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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03 310 South Pasadena StreetITEM #3 DATE: MARCH 24, 2009 TO: PLANNING COMMISSION FROM: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT T~ OrN Inter-Com ?~~~,~~? SUBJECT: TUSTIN HISTORIC REGISTER NOMINATION - 310 S. PASADENA AVE. RECOMMENDATION That the Planning Commission approve the nomination of 310 South Pasadena Avenue to the Tustin Historic Register Plaque Designation Program and select the most appropriate _ historical name and date of construction for the property. BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION Owners of historic homes or commercial buildings in Tustin are eligible to participate in the City's plaque designation program, called the Tustin Historic Register. The purpose of the voluntary program is to recognize Tustin's historic properties, educate the public, increase public interest in historic properties, and promote community pride. The bronze plaques purchased through the program may be mounted or set on metal stakes. Property owners who would like to participate are responsible for the cost, installation, and maintenance of the plaques. The plagues display the construction date of the building, up to two lines of text, and are identified with the words "Tustin Historic Register." Nomination forms are obtained from the Community Development Department. Anyone, including the Commission, may nominate properties. On January 27, 2009, the Planning Commission approved the nomination of the property at 310 South Pasadena Avenue to the City's quarterly Commendation Program. As a result, this property is automatically nominated to the City's Historic Register Program and provided ' with a plaque paid for by the City of Tustin. Pursuant to the procedures approved by the City Council on November 6, 2007, the nomination was forwarded to the presidents of the Tustin Preservation Conservancy and Tustin Area Historical Society. The two groups were requested to collaborate andlor review the nomination, research the history of the property, and to note the most appropriate historical name and date of construction. The Preservation Conservancy transmitted the attached information (Attachment A) to the Community Development Department on March 3, 2009. The Historical Society has not provided any information pertaining to the nomination. Planning Commission Report Tustin Historic Register - 310 S. Pasadena Avenue March 24, 2009 Page 2 The residence was built in 1880 and has an A rating in the City's 1990 Historical Survey. It is believed that the building was originally used a hotel. The Charles W. Wilcox Family owned the property from 1893 until 1920. Mr. Wilcox was a prominent Tustin resident and one of the area's earliest settlers. According to the City's 1990 Historical Survey, he referred to the residence as "The Villa." Appropriate historical names far the property may include "The Villa," "Wilcox House," "Wilcox Villa" and "Wilcox House-The Villa." Furthermore, the owners have named their home "Wilcox Manor" and would prefer that the plaque reflect that name. In 2002, the former Cultural Resources Advisory Committee selected "Wilcox Villa" as the most appropriate name for the residence. It is recommended that the Planning Commission select one of these five names as the most appropriate historical name for the property. The date on the plaque should be - "1880." Scott Reekstin Senior Planner Attachment A -Information from Preservation Conservancy 5:1Cdd1PCREPORT120081Tusiin Historic Register 310 S Pasadena.doc Board of Director: l.inela (ennings, President Arent A. Fcrdig /y ~ ticot Lewis ] `~. LHLLr'd tilrlattl ,:_, ~ 1Jyn tienith } leidi Brown ;;.,,L~.i' ~ Tustin Preservation Conservancy Markus lirow.n ----„ ,, :~ ; -,;'~ 350 South B Street Lindburgh McPherson _ ~ '~ ~ Old Town Tustin, California 92780 Kim DrBartedrarr March 3, 2009 Scott Reekstin Senior Planner City of Tustin 300 Centennial Way Tustin, CA 92780 RE: Commendation Nomination: 310 South Pasadena Avenue Dear Mr. Reekstin, The following are my research findings for the historic name in regards to the property located at 310 South Pasadena Avenue: • Architectural Style: Victorian Italianate Year Built: 1880 The original use of the building was believed to a stagecoach stop and hotel. Some early records indicate that the building was three stories and one of the original stories was removed in the late 19~' century. It is not confirmed if the carriage house, located next to the main building, was originally part of the main building. This structure was also built in the Victorian Italianate style and dates from the same time period as the main building. The exterior of main and the carriage house have been altered many times aver the years and have last most of its architectural integrity, but are significant for its historical associations. Early Ownership of 310 South Pasadena Avenue 1880-1892 Unknown 1893-1920 Charles W. Wilcox Family 1920-1946 John D. Rinard Family 1958-2007 Dirk Bode Family An early owner of this property was Charles Wheaton Wilcox. Mr. Wilcox came to Tustin in 1874 and later bought athree-story hotel. Per a letter by Mr. Wilcox's granddaughter, Miriam Kraft Rice, he removed one story, used it as his residence and called it "The Villa". Mr. Wilcox was one of the early pioneers of Tustin and was involved in the real estate boom of the 1$80's. He was one of the share holders of the Tustin Land & Improvement Company that was incorporated in 1886. The Tustin Land & Improvement Company built the Tustin Hotel in 1887 that was located on the corner of El Camino Real (D Street) and Third Street. The Tustin Land & Improvement Company also promoted the sale of lots for development. In 1868, Columbus Tustin purchased with his partner N.O. Stanford 1,359.9 acres from the Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana land grant. Per a Historical Sketch of the Tustin District by C.E. Utt, he states "I remember among those resident in the neighborhood (1874), besides the Tustin family were: Silas Ritchey, G.W. Freeman, Tom Vestal, C.W, i~Vilcox, Andrew Mills, I. M, Liehy, W.M. Martui and A. McNaughton". From this account, Charles Wilcox was one of the earliest settlers of Tustin. The following are several of Charles W. Wilcox's involvement in the early years of Tustin's history: • Sycamore School District Trustee (Original name of the Tustin School District) 1874-1876 • First Board of Directors in 1888 when the Bznk of Tustin was established • Helped established the Episcopal Church of Tustin in l 878 Based on the research of this property and the owners over the past one hundred years, I recommend that the historic name for this property to be: WilCOx House-The Villa. ~~ Brent A. Ferdig Board of Director Tustin Preservation Conservancy References: City of Tustin residential Design Guidelines- August 15, 1994 City of Tustin I-listorical Survey- June 1990 "Curtin: A City of Trees An Illustrated History, Carol Jordan-1996 Photos: Orange County Public Library-Historical Images History of Orange County, Volumel, Mrs. J.C. Pleasants-1931 The Orange County Register, Remember When, Juanita L,overt-June 12, 2008 "THE VILLA" Charles W. Wilcox House Tustin, CA 1898 CHARLES WHEATON WILCOX (1832-1897) TUSTIN, CA 1875 JEANETTE WILCOX AND ADOLPH KRAFT WEDDING FEBRUARY 11, 1899 WILCOX HOUSE ~~:`:GIST'~R. xrcglster.com Tl~iursd~y, June 12, 200£i Remember When: They don't make weddings like that anymore rl the early years, the parlor was the place to exchange VC?W~ Juanita Lovret R~a~~~F~:rnbt:r Vdiw~ri Most weddings in Tustin's early years were simple affairs. Even after the First Advent Christian Church was built in 1880 and the Tustin Presbyterian Church in 1884, many brides elected to be married in the parlor at home. Only the very wealthy brides wore white gowns with veils, but if they did, their bridesmaids also usually wore white. High- necked gowns with long sleeves were the fashion. Favorite colors were dark brown, wine and blue. Most brides planned that their wedding dress would be their "best" dress for years to come. If the couple were leaving on a honeymoon after the ceremony, the bride often wore a dark traveling outfit with a bonnet. Elaborate weddings such as that of Martha Snow in 1887 to Sherman Stevens, partner of her father, Horace C. Snow, in a Santa Ana lumber company, were for the rich. Her sheer white gown with a square neck and three-quarter sleeves was worn with long gloves. A frilly headpiece held her long veil in place. Following their nuptials in the Tustin Presbyterian Church, the newlyweds and their guests crossed Main Street on a red carpet to dance and celebrate at their newly finished Queen Victorian home. Jeannette Wilcox, daughter of Charles Wheaton Wilcox, president of the Santa Ana Valley Fruit Co., a Tustin Land & Improvement Co. shareholder and a Bank of Tustin director, also wore a traditional white wedding gown with a veil when she married Adolph A. Kraft, who was attired in formal wear. They celebrated with their many friends at the Wilcox home, The Villa, after the ceremony. More common was a wedding described by a Tustin correspondent for Santa Ana's INR tMA:\Yi6 Ct1Uti7Y 1~.E~ISTER ocregJster.com Evening Daily Blade in early 1900: "Very pretty indeed was the scene Wednesday when Miss Edith Hubbard became the bride of Frank G. Holmes beneath the large pepper trees at their future home. The spot was transformed into a bower of beauty by Misses La Veta Comstock and Aima Cock. A pretty background was woven of pepper boughs and white roses and from the trees swung dainty baskets of pink roses tied with white ribbon. "At the appointed hour the bridal party appeared and took their place beneath a pretty white bell and Rev. Kennedy performed the very impressive ceremony. The bride ware a very dainty white French gown and carried a bouquet of white carnations. Miss Rosa Whitney was bridesmaid and also wore white." A Tustin News story noted in 1923 that "Frank L. Winterborne and Miss Daisy Yorba of San Juan Capistrano were united in marriage last Saturday at the home of the groom in Tustin. The morning wedding attended by the immediate families only was performed by the Rev. Winterborne of Tustin." As the years went by, Tustin's two churches added parlors and social halls where many wedding receptions were held, although celebrations at home continued to be popular. Not until the 1970s did stories in The Tustin News note that after-wedding festivities were held at locations like the Revere House, Saddleback Inn or Red Hill Tennis Club.