Since its founding, Alhambra and her surrounding communities have dealt with inclement weather. Rain and even snow has been a part of the San Gabriel Valley’s past. Take a look at some of the soggy (and even snowy!) weather folks have experienced over the last century.
Posted in Alhambra History | Tagged Alhambra, Arroyo Seco, El Nino, Monterey Park, San Gabriel River | Leave a Comment »
At a well-attended November 4 presentation and ceremony in the Alhambra Civic Center Library’s Reese Hall, Alhambra Preservation Group honored Emery Park Elementary School with a 2015 Heritage Award. This marked the first time that one of Alhambra’s public buildings has been a recipient of APG’s prestigious award, which celebrates the preservation of historic architecture.
Built in 1931 in the Georgian Revival Style, the school was designed by Alhambra-based architect, Richard Farrell, and built by a local construction firm, Steed Brothers Construction. “Emery Park Elementary School is an important local landmark, designed and built by members of our community during the Great Depression,” stated Christine Olson, President of the Alhambra Preservation Group, in making the presentation. “APG is proud to recognize the Alhambra Unified School District for its careful stewardship of this impressive historic building.”
Built in the center of a 400-acre tract of land owned by a New York tobacco tycoon, Charles Goodwin Emery, Emery Park Elementary School was constructed to accommodate the school-aged children of families who had purchased homes in Emery Park during the 1920s, a boom time for real estate in Alhambra. “At the completion of construction, the community was justifiably proud of the two-story brick school building and its modern features,” continued Ms. Olson. Opening day was September 14, 1931 with the Alhambra Post-Advocate boasting that the school was “the finest in the Southland, providing the most complete facilities and conveniences for an elementary education to be found anywhere.”
“Emery Park Elementary School has changed a great deal in the 84 years since it was built, but its core educational mission has not changed and neither has its architectural character,” stated Adele Andrade-Stadler, President of the Alhambra Unified School District. “We thank Alhambra Preservation Group for recognizing Emery Park Elementary and for shining a spotlight upon its unique and remarkable history.”
Posted in APG Events, Heritage Home Awards | Tagged Alhambra, Alhambra Preservation Group, Alhambra Unified School District, Emery Park Elementary School, Heritage Awards | Leave a Comment »
Well, it’s that time of year again! Despite our recent spate of record-breaking heat, the first signs of autumn are appearing all around us. Leaves are just beginning to turn; the first Halloween decorations are appearing on porches and in windows throughout our neighborhoods; our local store shelves are well stocked with an astonishing array of pumpkin items. Fall is truly upon us—and, with it, APG’s annual membership campaign!
This is the time of year when we ask you to contribute your financial support to our ongoing effort to preserve Alhambra’s past for its future through the enactment of sound and effective development policies that will incorporate historic preservation into planning and decision-making about the character of our city’s buildings and neighborhoods.
This year, we’re making it easier than ever to contribute to APG. Taking a page from Public Television, Radio, and scores of our community-based nonprofit counterparts, we have added a new “pledge” category to our membership payment options. Those choosing this option will have the opportunity to specify the amount of their gift and to spread it over 10 automatic monthly payments. This e-commerce service is safe, secure and accessible through our website. Understanding that cash flow is an important issue for most of us, our hope is that this new option will enable some of us to give at a higher level than might be practical with our traditional single-payment method.
Of course, for those who are most comfortable writing a single check, that option still remains. As in years past, simply choose your membership level or donation amount, fill in the Membership Return Card and send it back along with your payment.
So, please check your mailboxes for our annual mailed appeal and give as generously as you are able. To those of you who are not yet members, we promise you a year of fun, interesting, and educational opportunities for learning more about Alhambra’s rich history, architectural and cultural assets—even about your own home. To our many longtime supporters, we are honored by your commitment to historic preservation and by the confidence that you have placed in Alhambra Preservation Group to give voice to that commitment. In either case, we promise to work hard on your behalf and on behalf of our city and the proud heritage that is embodied in its remaining architectural treasures. For, once lost, these cannot be recovered. Please join us!
Posted in Alhambra Preservation Group | Tagged Alhambra Preservation Group, membership, membership drive | Leave a Comment »
Stand Up for Historic Preservation
On the night of May 11 of this year, 100 APG members and supporters “stood up” for historic preservation at the Alhambra City Council meeting. APG President Chris Olson gave a presentation advocating for Alhambra’s adoption of a preservation ordinance and delivered a packet of educational documents that included a sample historic preservation ordinance and APG’s Preservation Myths and Facts to each of the Alhambra City Councilmembers. She also challenged Alhambra’s council to hold a study session so they could learn more about the preservation of historic buildings. While the City Council has yet to schedule a study session on this issue, the update of Alhambra’s General Plan began in mid-May and the survey that was distributed to residents in June included questions about historic preservation.
Alhambra’s General Plan
You may be aware that our city is now engaged in the process of creating a new General Plan – one that will guide Alhambra’s growth and development for the next 20 years. During the open comment period that ended in July, APG organized three ice cream socials hosted by the owners of Heritage Award-winning historic homes. These casual events were models of citizen engagement, and they generated lively discussions about our visions for Alhambra’s future. The next step in Alhambra’s General Plan process is the release of the draft General Plan. It looks like the City of Alhambra will host its next community meeting in January 2016. We will be sure to notify you once the draft plan has been released to the public for review.
How Can You Become an Advocate for Historic Preservation?
You can get involved by taking three actions:
- Learn about the benefits of historic preservation and think about what home or building is irreplaceable in your own neighborhood.
- Contact your Alhambra Councilmember and share your thoughts with them on preservation-related issues.
- Talk to your neighbors and friends about what you’ve learned and encourage them to also do Steps 1 and 2.
Posted in Advocacy | Tagged advocacy, Alhambra, Alhambra City Council, Alhambra Preservation Group, APG | Leave a Comment »
Today, Halloween with its haunted houses, fright fests and trick-or-treating are commonplace in America, but these ghoulishly fun fall antics weren’t always the norm. A century ago, this holiday was very different.
When this photo of a Halloween party was taken in 1919 at the Alhambra home of Elizabeth Reynolds on Huntington Drive, the All Hallows Eve holiday was more about the masquerade than getting the ba-jeebers scared out of you. The young adults in this photo were probably attending a Halloween costume party. The evening’s games may have included bobbing for apples, biting donuts off of a hanging string, and carving a jack o’ lantern or two. They may have even played a new Halloween game called The Shivers, which was introduced that same year in the New York Tribune. The Shivers was a game where different “wooly, slimey, cold or wobbly” items were passed around in total darkness among the party-goers. Anyone dropping one of the articles was out of the game. The menu at this Halloween party may have included Sandwich Imps (sandwiches cut in the shapes of demons, cats or owls), and a Jack O’ Lantern salad (hollowed out apples cut to look like jack o’ lanterns and filled with fruit salad).
It may sound strange, but tricks-or-treats or a visit to a haunted house would not have been part of the night’s festivities. Trick-or-treating didn’t begin in earnest until the 1930s in the United States. Haunted house attractions as we know them today began in the 1960s and 70s in the Midwestern cities of Louisville and Cincinnati. Despite the differences of a century ago, we’re sure of one thing. The word of Halloween night in Alhambra was, and always will be “Boo!”
What’s your favorite Alhambra Halloween memory? Share it with us in the comments section below.
Photo courtesy of Tom Geer.
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On Saturday, November 14, APG members have the pleasure of enjoying a tour of the USC Pacific Asia Museum located in Pasadena.
The tour will be a docent-led tour of the museum’s Grace Nicholson Building with a particular focus on its historic architecture and gardens. Inspired by a Chinese Qing Dynasty palace, the building was originally constructed in 1924 as the private home of pioneering collector and entrepreneur Grace Nicholson.
Our member field trips to sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places are always filled to capacity, because they are offered free of charge to members.
Be sure to give us a call at (626) 755-3467 or send us an email (info@alhambrapreservation.org) so that we can reserve space for you.
Photo courtesy of the USC Pacific Asia Museum.
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How about a free virtual tour of a few of Alhambra’s most beautiful homes including the house that was featured in the movie Father of the Bride starring Steve Martin? You’re in luck!
You are invited to join Alhambra Preservation Group at our next big event, on Wednesday, November 4 at 7:00 p.m. at the Alhambra Civic Center Library’s Reese Hall, where APG will present its 8th Annual Heritage Awards.
This free event honors a small group of local property owners who have made outstanding contributions to historic preservation in Alhambra, and includes a multi-media presentation on the history and rehabilitation of each featured building. “This year, we will honor, not only some extraordinary homes, but one of Alhambra’s historically significant civic buildings as well,” stated APG President, Christine Olson.
You won’t want to miss it! Light refreshments will be served, and everyone is welcome. Visit our website or follow us on Facebook for the latest information about this and other APG activities.
Photo courtesy of Alhambra Preservation Group.
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
An APG ice cream social is coming to a neighborhood near you this summer!
We want to hear your thoughts on Alhambra’s future! The City of Alhambra is updating its General Plan, and we need your help to ensure that historic preservation plays an important role.
Join us at one of three ice cream socials at Alhambra Preservation Group Heritage Award-winning homes:
4:00 p.m., Saturday, July 18 at 1824 South 6th Street
7:00 p.m., Thursday, July 23 at 901 North Bushnell Avenue
4:00 p.m., Saturday, July 25 at 3127 Poplar Boulevard
Come for the FREE Fosselman’s ice cream, some good old-fashioned fun and a bit of friendly conversation about your vision for Alhambra. Tell your friends – everyone is welcome! We encourage all to RSVP so that everyone gets some ice cream.
So, how ’bout it? A scoop for your thoughts?
Posted in APG Events | Tagged Alhambra, Alhambra Preservation Group, APG, Ice Cream Social | Leave a Comment »
It’s time to stand up for historic preservation! Alhambra needs your help on Monday, May 11, 2015. All you have to do is show up at the City Council meeting scheduled that evening to show your support for historic preservation in Alhambra.
Alhambra Preservation Group has been working hard for a very long time to move our city’s elected leadership toward a preservation ordinance that will:
• Protect the character of our neighborhoods;
• Increase and maintain the value of our homes; and
• Conserve our precious historic and architectural resources.
So far, we have been disappointed by Alhambra’s leaders’ lack of initiative in adopting a preservation ordinance. We are ready to show them that a significant number of Alhambrans believe that now is the time to move forward with adopting a preservation ordinance.
Since May is National Preservation Month, we’re using the occasion of the May 11 City Council meeting to show them—in an unmistakable, visual way—that their neighbors and constituents want to see historic preservation included in our city’s planning policy. We plan on taking advantage of the public comment period at the end of the meeting when APG’s President, Christine Olson will address the Council, offering a variety of planning materials and resources, and asking them to conduct a “study session” on how historic preservation might be incorporated into city planning here in Alhambra. Your presence in the audience will demonstrate that you stand in support of historic preservation.
Won’t you join us? Alhambra needs you! Here are the specifics regarding the City Council meeting:
Date: Monday, May 11, 2015
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Place: Alhambra City Hall, Council chamber, upstairs, 111 South First Street, Alhambra, CA
APG’s goal is to pack the Council chamber with supporters and to create a powerful visual display for our elected leaders. This is one of those times when numbers matter! It’s all about showing up. We don’t know how long the meeting will last, but it’s important that we all stay until the end.
This is the most important thing we’ve ever asked of you and we hope that you’ll be willing to answer this call. Can Alhambra count on you?
If you’d like more information, please feel free to contact us at info@alhambrapreservation.org.
Posted in Advocacy | Tagged Alhambra, Alhambra City Council, Alhambra Preservation Group, historic preservation, preservation ordinance | Leave a Comment »
A meticulously restored 1906 Victorian Transitional Bungalow, located in the Wuest tract of Alhambra, was recently honored with Alhambra Preservation Group’s 2014 Katherine Hildreth Memorial Heritage Home Award. In presenting the award, APG President Christine Olson remarked that in the three years since purchasing the home, its owner has done an extraordinary job of restoration, preparing this historic gem for another century of functional use.
This impressive home is located near the former Red Car line that carried passengers along Huntington Drive, to and from the business center in downtown Los Angeles. In 1906, the original owners, Fred and Emma Shuttleworth, purchased an unimproved lot from Samuel Wuest. Fred Shuttleworth, a Freemason, hired his fellow lodge member George W. May to build a five-room cottage for his family. Sixteen years later, in 1922, the Shuttleworths had a small guest house constructed at the rear of the property. It, too, was a one-story bungalow, which closely matched the style of the original home. As a rental unit, the additional income helped to ensure a comfortable retirement for the elderly owners.
The Shuttleworth home was designed as a Craftsman bungalow, incorporating elements of the earlier Victorian style in its window treatments and interior details, such as the Birdseye maple woodwork, dentil moldings, high ceilings and tall windows. The Craftsman style is characterized by the rustic texture of building materials, including shingles and redwood siding; a low-pitched roof with exposed rafter tails; and a covered front porch supported by substantial posts. There are two large bay windows – one in the front parlor, and another in the dining room. Most of the original double-hung windows are still present, featuring a distinctive diamond pattern in the upper section.
When the current owner first saw the home in 2011, she fell in love with its expansive dining room, which features a small Victorian fireplace and mantle, flanked by turned maple columns and detailed scrollwork. In restoration, instead of replacing the too-worn-to-be-refinished hardwood flooring with a less-expensive laminate material, the owner special-ordered maple floorboards to match the original. The beautiful grain of the new hardwood maple floors lends an elegant quality to the 108-year-old home.
Helping to transform the social dynamic on the street by creating a sense of neighborliness and community spirit, the owner installed a Little Free Library in her front yard, constructed from salvaged fencing material. This is the first such library to be officially registered in Alhambra. Even as this home celebrates its history and its place in the local community, its environmentally conscious upgrades (including solar panels and an electric vehicle charging station) position it solidly in the twenty-first century.
This is the last in a series of articles featuring the 2014 Heritage Home Award-winning residences.
Posted in Heritage Home Awards | Tagged 2014 Heritage Home Awards, Alhambra, Alhambra Preservation Group, APG, Heritage Home Awards, Wuest Tract | Leave a Comment »
The Prose of Preservation 