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History in the Making
The house at 303 North Magnolia has become the first landmarked, Ranch-style home in Monrovia.
On December 1, 2009, the Monrovia City Council voted 5-0 to landmark the single family dwelling at 303 North Magnolia Avenue as Historic Landmark 126, at the same time approving a Mills Act contract for the homeowners, Scott Langer and Cheryl Caputi. Just another landmark designation for the city, right? Hardly.
What sets this action apart from all those that have gone before is that this 1949 home is not a Victorian, Transitional, Craftsman, California Bungalow, Spanish style, or other similar structure as were the 125 structures landmarked prior to this (excepting, of course, landmark number 36, the Boxx Jewelers clock on south Myrtle Avenue).
Landmark 126 is the first Ranch-style home to be given landmark status in Monrovia.
The Ranch-style house originated in California in San Diego in the mid-1930s. Architect Cliff May is credited with its design. In the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s and 1960s, it became the dominant style throughout the country. The design was loosely based on the Spanish haciendas of early California and was characterized by its single story, low pitched roof, and orientation to outdoor spaces. Its low horizontal profile included details such as decorative shutters, a combination of wood and stucco siding, porch roof supports, and an attached garage. In addition, the footprint of the house required a lot wider than the previous standard of 50 feet.
The Monrovia Historic Preservation Ordinance requires that a home meet at least one of the seven designation criteria. This home met criteria number 4 – It embodies one or more distinctive characteristics of style, type, period, design, materials, detail, or craftsmanship. The staff report by the city notes that the 303 North Magnolia house “…is significant as an excellent intact example of the Ranch-style.” The Ranch-style home is not as common as the Craftsman or California Bungalows in Monrovia, but it is quite prevalent on the east side (east of Mountain Avenue) and is sprinkled throughout the north and north ends of town.
In the staff report prepared by the office of city planner Craig Jimenez, the staff recommended to the Historic Preservation Commission that the house at 303 North Magnolia be designated as a historic landmark. However, when the Commission met on October 28, 2009, agreement was not unanimous; still, it voted 5-2 in favor of recommending to the City Council that landmark status be granted (for the record, the Commission is not always unanimous in its recommendations to the City Council). The discord on this issue is not particularly surprising, given that the previous yardstick for a “vintage” home has been one built before 1930.
That the City Council took this action is a bold move on its part and should reopen discussions about what homes are worth preserving. Mayor Mary Ann Lutz, commenting on the council’s action, said, “The definition of a historic home is not limited to age; it must also take into consideration the integrity of the architecture and the importance of its value to the community. This action by the council takes us in a broader direction and opens the door for homes not falling into the other categories.”
One hundred years from now preservationists in this community will look back and judge the actions of the community to determine if it had been up to the task of preserving the town’s architectural heritage. With a preservation-minded city council leading the way, the city’s efforts in this regard should meet that test.
Background material for this article was taken from the Historic Preservation Commission Staff Report, prepared by the office of Craig Jimenez, Principal Planner.