig.
Cost: $45 for nonmembers and $40 for members

Pomona Heritage's 24th annual Home Tour is also scheduled for Sunday 10/19. I apologize for not knowing more about the homes, so please comment if you can provide a few tantalizing tidbits about these homes in Pomona. I can tell you that one of the homes is a 3 story 1912 Craftsman with tudor influences. It was designed by Robert Orr, considered one of the most influential ecclesiastical architects of his time. His accomplishments include Pomona YMCA, Pilgrim Congregational Church (Pomona) Crookshank Hall of Zoology (Pomona College), University Christian Church (Seattle), Japanese Christian Church (Los Angeles), Hollywood Christian Church (Los Angeles), First Presbyterian Church (San Diego), Bethel Congregational Church (Ontario), Westminister Presbyterian Church (Seattle), Commercial Street Garage (Los Angeles), and Wilshire Christian Church (Los Angeles).

The tour starts at the Ebell Museum of Pomona History at 585 Holt Ave. and runs from 11AM to 5PM.
Cost: $20 for adults, $18 for students and seniors on day of tour. $18 and $15 if purchased in advance at "The Garden", Ebell Museum, and Frantz Cleaners.

Wow, you can do things cheaper in Pomona!

3 comments:

John Clifford said...

Ed, you beat me to the punch. Beside the Lincoln Park home that Ed discussed is another Lincoln Park home that is a 1913 Colonial Revival. Moving a little further out, is the former Honaker Estate which is a large 1892 Victorian Farm/Orchard house with barn nestled where few can see it. It's a real treasure that should not be missed.

Then there's a wonderful mid-century modern in the Yorba area by architect Hugh Walker, well-known for his custom work and his work in Claremont’s Towne Ranch development. The 2600 square foot home features a wide front door with wrought iron inset and original textured glass panel, original louvered venting, crank-out jalousie windows, and spectacular patio overhang. Add to that a unit in the commercial 1898 Oxarart building on Second Street downtown. AND, just added, a lovingly restored small craftsman bungalow on west Randolph Street (just outside the Wilton historic district).

All the fun begins at the Pomona Ebell Museum of History on Holt at Caswell, with the historic site and its displays available as well as being the site for various vendors and a "box lunch."

And don't forget that on Saturday, Oct. 18 is our annual home tour preview and Gala. Not only will you get to see all of the homes on this year's tour a day early, there will be dining and dancing to the sounds of the 20s, 30, and 40s, at the Sheraton Fairplex. All that for only $50, $45 for Pomona Heritage members. 7 houses, dinner, dancing, and all for only $5 more than Pasadena's tour. I think Ed had it right that you get a lot more for your buck in Pomona.

Ed said...

John, Sorry, I figured we could hit it again next week. I just wanted to mention the Claremont Tour for those who love old homes.

What a great opportunity to see the past and present of Pomona.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the great information on Robert Orr! I'm an architectural historian in Tucson and a firm I'm working with is doing some restoration work on an addition that Mr. Orr did (we're not sure if he did the main church in 1925, but I'll bet he did once I saw his others) for Trinity Presbyterian here in Tucson. I lived in southern California for over 20 years and just moved from the Covina area in 2003 and remember some of the lovely architecture. I'll be visiting in June and now I know exactly what I'm going to be looking at once I'm there. Thanks for the great information! Catherine Westergaard, Tucson AZ

PS. He also did a a beautiful church in Casa Grande now being used as the historical society.