Pasadena’s rich architectural heritage will take centerstage at the four-day mega event organized by Pasadena Heritage, Thursday through Sunday, Nov. 10 to 13, which includes neighborhood tours and author talks.
This year, the neighborhood tours will have access to some historic houses that are not very frequently visited because of their locations.
Event Starts Thursday, Nov. 10
This is the third annual ‘Preservation Pasadena: Craftsman to Modern,’ which begins Thursday evening at the historic Blinn House, Pasadena Heritage’s headquarters, where Dr. Ben Jenkins, University Archivist and Associate Professor at the University of La Verne, conducts a lecture based on his book, “California’s Citrus Heritage.”
The book tells how citrus agriculture has been an inextricable part of California’s heritage since the first appearance of oranges at the Franciscan missions in the early 19th century. Books will be available for purchase, postcards of citrus labels will be on display, and citrus drinks and light refreshments will be available for those who attend in person.
On Friday, Nov. 11
Friday begins with breakfast at a historic home: the Ella Bartlett House, designed in 1906 by Walter J. Saunders and used to promote Prospect Park, Pasadena’s first National Register Historic District.
The day ends with a reception and discussion with filmmaker Herb Stratford and a viewing of his documentary, “Gustav Stickley, American Craftsman,” co-sponsored by The Gamble House. The film traces the development and evolution of Stickley’s unique style as well as the creation of his diverse businesses, including furniture manufacturing, a ground-breaking Manhattan store, and the Craftsman Magazine and Craftsman Farms – a progenitor of the farm-to-table movement.
Author Talks
“We have author talks by four different authors. We’re taking some walking tours of historic neighborhoods including our Civic Center, the Pasadena Playhouse, a tour of Caltech and the work of Bertram Goodhue.” Patty Judy, Education Director at Pasadena Heritage, said.
“We’re taking a tour of what used to be the Bullock’s Store, now Macy’s department store. That’s always been a favorite! [Many people say] ‘oh my gosh, I had no idea.’ So that’s fun. And this goes from Thursday to Sunday and it covers craftsman architecture, revival architecture to mid-century modern.”
Among the authors who will be appearing in the four-day event are Constance Hood, a homeowner who wrote “Into Dark Corridors: A Tale of Hands, Heart and Home”; Frances Anderton and guests John Ripley and Juan Dela Cruz who will talk about Anderton’s widely anticipated new book, “Common Ground: Multifamily Housing in Los Angeles,” where she reclaims the multiple-unit dwelling as a vital element in the city’s history and identity; and architectural historian Victoria Kastner who will speak about her new book, “Julia Morgan: An Intimate Biography of the Trailblazing Architect,” which provides the first in-depth look at Morgan’s fascinating private life, as well as her remarkable career.
Other tours on the schedule include a walk through Hillcrest Neighborhood and a work-in-progress tour of the 1917 Lydia C. Edmands House, a tour of the Pasadena Playhouse Historic District, a sunset walking tour in the Civic Center featuring the Civic Auditorium and Convention Center, a tour of the 1978 Buff and Hensman-designed Hollis House, and an exclusive tour and reception at the 1999 Don Hensman-designed Moseley House.
The author talks will be hybrid events that people can access on Zoom. But most of the other activities, like the walking tours, will be in person.
“This is really the first time we’ve had this celebration where people are going to gather together to do the walking tours, not sitting in front of their computers,” Judy said.
This is the first time Pasadena Heritage is holding Preservation Pasadena in person, Judy said.
“We’ve been doing Craftsman Weekend for 28 years, and we had talked about expanding it to include other architectural styles besides just craftsman,” she said. “So when the pandemic hit and we took everything online, that’s when we made the change and started calling it Preservation Pasadena and incorporating all these different styles of architecture. And now that we’re almost to the other side, we decided to continue with Preservation Pasadena.”
Judy, however, advised prospective visitors to register early, as attendance will be limited on most of the tours and other in-person events.
“One of the things that happened during the pandemic is people really waited to the last minute to decide what they were going to do during the weekend, or what events they were going to go to because they could just jump on Zoom and there was almost unlimited access,” she said. “And now that we’re back in person, we do have limits on how many people can attend. So the sooner they buy their tickets, the better because it is possible that some events will sell out.”
For a full schedule of Preservation Pasadena, and to purchase tickets, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/preservation-pasadena-craftsman-to-modern-tickets-439276286197.
For more information, call (626) 441-6333 or visit www.pasadenaheritage.org/events-calendar.
