Ninety Years of Community Service - · PDF fileOutside of Pasadena, many Greene & Greene ... An Interview with Ted Wells ... Janeice McConnell John & Dianne McGinnis

Nomadic Builder of Belmont, Bluff Heights

Volume 23, No. 4, Fall 2013

(Continued on page 6)

Cutting’s unusual falling rock porch pillars are unique to Long Beach.

Many of you saw the wonderful in-progress restora-tion of the Jennie Reeve house on our spring home tour. Following is part of a background interview with the owner, Ted Wells, by new LBH Board mem-ber, Steffie Hands, who served as a docent in the house that day.

How did you end up acquiring the Reeve/Townsend house?

A friend of mine saw the house for sale in 2004 and thought I would be interested. I was concerned that if it did not end up in the right hands, that some-thing bad could happen to it. The previous owner was Jacqui Heebner, whose husband bought it in 1954. It became an overwhelming house to her. She wanted the house to have a good steward.

Why did you decide to take on such an extensive renovation?

Outside of Pasadena, many Greene & Greene houses are not as well protected. Part of the history

of 1902. The Hospital was located at the corner of 10th Street and Linden Avenue, now the site of St. Mary’s Hospital, cost $60,000, measured 120 feet x 180 feet, and was constructed of pressed brick. It had screened front porch with Iconic columns and string courses separating the stories in more or less classical style. The doctors and board of directors disagreed about the administration of the Hospital and in 1907 the Battle Creek Sanitarium Company of Michigan took it over. The owners of the Sanitari-um published post cards that advertised it as ‘Cali-fornia’s foremost health resort,’ although The Daily Telegram referred to it as a hospital.”

One of the postcards showing the Long Beach Sanitarium and a Midwinter Bathing Scene at the beach states, “Bring your friends and spend the winter at The Long Beach Sanitarium, Long Beach, California.” It mentions use of the Battle Creek Sanitarium methods at the best and fin-est equipped institution west of Battle Creek. It includes baths of every description, every form of electricity and with every comfort and luxury one might find in a modern hotel. Graduate nurses only, as well as gentleman and lady physicians, would be available. Each room would have a long dis-tance telephone. Long Beach’s climate was touted as the most delightful all-the-year-round weather in the world; “Never hot and never cold. Geraniums

By Maureen Poe Postcard from the Stanley E. Poe Collection

Turning the pages of the book, Long Beach, A His-

tory Through Its Architecture, by Louise H. Ivers one

can learn about Long Beach’s past architectural

treasures. One structure that Dr. Ivers notes as sig-nificant in urban areas is the hospital which Long Beach acquired in 1905-1906. “Designed by Henry F. Starbuck, the Long Beach Hospital displayed his characteristic pyramidal towers topped by fini-als, seen also in the First Congregational Church

An Interview with Ted Wells

By Maureen NeeleyEarly Long Beach homes fall into several camps: Turn-of-the-century Victorians (fairly rare now), ver-sions of Tudors, Cape Cods, Foursquare, and Prairie, to name just a few. But, the bulk of the inventory is some version of Bungalow. After a while, it’s easy to notice patterns in certain houses. One such pat-tern uses a “falling rock” on the porch pillars. This is not to be confused with stacked stone, which was popularized in the 1950s and is now enjoying a re-surgence in popularity. No, this is a pattern of pillar

from 1903 to 1927. The Townsends brought Henry Greene back to the house in 1925 to assist with moving of the house from downtown Long Beach to its current location at the Virginia Country Club. Henry Greene expanded the house to meet the needs of the growing Townsend family.

I have worked on many Greene and Greene

Ninety Years of Community Service

(Continued on page 7)

(Continued on page 6)

of Greene and Greene is that this house was their largest commission at the time. This straddled their design aesthetic change from traditional arts and crafts to their own design ideas. It showed the ger-mination, development and span of their career,

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Membership Report — September 1, 2013PreservATIoNIsT MeMBers ANd ABove

The year is three quarters over and it is now time to plan for the very busy final, Fun Holiday Quarter; it is also the time when many of us make our year end gifts to non-profit organizations.

I invite you to make Long Beach Heritage a recipient of your gift this year. I also wish to thank those who have remembered us so generously in the past. As you know, we are a non-profit orga-nization and exist through your financial help and our fundraisers. We need both in order to promote public knowledge and continue in the conserva-

tion of significant historic and architectural resources, neighborhoods and the cultural heritage of our beloved city. Who would do this if there were no Long Beach Heritage?

We thank you in advance for your past and continuing support.

President’s Message INCLude LoNg BeACH HeRITAge

IN YouR eSTATe PLANNINg

You can arrange a bequest in your will or trust or make

Long Beach Heritage the beneficiary of an Insurance Policy,

Bank Account or IRA.

It’s Easy To Do.

To request a brochure please contact us at (562) 493-7019

or email us at [email protected]

HISToRICAL PReSeRVATIoN dePeNdS oN You AS AN

HISToRICAL PReSeRVATIoNIST

BenefactorThe Ackerman Family

SustainerMelinda Roney &

Walter WojakRMS Queen Mary

AssociateBob & Nancy Latimer

PatronMike & Andrea BurrousKathleen BursleyMarsha JefferGeraldine KnatzMary Lou Martin &

Chris ByrneKevin & Ana Maria McGuanMarsha NaifyPatty Moore &

Jean ShapenF&M Bank

ContributorDawna & Gary DeLongBob & Nancy FosterRick & Brad Hobbs-SeeleyChris HoganLouise Ivers &

Allen Guerrero

Carol McCaffertyMaureen Neeley &

Dan RobertsRichard PowersJenny & David ShlemmerBetty SunofskyTerence & Anna Ulaszewski

PreservationistJosh & Jen AmstoneSarah & Craig ArnoldLeslie ArringtonTeresa & Edgar BarbeeDee BarnardBarbara BarnesJill Anne BlackBarbara BlackwellBarry & Kathy BlodgettMichael & Kathleen BohnSusan Bradley &

Richard BartaLynn BrandtKaye BriegelBobbi BurketClaudine & Paul BurnettEnid BusserBetty ChaneyKaren & Dick ClementsSherry Cragg

Vicki & James CunninghamNanette Dahlen-wanJudy EdsonRobert ElkinsBarbara EgyudRobert & Scarlett FinneyKristi Fischer &

Joe VanderhorstCarol FrankKathleen FryJanice FurmanJonathan GlasgowKathryn Gregory &

Richard RothCarol & Larry GuesnoLiz HandleyLarry Harma &

Sharon ReeceTerry & Jeanne HarmonWendy Harn & Sasha WitteLisa HarrisKaren Highberger &

Lou GaudioHarriett IbbetsonJeffrey JeannetteDiane JordanDan & Christine JurenkaHarvey Keller

Mary KlingensmithPhilip & Gillian KlinkertRochelle & Doug KramerDuane KusterRuthann LehrerJim & Kathy LingleStephanie Loftin &

Reba BirminghamTom & Gina

Rushing MaguireJaneice McConnellJohn & Dianne McGinnisMary Nan MeyerBettye MitchellJohn & Marky MorelRiichard MoselyMarion NickleJan OstashayMeg O’TooleCheryl & Mark PerrySharon & Ken PleshekRoger Peter PorterRichard PowersTim & Maria PriceMarshall Pumphrey &

Roxanne FitzgeraldPatricia RandolphCatherine Raneri

Ron RectorGary RoderickJohn Royce & Kent LockartEd Sanchez &

Scott GoldfarbHeather SchaibleLesley SchellerJanice & Bary SchliederPaul & Judy SchmidtNeil Schneider &

Dwight CookNorbert SchurerIris & Dick SchutzBonnie ScottPamela SeagerRenee SimonSusan SklarMatthew SloanJulie Stindt & Jim MeznekMichael StugrinDon & Marlene TempleJohn & Patricia WalkerJoan WellsSharon WestaferLinda & Morgan WheelerDorothy WiseChristina Yanis

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California Heights Home and garden Tour

This year’s Tour features the

first Mid-Century Modern

home (below). don’t miss this

beautifully restored home

and garden with period

furniture and fixtures.

Please don’t forget to purchase your tickets to the California Heights Home and Garden Tour being held October 20th. The Guest Speaker this year is John Brinkmann, founder and publisher of American Bungalow magazine. He will speak at the Longfellow Auditorium starting at 10:00 A.M. The tour starts at 11:00 and the lines close at 4:00. This year attendees will have the option of cycling the tour route with bicycle racks provided at each home by Bikeable Communities Long Beach. The

Cal Heights trolley will also be making the rounds of the homes throughout the day.

This year’s Tour features five beautiful homes and two gardens. The first Cal Heights Home & Gar-den Tour was held in 1997 with the guidance and assistance from Long Beach Heritage. Today the tour is managed entirely by the Cal Heights Neigh-borhood Association and is their major fundraiser. Proceeds from the Tour are used to produce the bi-monthly newsletter distributed to 1600 homes, sup-

port Cal Heights Re-leaf, Cal Heights Clean Streets and the major project of re-furbishing the historic lampposts in the neighborhood. Please visit www.calheights.org for more information and to purchase tickets. Pre-sale tickets are $20.00 and $25.00 the day of the tour. All tickets include the Cal Heights Discount Dining Card for various area restaurants.

It’s a very enjoyable way to spend a fall after-noon and support the preservation of the largest Historic District in Long Beach.

The dramatic Spanish Colonial

Revival home (left) on a

raised lot was recently re-

landscaped in both the front

and back yards, providing

areas for entertaining,

gardening and relaxing.

The lively exterior colors of

this home (right) are just a

taste of what’s on the inside.

Charming Spanish Colonial

Revival home (above) with

fully restored bath and

recently re-modeled kitchen.

A cozy outdoor entertaining

area and garden provide a

relaxing retreat.

Thank You Charlotte Mitchell!After many years of faithful stewardship, Charlotte has resigned as vice president of the Bembridge House. Chris Hogan will be the new vice president. Karen Clements wrote this beautiful tribute to her.

“Thank you Charlotte for your care, love and preservation of one of the oldest and most beautiful houses in Long Beach. Dorothy Bembridge fought to save her home and your work has preserved the house. In your seven years you were fulfilling Dorothy’s vision and our mission for telling this story of Long Beach on this site. From the curb to the alley every inch of our landmark is restored for the future and tells of your care. You encouraged, imagined, implemented and led.

As Dorothy said when her family home was threatened, ‘I will sit on this house as a mother hen sits on her nest ,’ You have said in your years of work, ‘We will preserve this house [nest] so that many can sit, walk and wander the structures, grounds and gardens and enjoy history and this story for a long time to come.’

Thank you!”

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By Chris HoganGreetings! This is my inaugural Bembridge House Message — yes, I’m the new Vice-President in charge of the Bembridge House. Wow! I do feel honored!

Many of you may not know me, so let me introduce myself: My name is Chris Hogan and I’ve been on the Long Beach Heritage Board a few years now. Last year I shared the chairpersonship of the Bembridge House with Charlotte Mitchell, but now I’m on my own. Professionally, I’m an elementary school teacher and I do live in an historic home, but that’s another story. Hopefully, I’ll get to meet you at one of our Heritage events.

Of course, I couldn’t be here without the help and support of the Bembridge House volunteers. All of them — the docents, the gardeners, the party planners, the quilters, the Operating Committee members — are incredibly hard-working volunteers and, cliché though it is, beautiful people. I must ac-knowledge them each again for all their encour-agement! I’m very lucky that they are continuing to help. I also know it will be difficult to follow in the footsteps of Charlotte. No one can! She has shown so much leadership, worked so tirelessly, and been such an effective role model. She’s also become a good friend. Thank you again, Charlotte!

So much has happened at the Bembridge House lately. In late June/early July, a high quality production independent film used the Bembridge House as its main location for a two-week shoot. The crew and cast loved the house, and couldn’t have been more enthusiastic about the filming opportunities there. The film is being edited now – watch for “Portend” in the coming months!

In August, the house had a one-day shoot for scenes to be used in a short educational film for Vanity Fair’s website about a suffragette and her “First March.” It’s an inspiring true story! The house

What’s up at the Bembridge House

Volunteer of the YearMary ellen Mitchell was awarded Volunteer of the Year at Long Beach Heritage’s annual general meeting in July.

Here are just a few of the things she’s done: She created the flyers for the Carriage House Quilters, which tell about ticket sales for their quilt raffle. She served tirelessly on the Advocacy Committee. She organized Heritage excursions. The popular day at Santa Anita Racetrack was her project, and she assisted her husband on the Hollywood Bowl night. She spends countless hours coordinating the Silent Auction at the Awards Benefit on the Queen Mary. If you’ve been to the Benefit these last two years, you know how successful and beautiful it has become under her management.

was perfect for the 1915 setting. Somehow, the film was pulled together from across the country and in less than a week! (The film should be finished and airing by mid-September. If you’re interested in viewing it, go to vanityfair.com/video or youtube.com/vanityfair.)

Another big event happened at the house in August — the first PepperTree Court wedding! Al-most 150 people enjoyed a beautiful marriage cer-emony in what the bride described as an “epic” setting. The newlyweds were so thrilled to hold their dream wedding at the Bembridge House! They plan to share some of their professional photos on our website soon. Besides the radiant bride and

Long Beach Heritege Board of directors

LBH Board — Tina Yanis, Julie Nemechek, Janice Furman, Steffie Hands, Javier gonzalez, Mary ellen Mitchell, Mary Kay Nottage, Melinda Roney, Cheryl Perry, Chris Launi,, Karen Highberger, Chris Hogan, Tami dowgiewicz, Charlotte Mitchell, Wendy Harn, Sasha Witte and Kathie Fry. Not pictured: Stan Poe, Louise Ivers, Bobbi Burket, Robert Finney, Scarlett Finney and Jodi Rich.

handsome groom, you’ll see how flawless Pepper-Tree Court and the house were, too!

Hopefully, you enjoyed last month’s Wagon Wheel BBQ. Without realizing it, you also experi-enced the new outdoor lighting in PepperTree Court! The ambient low-voltage lighting is some-thing the house has needed. You wouldn’t have noticed the new sprinkler and drip-irrigation system in the Bembridge House gardens. (Our volunteer gardeners, who have been hand-watering for years, are jubilant!) Between the funds raised from all the special events and grants received, we are working hard to keep the Bembridge House operat-ing for years to come.

The word must be getting out, because in-terested people have also approached the Bem-bridge House for shooting music videos (& an al-bum cover) and another short film. Hopefully, each of those projects will happen. Naturally, the income generated is important to maintain (and improve) the property, but the nationwide exposure for the house is priceless. People everywhere need to know what a cultural treasure the Bembridge House is!

Please consider using the Bembridge House & PepperTree Court for your next party or special function. Hope to see you all at our Victorian Christ-mas on Dec. 8!

At the first PepperTree Court

wedding, almost 150 people

enjoyed a beautiful marriage

ceremony in what the bride

described as an “epic” setting.

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Save the Date!Victorian Christmas at the Bembridge House

D E C E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 3Because Thanksgiving falls so late in November this year, the Victorian Christmas event will be the second Sunday, Dec. 8, from noon to four.

Memories of Olde-tyme holidays will come to life. Once again volunteers from Historic Neighborhood Associations, Community Groups, and Long Beach Heritage will be lovingly decorating the historic house, inside and out. Our holiday theme for this year is “Jingle Bells and Sleigh Rides of the Past,” so come to see how the house will be even more beautiful for Christmas 2013!

This event is always a family-friendly celebration. You will enjoy learning about our holiday traditions as you tour the home. There will be refreshments and crafts for children in the Carriage House. To enhance the experience, the South Coast Chorale singers are scheduled to return for more joyous Christmas caroling. Of course, you will want to take lots of holiday photos, too!

Remember — Victorian Christmas at the Bembridge House on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013 from noon to 4:00. Reservations are $10 and may be ordered by mail or through PayPal at www.lbheritage.org.

By stanley PoeCurrently we have seen a growth in the concept of community gardens. The idea has seemed to sprout all over the country. There are many in our Southern California area. While they were few and far between in most people’s memories, their inception began over two hundred years ago in Britain where they were called “allotment gardens.” Basically it refers to a plot of land made available for individual, non-commercial gardening. Such parcels are cultivated by individuals or families as opposed to community garden types where the entire area is tended by a group of people. During WWII these were resurrected as “victory gardens.”

The concept was developed at the end of the 18th century in England due to poor harvests from 1794 to 1796, the Napoleonic wars, a decline in real wages, and a lack of employment opportunities like conditions which are escalating today. A few souls felt sorry for the people trapped in these circumstances. This was an unusual attitude since the prevailing social belief was that hunger was part of God’s divine plan. Finally it was determined that hunger was not the fault of the hungry, and reforms began to take place by the middle of the 19th century. Actually by 1793 there had begun a movement to provide the laboring classes with a portion of land. Still by 1830 very few allotment sites had been granted. Due to the mechanization of the farms many people were starving and rioting. Over the next forty years the allotments grew to 242,542 sites covering 58,966 acres.

A parallel reform involved “potato grounds.” These were quite different from allotments and

could only be used for growing potatoes on fallow sites at the edges of fields.

During the 19th century land owners would rent small plots of land to mill workers, as well. Since entire families would be employed by the mills, they had no chance to go to the market. The mill workers were allowed to grow all staples. Nutritional benefits were of primary concern, so these lots went to the most needy. They were inexpensive, but the land was only rented until needed for another use. As the program expanded, it became acceptable to live in these structures. No matter how limited the space, it was considered a vast improvement over five people sharing a room in the cities. Eventually additions were made. Even though there was no electricity or running water, the cottage dwellers learned to share whatever resources they had.

In Germany the movement reached a higher level of sophistication. Expanding the cottages with whatever materials could be found became the norm. Some were even abandoned train cars. Small businesses were established operating out of some of the shacks. The German word for the allotment communities was “Kleingarten.” They thrived throughout the 19th and mid 20th centuries. Every war provided more desirable building materials. All the plots were surrounded by neat fences. Some residents who were employed as masons and bricklayers would bring home a few extra bricks to build chimneys, walls, and walkways. These were in sharp contrast to the tarpaper, wood and board roofs. Although these allotment villages sound shockingly Bohemian, they were actually well structured and safe environments. The people

were able to lead comparatively independent lives and had strong community spirit. These were pedestrian oriented environments and provided adaptable mixed use homes. There were play spaces for children. Although not every home had every amenity, the resources were shared by all. Some houses even had electricity, and by the 1950s people shared television nights. The issue of food security became evident during and between the wars when black market prices excluded all but the wealthy. Allotment gardens were of primary importance for survival.

Due to prosperity and a need for redevelopment after the war, the government was persuaded by the thousands of new apartment dwellers that these communities were a hygienic and social danger and a general blight on the urban landscape. Today there are still about 1.4 million allotment gardens in Germany covering an area of 470 km. In Berlin alone there are 833 garden complexes.

The concept thrives around the world today. The Netherlands, Norway and Sweden embraced the idea in the 19th century. Russia began allotments during the period of the Peter the Great. There they are referred to as “dachas” and were gifts to loyal vassals of the Tsar. After the revolution most were confiscated, but after WWII a moderate growth took place. Since there are no laws banning squatters, urbanites began gardens so that the multi-stories apartment complexes’ residents could grow their own fruits and vegetables and spend time close to the earth.

Communal gardens, Nothing New under the Sun

6

Nomadic Builder of Belmont, Bluff Heights (Continued from page 1)

and the most delicate summer roses grow and bloom in the open air throughout the winter,” states the caption on the postcard.

According to Louise Ivers, “Invalids could also enjoy ‘Tennis, golf, motoring, delightful year round surf bathing.’ In the late nineteenth century south-ern California was described as having a salubrious climate which cured asthma and kidney disease, as well as other ailments. Tourist guides proclaimed

the benefits of the sun and the sea as healing agents. Wealthy easterners often spent the winter in the Los Angeles area not only to escape the cold and the snow, but also to recover from their physical infirmities. In 1923 the Sisters of the Incar-nate Word took over the Sanitarium and a new Art Deco building was constructed in 1935-1937 by I.E. Loveless.” This year marks the 90th anniversary of St. Mary’s as a significant hospital in Long Beach.

foundation in some of our oldest bungalow houses, using river rock in a dynamic waterfall pattern to form the base of the porch.

Found in only a handful of bungalows in the southeastern part of the city, the source of this de-sign can be traced to one builder.

Merton Elwin and Winifred Haydin Cutting must have been quite an adventurous couple. Merton was born in Middlesex County, Massachu-setts in August 31, 1879, son of a farmer, and Merton learned to be a carpenter. His wife, Winfred, was born in Washington State of English immigrants.

But, the lure of California was great, and we find Merton as a land patent owner of the obliga-tory 160 acres in Shasta County by 1909. Mineral rights? Homestead Act? No way to know for sure, but he was definitely sampling the west. His true calling, however, became clear when he moved south to Long Beach around 1913. A quintessential

contractor / developer / speculator, Cutting must have been one of the fastest builders in the west, putting up a house, then living in it while building the next house. Winifred must have been a saint, for she never really settled down until her later years. Perhaps she was the designer and marketer, while Merton handled the labor. The couple had no chil-dren of record.

1914–1920: Heyday of the California Bungalow

In 1914, Merton and Winifred lived at 56 Ocean Place and commenced building 418 Orizaba. The Orizaba house is one lot north of Fourth Street, and shares a great similarity with 3001 E. Fourth, which Cutting built later that year, while living in the Oriz-aba house. The two homes even share a garage.

Once Cutting completed 418 Orizaba, he moved into 3001 Fourth Street while he built a string of houses on what was then called Dakota Avenue. (Note that in this section north of Fourth St., Dako-

Ninety Years of Community Service (Continued from page 1)

Volunteers are needed to work our LB Heritage information table at the Rancho Los Alamitos Children’s Fall Harvest Festival.

Sunday, october 27, 2013 | Noon to 4:30 p.m.

Please contact Tami Dowgiewicz at (562) 243-3396 or email [email protected]

If you would like to volunteer your time… it should be a fun event!

The 418 orizaba Cutting house north of 4th Street. String of Cutting houses on dakota Avenue north of 4th Street. Spanish colonial style Cutting home.

ta has since been renamed Molino.) These new homes were featured in two articles in 1916 and we can learn a lot about their original features: “Built-in Conveniences Abound in Cutting Homes.”

In effusive language, the article expounds on the handsome built-in features, including a mission clock, desk with electric light, bookcases, seating, granite-brick mantle and a 12-foot buffet.

Nomads in their own town

They built a home on Coronado the following win-ter, in 1917, and it was remarkably similar to the Da-kota homes. The Cuttings continued to live in their most recently completed house while they built the next one, selling each home as they moved out. Productive nomads, moving quickly, but not travel-ing far. 

By the 1920s, however, the popularity of the wooden California bungalow was waning.

New Architecture: The Spanish Bungalow

The Spanish Revival began in earnest as Califor-nians embraced the romance of the Ranchos, and the state saw an influx of emigrants seeking health and wealth. This adobe sensibility was reflected in the modern architecture of the stucco bungalows cropping up around Long Beach. After 1920, Cut-ting rode this wave, as well, by developing a sec-ond design to appeal to the desire for this modern home. It consisted of a central tower-entry, flanked by a parapet roof line. The interior followed a simi-lar layout to the previous decade’s floorplan, but he used twisted pilasters to frame up the arch be-tween living and dining areas.

end of an era

By the 1930s, Merton was in his 60s and slowing down. He died November 15, 1940 at the age of 70 — his wife at a later unknown date — while living at 127 Belmont. Merton’s unusual falling rock porch pillars are unique to Long Beach, mainly because we didn’t have an abundance of river rock near town. Perhaps his use of smooth rocks was a nos-tagic nod to his early childhood in Massachusetts. Although the Cuttings had no offspring, their hous-es live on, continuing their legacy of ingenuity and perseverance in early Long Beach.

(Originally written by Maureen Neeley for the BelmontShorePatch, 2012)

7

restorations, in Pasadena, Sacramento and Car-mel. But those were not as extensive for me as this restoration.

What did the house look like when you first saw it in 2004?

It had been well-loved and lived-in for 100 years. The walls were wallpapered, wood had been glazed with a mahogany-colored stain, and the kitchen and baths had been redone. It was all in OK shape. Fortunately, the walls were not moved, which was a big plus. The bones had not been changed, but there were hidden structural problems we had to fix, so it became a visual restoration, and a tech-nical renovation. We had to recreate the kitchen and baths, but the other areas of the house have original features.

Sadly, every fixture and piece of furniture that belonged to the house had been removed in the 1970s and 1980s – scores of light fixtures and doz-ens of furniture pieces. The only remaining fixtures were a small cabinet in the dining room, a porch light, and the andirons in one fireplace. We are now

recreating all the fixtures and furniture. Fortunately, all the plans and photos of the house, fixtures, and furniture were available through the Avery Archi-tectural Library at Columbia University.

In the past, the owner worked with people who did not provide proper historical guidance. Some of those people profited by selling the fix-tures. Even this year, a Greene and Greene fix-ture removed from a Pasadena property sold at a Sotheby’s auction. This happens to well-known properties throughout the world. This is a lesson to everyone to realize that fixtures are legally part of a real property. Awareness of this can help create protection.

The biggest challenge has been realistic planning and timing of how things are done to that same level of the original quality and workmanship. We are reproducing the craftsman techniques used from over 100 years ago. This is tricky because the world is so efficiency- and production-oriented today. But in this house, for example, to build every door means putting together a puzzle of 78 pieces of crafted wood. Each of the nearly 50 wall sconc-

An Interview with Ted Wells (Continued from page 1)

es, of glass, bronze, and wood takes over 80 pieces to assemble. Yet everything at the house looks so simple once it’s completed.

The house renovation will be done this year. Then we will move on to the garage. The garden work will continue on for years. It took 3 years to get the original roses to grow big enough to plant. We had to grow them from original cuttings, and there are 12 types of roses. The hardest rose to find was the Los Angeles Rose. It did not exist in LA or in the US. We got cuttings from a rose society in London. Then there are citrus, a vegetable garden, walk-ways and fencing that need to be done.

How has this experience been for you as an archi-tectural historian?

My goal as a historian is to help everyone under-stand how we place ourselves within the historical context of the time and place of Long Beach, the culture of southern California, and the people who make it happen. It is a rare opportunity in historic architecture to see it in process during a restoration, and to share this learning experience with others is one of my goals. To be able to celebrate and pre-serve the history and heritage of the families that called it home is also an integral part of the whole process. I was born in Bixby Knolls, so my connec-tion here spans my lifetime.

Ted Wells is an architectural historian, writer, and Creative Director of Guardian Stewardship Editions, a publishing and media company devoted to the arts, architecture, thought, and culture. He gradu-ated from the USC School of Journalism, and was the past president of Society of Architectural Histori-ans of Southern California.

Ratkovich Properties is finalizing their conceptual design for The Edison (City Hall East). Although this building is not designated a historic landmark, it has long been on the LBH watch list. Designed by Kenneth Wing in 1959 for The Edison Company, this building at 100 Long Beach Boulevard more recently served as temporary housing for the Police Department while the Public Safety building was being renovated. Empty since 2005 and recently sold by the former RDA, the building is now in the first stages of an adaptive reuse design as lofts and commercial space.

It was the privilege of the LBH Board to host the developer, Cliff Ratkovich of Ratkovich Properties, at the recent Executive Board meeting to view the plans and provide input on the preservation of one of Long Beach’s mid-century icons. Stay tuned for what looks like a creative adaptive reuse!

The edison Building: A Mid-Century Modern IconThe edison building is now

in the first stages of an

adaptive reuse design as

lofts and commercial space.

8

LBH MembershipLong Beach Heritage is a non-profit education and advocacy group promoting public knowledge and preservation of significant historic and architectural resources, neighborhoods and the cultural heritage of Long Beach. Dues are due on May 1st each year.

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Call me with information on how I can participate in LBH as a volunteer Heritage Student/Senior $ 30 Heritage Friend $ 45 Heritage Household $ 75 Heritage Preservationist $100 Heritage Contributor $250 Heritage Patron $500 Heritage Associate $750 Heritage Sustainer $1,000 Heritage Benefactor $2,000 New member ______________________

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P.O. Box 92521, Long Beach, CA 90809

Telephone: (562) 493-7019

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Website: www.lbheritage.org

Make your check payable to:

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Calendar

Cal Heights Home Tour October 20 Harvest Festival – October 27 Rancho Los Alamitos LBH Executive Committee October 28LBH Board November 26Victorian Christmas December 8 at Bembridge Volunteer Thank You January 7 at Bembridge Awards Benefit February 27Walking tours at 9:00 a.m. October 19 November 16 December 21