Historic Blinn House to Become New Headquarters for Pasadena Heritage

After announcing it was dissolving last year, the Women’s City Club of Pasadena has completed the transfer of its longtime home, the historic Edmund Blinn House, to Pasadena Heritage, which plans to use the house as its own headquarters, the organizations said Friday.

The home at 160 N. Oakland Ave. was designed by renowned Chicago architect George Washington Maher, built in 1905 and has been owned by the Women’s Club of Pasadena since its foundation in 1945, the groups said in a joint statement.

It’s listed on both the National Register of HIstoric Places and the California Register of Historic Places, as well as being designated a Pasadena Cultural Landmark. It’s believed to the only residential structure designed by Maher west of the Mississippi River.

Upon dissolving its organization in May, in accordance with club bylaws, “members chose to transfer ownership of the Blinn House to Pasadena Heritage, the local non-profit historic preservation organization, which has  had a long and mutually supportive relationship with the Club and whose mission is  closely aligned,” the statement said. “arrangements for the ownership transfer are now complete.”

The club felt it was leaving the home in good hands, President Suzanne Burger said.

“It was a very difficult decision for us to dissolve the club after so many years, and it was with much thought and careful consideration that we decided Pasadena Heritage should take over the historic house,” she said. “We feel confident they will take the best care of it and be able to continue many of its fine traditions as well as bring the resources to maintain the restoration and preservation of the building.”

“I am grateful and proud to have been part of an incredibly caring and resilient community of women and men over the years. It is with this gratitude and pride that I stand with the recent Board of Directors,  members, staff and friends of the Women’s City Club who rallied to meet the demands of these times of uncertainty and challenge,’ she added. “Further, I am confident that our  historic home will continue to serve the community as a center for civic, cultural and  educational activities.”

Pasadena Heritage Board Chair Brian Alan Baker said while his organization was saddened to see the Women’s City Club of Pasadena go, Pasadena Heritage was “truly honored” to be entrusted with the historically significant property.

“The Blinn House is an outstanding historic and architectural treasure. Pasadena  Heritage looks forward to relocating its offices to the Blinn House and sharing its new home with the community,” he said.

Pasadena Executive Director also said the organization was eager to move in.

“We are excited and very grateful for the opportunities this historic place will provide for our organization,” she said. “We look forward to the time when we can welcome our members and supporters, the greater  community and other organizations back into the house to experience and enjoy it.”

The Blinn House Foundation, set up in 2002 to raise funds to care for the home, remains active, according to Pasadena Heritage.

More information on Pasadena Heritage is available online at pasadenaheritage.org.

Further details on the Blinn House Foundation can be found at blinnhousefoundation.org/.