2014 Mother's Day Home Tour
(NOTE: To see an interview filmed by KGEM on March 19, 2014, with interviewer Rena Delgado, Tour Chair Sylvia Dohnal, and MOHPG President Jim Wigton, click here.)
Excitement is building as plans for the MOHPG 32nd annual home tour near completion. This year five homes will be open for the tour, along witht he Aztec Hotel and the Monrovia Historical Museum. You can drive your car to the various locations or use the trolleys (they are free). Docents will be stationed throughout the homes to provide additional information about the house and its history. Attendees will receive a 24-page brochure which includes house histories and other information.
The tour will be held on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 11, 2014, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The following homes/buildings will be open for viewing:
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1908 Craftsman -
Last time on tour - 1994
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1912 Craftsman Bungalow - HL # 9 -
Last time on tour - 2001
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1912 Craftsman Bungalow -
Last time on tour - 2007
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1888 Folk Victorian -
Last time on tour - 1991
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1914 Craftsman/Mediterranean - HL # 1 -
Never before on tour
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1925 Aztec Hotel - HL# 10 and National Register -
Last time on tour - 2004
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1925 Spanish Colonial Revival - Monrovia Historical Museum - HL #67
Tickets are on sale now on this website either by mail order or using PayPal or a credit card (click on Online Store). Tickets may be purchased at the following locations:
Dollmakers
412 S./ Myrtle Ave.
Monrovia
Monrovia Chamber of Commerce
620 S. Myrtle Ave.
Monrovia
Curves
1159 E. Huntington Dr.
Duarte
Pre-tour prices: Adults $20; Seniors(65+) $15; Teens (13-19) $10; 12 and under free.
Tickets will also be sold at the MOHPG booth (corner Myrtle Ave and Colorado Blvd. in downtown Monrovia) on Friday evenings from 5-9 p.m. from April 4 to May 9.
On Sunday, May 11, tickets will be sold at only one location, starting at 9:30 a.m. - Monrovia Historical Museum, 742 E. Lemon Ave. This will also be the location of Will Call tickets.
Day of Tour prices: Adults $25; Seniors(65+) $20; Teens (13-19) $15; 12 and under free.
New Museum Exhibit
The Monrovia Historical Museum will soon unveil its newest exhibit. Be sure to attend what promises to be a spectacular event. See handbill below for information.
Add One More to the Landmark List
For the second time in five months, a vintage home has been added to the list of landmarked properties in Monrovia. At the November 19,2013, meeting, the Monrovia City Council voted to approve the 1926 Spanish Colonial Revival, located at 505 N. Alta Vista Ave, as Historic Landmark #129. The owners were also granted a Mills Act Contract.
Besides embodying characteristics of Baroque, Moorish Revvival and Mexican Churrigueresque architecture, the residence was home to John McBratney, owner of McBratney's "Irish Linen Store," a business on Myrtle Avenue for 60 years.
Carriage Barn Reconstruction
Follow the progress as Monrovia's oldest carriage barn is reassembled at its new location
To recap: The carriage barn originally located behind the 1889 Queen Anne Victorian on Greystone Avenue was dismantled in April, 2013. The cost of the dismantling and removal to its new location was born by the 29 donors who contributed to the project. The cost of the reconstruction will be born by the family on whose property the barn will be re-erected. Work on this effort is being overseen by MOHPG member Jimi Hendrix.
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This watercolor of the carriage barn was rendered by Monrovia resident Elaine Smith.
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As work begins to move the barn, the building is braced and the cupola and front gable are removed.
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As crane was used to dismantle the barn as it was too big to be moved to its new location off Norumbega.
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As day breaks the morning of the 14th day, nothing remains of the barn at its original location. It took 13 days to prepare the structure for the move and to transport it to its new home.
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The carriage barn is being reconstructed on a one-acre parcel of land in the 900 block of Norumbega.
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By October, 2013, a foundation and metal framework to support the structure had been finished.
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By March, 2014, the cupola nears completion. A new copper roof is added with a hand-applied patina .
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The sides of the barn are hung on the metal structure using angle iron.
Make That Two More
Two vintage homes soon to be demolished
The good news for homeowners is that with the economy starting to rebound, housing prices are on the rise for the first time since 2008. The bad news for the community is that some of our vintage homes are being sold, and that increases the potential for them to be torn down, to be replaced with structures that may or may not blend into the neighborhood.
Pictured below are two homes recently slated to be torn down.
The house on the left was torn down the first week of December, 2013.
The home on the left was built in 1924 and is a 1012 square foot, single story modest home. The home on the right was originally a Victorian home built in 1888. The columns were added later. In both cases it was determined that neither house was "worthy" enough to be saved. Unfortunately, the current preservation ordinances in Monrovia do little to protect homes not already landmarked or those on the list of potential landmarks (to view homes on both lists, see the sidebar at the left).
