In 1940, our country was recovering from the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt initiated a series of programs to provide economic relief to unemployed Americans.  These programs included commissioning public works of art.  About one thousand post office murals were commissioned between 1934 and 1943.  A muralist named Helen Forbes was selected to paint two murals in the lobby of Monrovia’s post office.  A large mural consisting of four bear cubs strolling through manzanita was painted over the tellers’ windows.  A smaller mural of the mother bear was painted above the door to the postmaster’s office.

In 1958, our post office was remodeled.  The largest mural, entitled “The Bear Cubs,” was removed from its location on the wall and rolled for transport and storage.  It remained in the basement of the post office, unprotected and unsupported, for 45 years.  The smaller mural, depicting the mother bear, is still missing.

Mural Debra May Photos..........view pdf.

In April 2003, MOHPG member Walt Shelley read an article in the Los Angeles Times about the restoration of WPA murals in the Chicago school system.  Walt, remembering the Monrovia murals from his boyhood trips to the post office, discovered that the bear cub mural was still in the post office basement.  Walt began to learn all he could about WPA murals.  He attended workshops, interviewed experts, and even wrote a preliminary lesson plan for Monrovia school students.  Walt’s lesson plan is startling to read:  it details American life at a time of severe economic downturn and in the midst of a crisis caused by rapid climate change.   Years of drought and poor topsoil management resulted in a horrific level of poverty and displacement, a cautionary tale from history that cries out to be revisited and remembered.  Walt felt certain that the restoration of the mural and public access to this important piece of Monrovia history was essential.  In addition, the natural theme of the mural is one that is particularly dear to Monrovians who, in 2000, voted to tax themselves to preserve our hillsides and protect them from housing development.

Walt approached MOHPG’s Board in February 2005 to solicit the group’s assistance.  A sub-committee was formed, led by Jim Wigton.  On March 11, a group consisting of MOHPG members and city officials were able to view the mural.  MOHPG then hired a conservator to assess the condition of the mural and estimate the cost of restoration.  The City of Monrovia submitted two grant applications for the restoration of “The Bear Cubs,” but was unsuccessful.   The project languished.

Recently, several things happened that breathed new life into this restoration project.  First, Monrovians passed Measure L, a parcel tax that will allow the City of Monrovia to build a new library.    At last, the mural appears to have a home once it is restored.  Successful grant applications must demonstrate that the preserved work of art will be available to the public during regular business hours.  One of our new community rooms in the new library could certainly accommodate that grant requirement and therefore considerably strengthen our grant application.  In addition, in the interim MOHPG underwent a name change from the Monrovia Old House Preservation Group to the Monrovia Historic Preservation Group.  This was in keeping with our group’s widening role in preserving Monrovia’s history in general.  Also, the City of Monrovia has established a fund for art in public places, funded by a surcharge on developers’ projects that exceed a value of $1 million.  This fund was spearheaded by MOHPG past president and current city councilman Joe Garcia.  Promisingly, the City has indicated a willingness to allocate Art in Public Places money to the mural restoration.  Finally, Walt recently made contact with a conservator for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art who disclosed that the mural artist, Helen Forbes, was gaining in national significance.  This is another important requirement of successful grant applications.  LACMA recently acquired two of her paintings for their collection.

MOHPG’s mural subcommittee will begin meeting again to ascertain how MOHPG can take a lead position in acquiring additional funds for restoring and displaying the mural.  MOHPG will be collaborating with the City of Monrovia on another grant submission to the Federal Save America’s Treasures grants in April.  If you would like to participate in this on-going project, either by volunteering or by making a financial contribution, please contact MOHPG.  Many hands make historic work light!

Recently, an owner of an historic duplex designed by the Tifal Brothers applied for a permit to tear down the duplex and construct a new home for his family. The building did not have historic landmark status. The City requested that he submit an Environmental Impact Report, which would have cost thousands of dollars. That, in combination with many MOHPG members and neighbors attending the hearings and pleading on behalf of this historic structure, persuaded the owner to withdraw his demolition request. However, this event led many of us to ask the question: what protections are there for historic buildings in Monrovia, and are these protections strong enough? And the answer is: that depends…

The strongest protection of a pre-1940 home is provided by landmarking and obtaining a Mills Act contract. According to our planning department, no one will receive a demolition permit for a landmarked building. If someone illegally tears down a landmarked building with a Mills Act contract, they will immediately owe the City 12-1/2% of the current assessed value. In addition, with or without a Mills Act contract, the City can demand reconstruction of the demolished building and the owner can be held liable for civil and criminal penalties. If restoration or reconstruction is not possible, City Council can refuse to issue any building permits (or permits to park on the property) for a period of up to 5 years. This is why our planning department asks property owners to think carefully before embarking on landmarking their property. Once landmarked, the building becomes an acknowledged, permanent part of both Monrovia’s history and future. (Of course, this does not apply to MOHPG members, who view landmarks as status symbols!).

If an owner of a pre-1940 building that is not landmarked requests a demolition permit, s/he is referred to the Historic Preservation Commission. That Commission, populated by many MOHPG members, can put a 60-day hold on issuing the permit if the Commission determines that the structure is historically significant. “Historically significant” usually is synonymous with “deserving historic landmark status.” The 60-day “cooling off period” gives MOHPG and city staff an opportunity to educate the homeowner. If the homeowner is still adamant that they want to pursue demolition, the City can require an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which could take up to a year and cost at least $12,000. Based on the EIR, City Council could deny the demolition permit. But would they? This would depend on the particular building and it’s history. Obviously, the City would almost certainly protect a Victorian that had been owned by William Monroe. Otherwise, a significant architecture and/or history would probably be needed to save the structure.

Many of our neighborhoods are comprised of pre-1940 homes that might not be able to achieve landmark status on their own but, when taken as a group, give the neighborhood its historic “feel.” Other communities, notably Pasadena, have designated certain neighborhoods as “landmark districts.” This designation protects the neighborhood as a whole, prevents smaller homes from being picked off one at a time, and protects against eventually changing the character of the neighborhood. This is an idea that hasn’t yet caught on here in Monrovia, possibly due to the need for more resident education on how these districts increase neighborhood property value overall and how they have been used to protect neighborhood character. (Think Bungalow Heaven in Pasadena.) In Monrovia, 50% plus one of residents in a proposed landmark district must approve before the designation can be made.

Regarding remodeling, according to City code, any person who alters an Historic Landmark without first clearing the project with the Historic Preservation Commission by obtaining a Certificate of Appropriateness is required to restore the structure and can be liable for civil and criminal penalties, and action to enforce this provision of code can be brought by the City or any interested party. So if you see something funny going on that doesn’t look right to you, call City Hall immediately. Some members have lived here long enough to remember a time when there was nothing that could be done. This is no longer so. In addition, the planning department has a policy that allows residents to make complaints anonymously. If a pre-1940 property that is not landmarked is being re-modeled, permission should have come from the Development Review Committee (DRC), and the DRC also works very hard to educate residents. Once again, if you observe a potential problem in the making (for example, a bungalow being prepared for stucco), please call City Hall and they will send someone to check it out. The Historic Preservation Commission can put a 30-day hold on the remodeling project. Properties without landmark designation have less protection, but most folks can eventually be made to understand that maintaining the historic integrity of a home increases its value. Money talks. If you’re uncomfortable making the call yourself, at least call one of MOHPG’s Board Members listed in this newsletter. They’ll make the call for you – they’re fearless when it comes to preservation!

So, are our old homes and historic neighborhoods properly protected? That remains to be seen. Monrovia is currently taking the position that voluntary is better than mandated when it comes to historic designations. This comes in the wake of Sierra Madre enacting mandatory historic designations that were later overturned in court. At the very least, we need to remain vigilant. Here’s what you can do:

• If your historic home is not landmarked, please consider doing so, with or without a Mills Act contract. A Mills Act contract can result in dramatic tax savings. Although there are restrictions on the kind of work you can do, it’s usually limited to what is visible from the street. And our Historic Preservation Commission is also a free source of expertise in helping you to maximize the resale value of your home. You can also visit MOHPG’s website at www.mohpg.org and review the power point presentation given at MOHPG’s last Landmark & Mills Act workshop for additional information.
• Be vigilant regarding old house remodeling in your neighborhood. If it looks strange, please call the City or MOHPG.
• Please provide us with your contact information, e-mail and phone number, if you’re willing to attend important meetings at City Hall that could affect the future of preservation in our community.