PLEASE NOTE: Private homes may not be wheelchair or stroller accessible. Please no cameras, high-heeled shoes or children under the age of 12 in the homes.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  Upstairs|Downtown 2005

482 S California

One of the tallest buildings in Ventura with significant architectural and social character.  The large arched windows, high ceilings with painted beams, and extensive use of well maintained wood throughout exemplify architectural detail of the late 1920s.  The Ventura Masons are one of Ventura’s oldest fraternal orders, forming in 1871.  Ventura Lodge 214 was started by E.P. Foster, who formed a small stock corporation to begin building and sold shares to the members.  The building was dedicated January 3, 1930.

67 S California

The building is significant for its design by the prestigious Los Angeles firm of Albert C. Martin in 1927.  Of special note is the elaborate Mediterranean entrance and frieze above the first floor windows.  The building first housed the El Nido on the second floor.  Today, it is one of the most popular Inns in Ventura for its gracious old world charm, location in the heart of Downtown, and Nona’s enchanting restaurant.  It is also world renown for a lingering guest from the 1940s, Sylvia, the ghost who playfully dances on the stairs, fills the halls with rose perfume, and haunts Room 17.

494 E Main Street

This building (commonly called the Erle Stanley Gardner building) was designed by the famed San Franciscan architect, H.H. Winner, as a bank building in 1926.  The building on this site before it was the First National Bank, constructed in 1904.  The Mediterranean design, beautiful terra cotta cladding, and architectural details are rare in Ventura.  The building has become commonly known as the Erle Stanley Gardner Building for its most famous office resident.  Mr. Gardner was a lawyer in the late 1920s and early 1930s and it was in his office on the third floor that he wrote the very first Perry Mason novels, starting with The Case of the Velvet Claws. Today the offices upstairs are occupied by many businesses and the current owner is planning a restoration.  The opulent bank interior is currently being adaptively reused as an upscale clothing store and wine bar called Natalie’s Eclectibles and Rincon Wine Cellars, respectively.

516 E Main

This building was constructed in 1896 and is one of the oldest buildings on Main Street (other than the Mission constructed in 1782).  The Odd Fellows Fraternal Order was formed in 1877 and this building has been their base of operations since its construction.  Originally, it was three stories high with a prominent cupola and bay windows.  A fire in the 1920s destroyed the upper floor and a modernization of its interior in the 1970s hides most of the architectural detail.  The exception to this is a Lounge Room that has been reconstructed in lush Victorian style and a rare glimpse is available during the tour.

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16 N Oak

This building is historically significant as an example of one of Ventura’s early banking institutions and opening ceremonies as the First National Bank of Ventura were in June of 1904.  The architect was J. H. Bradbeer and the builder was H.A. Giddings, an extremely prominent local builder in the early part of the 20^th Century.  The building was remodeled in 1948 and 1952 by Ventura architect Kenneth Hess as the Frank Jones Building.  In the 1990s it was restored to nearly its original condition by Jeff Becker of the Becker Group.  It is currently the offices for Curtis Patrick Stiles, Landscape Design.

410 E Main

Originally on this location was a 2-story brick building constructed in 1890s and was occupied by the Great Eastern Clothing Store.  In the 1948 the present building was constructed as a Woolworth’s Five & Dime store.  It has a unique freight elevator that used to be operated by water distribution and is said to be only one of two in existence in California (the other is in San Francisco).  The elevator was converted to electricity for safety standards.  For the last two decades it has been home to Nicholby’s Antiques.  The second floor was transformed into a nightclub in the 1990s.  In 1994 it was the site of the Tortilla Flats Community Reunion, which launched the creation of the Tortilla Flats murals that celebrate the 100-year-old community that was obliterated by the building of the 101 Freeway.

422 E Main

This building was originally constructed as a J. J. Newberry’s Department Store in 1923 and it is thought that J. J. Newberry’s vacated the building when the Mall was built.  Over the years there have been a progression of businesses.  In the 1990s there was a significant fire that started in the restaurant downstairs.  After the fire, Main Street Architects took over the space and began a rehabilitation.  They found the original architectural plans and, although the roof had caved in during the fire, they rebuilt it as it had been before, including the skylights.  The original floor had been severely charred by the fire, so they poured the beautiful amber colored concrete over it and utilized the existing industrial elements to accent the space.  The walls of the original freight elevator were galvanized metal and they have been incorporated into the stylistic design and used to cover electrical panels.  Today, this space serves as a “think tank” for many fine projects in Ventura.

394 E Main

This historically and architecturally significant building exemplifies the work of Morgan, Walls & Clements in 1924, the firm being one of the top 5 Los Angeles based companies of the 1920s.  The Beaux Arts training of the architects is evident in the details of the structure.  The speckled, cream colored terra cotta cladding was created to resemble granite and is rare.  The Lagomarsino family, prominent in local Ventura history and now renowned throughout the State of California, influenced the building of this structure.  In the 1990s the movie “Swordfish” used this location for a crash site within the film.  After that the interior was divided into multiple locations for offices and retail, however, the buildings ornate interior details are still exposed as part of the design element.  Today, the building is home to Faulconer & Carawan, an architectural firm, State Farm Insurance, and, appropriately named, A Secret Place, Salon and Spa.

317 E Main

Architecturally, the building is significant as one of the few decorative brick buildings which has maintained its façade except for the first floor storefront.  It was built between 1906 and 1910 and owned by William Mc Guire.  The building was used upstairs as a hall and downstairs, on the west, as Le Petite Theatre for the early moving pictures and vaudeville.  For many years the Loyal Order of the Moose used the upstairs hall.  In the last few years the building was purchased by Mark Hartley and rehabilitated sensitively for use as Palermo and Allegria Wine Bar downstairs.  The upstairs hall was converted to office space and is currently occupied by TN Associates, offering highly specialized engineering and science in infrastructure, environmental and construction services, and information technology.

34 N Palm

This brick structure and compound was built in 1906 as a carriage house for the Phoenix Stables by William Mc Guire, Sr., after one of the worst fires in the history of Ventura burned down what was called the Allyn Block.  The actual livery was located where the courtyard buildings are now.  In 1921, the County of Ventura purchased the building and turned it into the County Garage.  In the late 1990s Mark Hartley purchased the building and did an extensive rehabilitation that now includes the Old Livery Theatre, the Fitzgerald Hartley Company offices, Tutti’s Restaurant, and Celtic Karma Salon.  The Old Livery Theater offers first class comedy improvisation performances and workshops along with a program called Theater Sports.

~~~~~~~~~DOWNTOWN TOUR SATURDAY NOVEMBER 5

119 S Figueroa

This building is the City of Ventura Landmark #73 and is commonly known as the Mc Coskey Love House built in 1904.  Ada Mc Coskey Love was the widow of prominent Ventura physician, J. H. Love.  Dr. Love came to Ventura in 1892 and was a major figure in the community until his death in 1906.  The Loves moved into this house in 1904.  The house’s style uniquely combines elements of the Italianate period with early Victorian influences.  It has been moved twice with its original location being on the northwest corner of Chestnut and East Santa Clara Streets.  Mr. Don Parrish has restored the house for use as offices.  It is currently occupied and being adaptively re-used as the Spa by Diane Loring.  Brody Loring, the interior designer, has creatively mixed contemporary equipment and furniture (like Craftsman tool chests for salon station supplies) with the Victorian elements of the house to provide a esoteric atmosphere for rejuvenation

143 Figueroa

The Elwell house was built in 1892 and belonged to William Elwell and his wife Edel Frieda Tico Elwell, descendents of important California and Yankee families.  The house has a medium pitched hip roof with an offset gable end and a bay window.  Decorative brackets in sets of three are found under the eaves and the bay window has diamond panes in the upper portion.  The front porch features turned columns and saw-tooth molding.  An addition was made to the rear of the house for use as offices.  The house is in a row of three landmark buildings, which share a rear parking lot.  Landmarks #73 and #33 are all restored and used as offices.  This is a good example of adaptive re-use.  This house is currently occupied by the Maharishi Enlightenment Center for the Global Country of World Peace.

670 E Thompson Blvd

This house is known as the Mary Mitchell House and is part of the Mitchell Block Historic District established in 1977.  The two-story brick masonry structure is a combination of Queen Anne and Eastlake Victorian with the decorative wood detail under the front gable and the spindle and spool decoration on the porch and balcony.  Of unusual interest and whimsy is the square tower with the crenalated parapet, which is reminiscent of medieval Gothic towers.  Built in 1890 by the Mitchell Brothers, who were bricklayers, this residence was given to Mary Mitchell, daughter of Ed. L. Mitchell.  The houses at 670 and 692 are the only remaining examples of brick houses constructed prior to 1900 in the city of Ventura.  The house is currently divided into two sections, one downstairs and the other upstairs.  The downstairs area is the home, office, and classroom of Nancy De Lucresia, owner of the Kali Institute.  The upstairs area is utilized by doctors who specialize in child development.  Both areas provide a nurturing environment.

632 E Thompson

This house is part of the historic district called the Mitchell Block, established in 1977.  The lot was purchased on June 12, 1883 by Thomas Mitchell for Hanna and George Rotsler.  It was sold to Earl E. Barnes on March 14, 1904 and was constructed by Herbert Sly.  The house is a California craftsman bungalow.  It is currently managed by the Becker Group and was beautifully restored for adaptive re-use as offices. It is currently occupied by a law firm, Haffner, Haffner & Kirwin.

82 S Ash

This elaborate home is called the Jack Roos House and is Ventura Landmark #47.  The original owner was Jacque Roos, President of the Great Eastern Company (which was located in what is now Nicholby’s Antique Store and Night Club) , from 1892 to 1910.  In 1922, A. E. Wilson, clerk of the Great Eastern Department Store, lived in the house.  Architecturally, the house is significant as the most opulent example of a Queen Anne cottage in the City.  It is now the private home of Santa Paula educator, Teri Moore, and she has done extensive restoration work on the house.

92 N Fir

This block of Fir Street is part of the original town-site of Ventura when it was laid out in 1876.  Mrs. Shepherd’s famous seed gardens were located on the west side of the block in the 1890s.  The block was primarily developed on both sides between 1906 and 1910.  It is distinguishable for its age and number of houses remaining virtually unaltered from that period.  Most of the residents were merchants, businessmen and professionals, whose places of work were located a few blocks down Main Street.  This structure within the block, located at 92 N. Fir, was built in 1907 for Eliza J. Arnold, widow of Matthew. H. Arnold.  Colonial Revival details include Doric porch columns, curved brackets under boxed eaves, hipped dormer windows.  This single-story house rests on a raised foundation and has been covered with siding.  Frank and Mary Irving bought the house in 1995 and conducted a great deal of the restoration.  The home was recently purchased by Nancy and Tom Bryant, and they are continuing the loving restoration process. Notable original features of the house are the interior Victorian decorative wood trims, the parlor pocket doors, the fireplace, the original claw-foot bathtub, and the light fixtures; most of which are original to the house.

~~~~~~~~~~~  MIDTOWN TOUR SUNDAY NOVEMBER 6

96 Mac Millan

Built in 1924, Washington Elementary School was the centerpiece of the Buenaventura Tract.  The original architectural style of the school was Ornate Mediterranean.  In 1933 to 1934 the building underwent extensive seismic retrofitting, the brick façade was covered with gunite, and the ornamentation was removed.  In 1982, due to declining enrollment and reduced funding, plus settling damage, the elementary school was closed.  From 1982 to the early 1990s, the school was used occasionally for Adult Education classes, then it closed permanently.

Because of strong community concern over the fate of the school and other community issues, the Midtown Ventura Community Council was established.  From 1996-1999, the Midtown community worked with the School Board in an effort to preserve this important Ventura landmark.  On June 24, 1999, the Ventura Unified School Board voted to approve a 10 year lease with Ventura County Christian High School for the Washington property.  Renovation of the buildings and grounds began in what is an outstanding example of community, volunteer driven historic preservation and rehabilitative adaptive re-use.

241 Mac Millan

Dixie Thompson died soon after 1900 and, in settling his estate, the ranch was put on the market and purchased by a group of Los Angeles capitalists who subdivided it into forty-acre to 100 acre tracts which were sold for approximately $400.00 per acre.  The first subdivision into lots was made by Gilpin Wallace Chrisman who owned the Ventura water system and operated the first electric light plant in Ventura.  He purchased the first 40-acre tract which became known as the Chrisman Tract and was part of the Buenaventura Tract.  This tract is bounded by Chrisman and Hurst to the East and West and Thompson and Main to the North and South.  He named Mac Millan Avenue for his first wife, Olivia Mac Millan.  The first recorded owner is C. H. Hansen in 1927.  There have been six owners since 1966.  In 1969, the house sold for $14,500.00  Virginia Hunt lived here from 1980 to 1984; she built the stucco wall around the house in order to protect her pet rabbit from the neighbor’s dog;  it didn’t work.  At that time, the former owner of the Pierpont Inn lived across the street.

518 San Clemente

It is believed this  house was built in 1926 as an original toilet was date-marked with that year.  This neighborhood was also developed in the 1920s to accommodate the increase in Ventura’s population due to the oil boom of that era. This street is remarkable for its magnificent trees called Indian Laurel, a type of ficus tree. The current owners, Tim and Eirian Garvey, purchased the home in 1990 and completed a total renovation in 2002. Removing all of the carpeting and the dropped ceiling, they discovered beautiful hardwood floors with ornamental borders.  The front of the house has the original windows and arches, which were kept and then repeated in the additions.   The house grew from 850 to 1,430 square feet with the addition of a family room and master bedroom and bath.  The sensitivity to the original Spanish Revival design of the house is evident throughout with elements like Mexican limestone and garnet rich granite, and the front door was custom made in Michoacan Mexico.

1728 San Nicholas

The owners of this home call it ‘Casa Muchas Puertos” and they have done most of the extensive renovating themselves of the modest 1926 Spanish Vernacular home.  The living room fireplace has the original tile surrounding the opening and on the hearth.  The oak flooring is original and has been refinished.  The wood floor in the kitchen is the original pine sub-floor that has a new finish.  They replaced the aluminum windows with period correct wood windows.  The kitchen now has period authentic cabinets and a 1930s kitchen sink and train board once featured in a Sears home kit catalog.  The newer extension of the house includes a master suite, large window, paneled doors and beam ceilings of the Spanish era.  The landscaping includes a tiled fountain, stepping stones and sitting areas that complement the house

1550 Santa Barbara

This house of imagination was originally a simple, one-story frame structure built in 1929 and looked exactly like the house next door.  The Browns bought it in 1973.  The first thing they added was the second story.  Every decorative element, both exterior and interior, was personally conceived, crafted, painted, and installed by the Browns.  The elaborate Victorian Gothic detail in every room of the house has been gathered from various places (antique stores on Main street, the local museum, old local abandoned houses, etc.) and modified and/or embellished over a 30 year period to be a very personal expression of the owners. Of particular note is the second floor, which is the “Doll and Toy Museum”.  It is both a family toy museum of many generations and a display of the personal creativity of the Browns in the hand-crafted doll houses and porcelain dolls made in the likenesses of family members. It is a truly unique home of whimsy and fantasy.

104 Encinal Place

This house is part of the very first subdivision in the Hobson Heights area created in 1922.  The Hobson family had a clause in the contract that any structure built on the lot required the architectural style to be either Italian or Spanish.  John W. Bean was a physician and he had the present structure built in 1925.  From 1950 to 1984 the house was occupied by various members of the Renger family.  Noted local architect, Lewis Rudolph, built the three houses at the top of Encinal Circle.  From the 1950s through the 1980s the house went through many modernizations.  In 1986, John Eggler and Peter Chapa purchased the home and renovated the kitchen as well as refinished the original oak hardwood floors.  The Philippine mahogany wood trim and the tongue and groove ceiling are original.  Some unique features are the skylight in the hallway and the gas incinerator in the kitchen and the 400 square foot basement that now serves as a laundry area and bonus room. 

55 Encinal Way

The Spanish style home at 55 Encinal Way was built in 1926 as part of the first phase of Hobson Heights.  Hobson Heights was considered “One of the highest class subdivisions in Southern California. The beauty spot of Ventura.”

Old World charm exudes from this desirable Hobson Heights home. It features a step-down living room with a fireplace, coved ceiling and original mahogany moldings. The formal dining room also has a coved ceiling and oak beadboard.  The kitchen has the original breakfast nook that is filled with light in the mornings.  There are two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a study. The home has hardwood floors, stunning windows and French doors. The home retains the original floor plan except for the addition of a master bathroom. 

In 1926, the home was originally listed for $5,500. The first owners were Wyatt and Louise Hedley. Wyatt was the Branch Manager of the Piggly Wiggly grocery store, located at 1924 E Main Street.

The third owners were Gene and Marguerite Mushlitz. They came to Ventura in 1931, after Gene was hired as the Vice Principal of Ventura Junior High School.  (It was located where Cabrillo Middle School is now located, at 1426 E Santa Clara Street.)   Marguerite and Gene bought the house around 1932, during the depression for $3,500. Eventually Gene became the Principal of Ventura Junior High School.  Later he worked for the County Schools as the Assistant Superintendent.

Dudley House @ Loma Vista and Ashwood

This 2-story, typical saltbox Victorian farmhouse was built for Benjamin Wells Dudley in 1892.  The original floor plan included 2 living rooms, 5 bedrooms and a parlor and no bath.  The house was designed and built by renowned local architect, Selwyn Shaw.  Typical Shaw features abound in the elevated first story and in the hand finished details such as  carved eaves.  Mr. Dudley was a member of the school board, clerk of the Board of Supervisors and a justice of the Peace and he held court in the parlor.  This farmhouse was part of a 50 acre ranch occupied by the Dudley family for five generations.  The San Buenaventura Heritage organization has meticulously restored the house to interpret the period of significance between 1892 and 1925.  The house is now a museum that is open to the public between 1pm and 4pm the first Sunday of each month and it is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Malinda Chouinard Remembers the History of Patagonia and the Smith-Hobson Building

Tony's Pizza [ Johnnie Barios -ed.] on Thompson rented the land from us that is now our parking lot. He kept horses in there, which occasionally would escape and run down Main. We were sorry when the city made us take out White's Cottage Cafe for parking. We all ate there. The only thing left from those days are their lemon and fig trees which were behind the old kitchen.

We just kept making the balcony bigger, until it covered the whole room overhanging the warehouse space. The only approach was by a wooden stairway, the kind that can be raised and lowered by to counter weights. That was the only way up and soon we had a number of seamstresses with sewing machines, next to the offices: There were no permits, and no plans, it just grew. I was scared all the time of fire. We still had little money then. We were financing the whole operation from the daily sales of the climbing equipment. We drew the Patagonia label right there on the cutting table, and all the patterns and designs were worked out there.

Midtown and Downtown Tours 2004 - The Gould Home

Greene & Greene at their finest

Ventura’s only Greene & Greene home is joining the 2004 Ventura Architecture Weekend tour for a rare public appearance.  In the past, only very limited, private group tours have been allowed to view the house.  The Gould family’s desire to tell the story of their family’s historic legacy to the city of San Buenaventura and their hopes that a foundation will acquire the property for future public use has made this opportunity available to us for this year's tour.

Thomas and Mabel Gould engaged the services of the Greene & Greene architectural firm in 1911, shortly after their marriage.  The plans changed over time from a large country estate to an intimate family home on the advice of Henry Mather Greene.  By the 1920s Henry Greene had moved on to designing in the then popular Colonial Spanish Revival style, but Mabel Gould insisted on a “bungalow”, making it one of the last of it’s kind.  By 1925 the house was completed and the family moved in.

All of the artistic craftsmanship one associates with Greene and Greene is present in the house; the cloud lift patterns, rich colored woods, Batchelder tile, etc.  However, being primarily the work of Henry Greene, it showcases his creative and collaborative abilities (usually attributed to his brother, Charles) as evident in the beautiful Hummingbird stained glass cabinet window and the carved floral drawer pulls in the dining room of the house.

Mabel Gould also enlisted the landscape artistry of Theodore Payne, whose mission it was to promote and propagate native plant species of California. The Theodore Payne Foundation continues that mission today.

Originally, this property was a large farming landholding of the Goulds.  As you enter the gates you can see that the property is still surrounded by nearly 1.6 acres of undeveloped land, obviously bordered by suburban encroachment on all sides.  The entire property is the last acreage associated with this family that owned and contributed significantly to the cultural and agricultural growth and development of the City of Ventura.  Beyond being an architectural masterpiece, it is a rare microcosm of an intact socio-cultural and agricultural complex.

Because of the Gould family’s appreciation of archival treasures, nearly every piece of correspondence between Mr. Greene, Mr. Payne, and the Goulds has been preserved as documentation.  In fact, Randell Makinson, Director Emeritus of Pasadena’s Gamble House, has said, “The Gould House is one of the most documented of the Greene and Greene collection.”

The Gould family history in Ventura goes back nearly 130 years, comprised of the Gould, Day, and Bartlett families. Bob Gould, grandson of Thomas and Mabel, said “the story of the house is also a woman’s story” referring to Mabel’s influence on the design of the house and the numerous significant contributions Gould, Bartlett, and Day women have made to Ventura’s history through several generations. These contributions include the Alice Bartlett Club of the early 20^th Century, which is part of the California Federation of Women’s Clubs.

Courtesy of the Gould family and prepared by Jean Gould Bryant, retired head of Women’s History Studies at Florida State University (and granddaughter to Thomas and Mabel), museum quality family artifacts will be on display in the house during the tour only. This collection has never before been seen by the public. 

We would like to thank For Your Home Furniture, located on Main Street, for supplying period correct pieces throughout the house.

We hope you enjoy being welcomed into one of Ventura’s rarest architectural and cultural treasures by a family who has held it in trust for nearly 80 years.

WESTSIDE-DOWNTOWN TOUR 2004

"Work In Progress Home" / Valentine-Siodmak Home

Oriental Craftsman-built in 1915 by Harry S. Valentine

This rare, Oriental influenced Craftsman home was built in 1915 by Harry S. Valentine, who came to Ventura in 1888, ran a large farming business in Montalvo, and built this house for his family. Valentine Road that runs parallel to the 101 is named in his honor. It is on the Historic Resource Inventory (or survey) of primarily Downtown Ventura conducted in 1983.  According to the author of the survey, Judith Treim, it is the only one of its kind in the city of Ventura.

Lynne Siodmak, a textile designer for Patagonia, is only the third owner of the house.  Having previously restored a small Craftsman bungalow and a Mission Revival house in town, she had set her sights on this home for years.  So much so that she went to the Assessor's office five years ago and found out it was owned by the Goodman Trust, who had owned the house since the 1960s. Conveying her interest in purchasing the house, should they ever decide to sell, she never heard back.  However, one day last year she saw the "For Sale" sign and the deal was done with support from her partner, Steve Morando.

From the beginning, it has been Lynne's intent to restore the house to as near as possible original condition.  Using environmental principles and products, she is salvaging all found materials in the house.  Beginning with the foundation (the house had a 5" tilt), she removed an abandoned chimney used for a gravity-fed furnace and saved the bricks for repair work on the front column of the house.  All old lumber from the house is first growth, true 2" x 4"s and 4" x 6"s.  She has located a salvage yard in Pasadena that provides salvaged wood from demolished old homes to match repair work.  Having to replace the roof and rafter tails due to deterioration, the "new" wood will be salvaged wood from the same time period as the house.  All materials that need to be removed from the house because of extreme damage will be recycled.  Since the house is on the 1983 survey, it has historic significance, so she is using the guidelines of the Historic Building Code which allow a historic building to be brought up to safety codes but retain their historic character defining elements.  An example of this is the electrical outlets in the living room being below standard code height.

In addition to the extremely Oriental stylized peaks of the roof gables, some of the interesting original features of the house reflect the design concepts of its first owner.  Probably the most fascinating of these is the brass Murphy bed that revolves out from the wall concealed by a quarter-sawn oak panel in the "Gentleman's Room" off of the Living Room.  The sink in the kitchen is placed at an angle in the corner, which is unique for a Craftsman bungalow.  The large billiard room at the back of the house on the first floor tells a story about the social standing of Mr. Valentine as it is said "post" Council meetings were held there.  This room was so well designed that it includes a special closet for billiard cues.  It is rumored that the garage possibly pre-dates the house with its single wall construction and almost Gothic-Oriental peaked façade.  There are two, fairly large bathrooms, one on each floor of the house, which indicates a level of wealth and sophistication in a 1915 home.  A shower added in the 1950's has been removed from a powder room on the back utility porch and a toilet replaced in it's original location because a sewer line indicating it's original presence was discovered during the plumbing re-pipe.  All of the original interior Craftsman elements (post and beam ceilings, oak paneling, tiled hearth surround, buffet cabinets) are intact, except for the pyramid shaped columns and book shelves separating the living room from the dining room.  This important element will be re-created based on research from the Craftsman period.  The placement of the home on an upward slope from the ocean indicated a spectacular view of the Pacific Coastline and is reflected in the superfluous number of large, multi-paned windows throughout the house.  The wrap-a-round cement porch gives the house a friendly social interactive façade with the neighborhood.

We thank Lynne for her sensitive restoration of this architectural treasure and her generosity in sharing her process with Ventura Architecture Weekend attendees.  She especially wanted to thank some of her resource vendors.  So credit is given here to: Stephen Morando - design and drafting; E.G.R. of Santa Barbara - Foundation Restoration; Michael Castorena, Lead Carpenter; Carmelo Garcia, refinisher; Chris Higgins, carpenter: Thomas Roth - fine wood working; Nordic Services - Plumbing; A Quality Repair Company - electrical and heating; Nordic Services - plumbing and Alan Gonzalez & Company - painting.

WESTSIDE-DOWNTOWN TOUR 2004

Shaw Soda Works House 1923 -Seamless Historic Interpretation

The Sharit House / Mediterranean Stucco

At the turn of the 20^th Century, Selwyn and Burt Shaw’s brother, Floyd, owned and ran the Acme Soda Works on this location and specialized in a strong drink mixture called “Iron Brew”. Selwyn and Burt Shaw constructed most of the houses on the block and this was the farthest eastern part of the town of Ventura in the early 1920s. Selwyn’s architectural career spanned from the late 1880s to the late 1920s and the design styles in the Selwyn Shaw Historic District reflect the changes through the decades in structural tastes. Mr. Shaw built this house and its twin neighbor in 1923 in the Mediterranean Stucco style. 

Jim and Kathy Sharit bought the house nearly six years ago and the reconstruction has taken them a little over two years to complete.  True “Weekend Warriors”, they have done all of the work themselves as Jim is a specialist in theme park design and construction field.

One of their first tasks was to open up the living, kitchen, and dining room areas to give the house a more expansive feel.  The house came with a commercial Wolf stove and they designed the kitchen to compliment it as the focal point of the kitchen.  Having to remove interior walls left little room for a refrigerator, so they installed an under counter refrigerator/freezer.  The dining room built-in buffet is original to the house.  Columned pillars open the kitchen area to the living room where Jim enhanced the existing fireplace with aluminum doors that look like cast iron.  Kathy did all of the interior plaster work, forming the bull-nose corners by hand.  She does the finish work, including initial drawings.

The footprint of the adjoining hallway containing the first floor bathroom and fore and aft bedrooms of the children have been retained.  The bathroom holds the claw foot tub that came with the house and was refinished.

The color palette of the house has been inspired by a trip to Mexico and is striking with raffia colored walls accented by blue cobalt on the architectural details.  This theme is then carried through the addition to give continuity.  Once you leave the living room, you enter a hallway and off to the right is the new master bedroom with a soffit that forms a recessed ceiling bathed in concealed soft lighting.  The bathroom has been tiled by the couple and of special interest is the sink which is a large porcelain bowl with a farm pump faucet fixture placed atop a distressed and painted dresser Kathy purchased at Cost Plus.

But by far the most striking feature of the house is the second floor addition.  At the top of a winding staircase is what Kathy calls the “Piano Room”.  This Indoor-Outdoor Great Room begins with the landing and a long wing wall that is pierced by a pass through double sided fireplace.  The other side of that wall is the living area with the repeated recessed ceiling.  A custom kitchenette bar has been installed for entertaining. This room then opens up completely to the outside with a lanai patio offering breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and the surrounding neighborhood.  Kathy explains the Canary date nut palm in the middle of the fence on the side of the property was once the separation of the long driveway that parted the twin houses and that the lush green views from every window is the inadvertent generosity of her neighbors as there is not a single tree on her property. 

This house represents a seamless, thoughtful expansion of an older home with great attention to historic interpretation of the original structure. 

WESTSIDE-DOWNTOWN TOUR 2004

Blackburn House-Landmark #59

Taylor, Mc Cord, and Praver Law firm

Queen Anne/Colonial Revival Victorian-built in 1905 by Captain David Shelby Blackburn

This grand structure was built in 1905 by Captain David Shelby Blackburn, a Civil War veteran and pioneer Ventura County farmer.  It is historically and architecturally significant because it is one of the most elaborate residential structures built in the early years of the 20^th Century remaining on Ventura’s Downtown Main Street.  It is included in the Historic Resource Inventory conducted by Judith Treim in 1983 of the primarily Downtown area and it was nominated and accepted as a city landmark in ????

Captain Blackburn settled in Ventura in 1875, owned and worked a 300 acre farm near Kimball Road and was a contemporary, friend and business associate of famous early Ventura County residents, such as the Bard brothers, W. S. Chaffee, and G. W. Chrisman.  On Thanksgiving Day in 1913 he quietly passed away sitting by the fireplace in the dining room.  His widow, Alice Piper Blackburn then occupied the house until her passing in 1927.  Her niece, Nellie Piper Wright, was born the year the house was built, lived in the house for three years and prior to her death in 1992 she furnished the current owners with many recollections of life in the house and how the rooms were used.  A Mr. & Mrs. W. H. Glover owned the house from 1930 until 1979 and ran it as a boarding house called “      “ . Since 1979 when Mssrs. Taylor, Mc Cord, and Johnson purchased the house, it has received minor renovation.  Their goal has been to simply maintain it in its original condition consistent with the character and history of the house.

The builder is unknown, however, it has many of the Selwyn Shaw architectural details.  Mr. Shaw, a local recognized master architect, frequently used “pattern” or plan books, such as the then popular California Picturesque Homes, by Samuel and Joseph Cather Newsome. The original distinctive stone retaining wall leading to the house has the pink tinge of stones from the Ventura River.  Clues to the past are evident for as you walk through the front door and Mrs. Blackburn’s parlor to your right shows a parquet pattern forming a border around the room that goes underneath the current wall and flows into Mr. Mc Cords office.  A former tenant has confirmed that the wall was added after 1957.  The woodwork in the foyer and throughout the house is of the finest quality fir or pine as evidenced by the absence of knots.  The oak and mahogany flooring is top-nailed and, has never been refinished.  Several of the rooms have magnificent fireplaces with original tiles in the hearth surrounds and ornate cast-iron grates.  All of the hardware (doors, cabinets, drawers, etc.) is original and repeats an oval beaded pattern.  The kitchen is original, wearing the original hardware, however, the appliances are from another later time period.  The fruit cellar (now supply closet) bears the growth of Mr. Glover’s children marked on the door frame.

On the second floor of the house are the private living quarters of the Blackburn’s. Take note, once again of how the parquet patterns in the floors change and become more simplified as you go deeper into the private and less formal areas of the house, reflecting the Victorian-Edwardian concept of social facades.  A special feature of the house is the intact Victorian bathroom on this level.  It is said Mrs. Blackburn like to keep her money in jewelry and would hide it in a small cubbyhole built into the baseboard behind the toilet.  Nellie Piper Wright informed the current owners that the west side office was Captain Blackburn’s bedroom, the eastside office was Mrs. Blackburn’s. 

A grand staircase leads you back to the foyer where the wedding dress of Mrs. Blackburn is displayed, on permanent loan from Piper Mc Geenhan, Captain Blackburn’s great-grand niece.  In the 19^th Century it was common for a wedding dress to be other than white as a bride would continue to wear it for formal and social occasions.  We can just imagine Mrs. Blackburn welcoming us to a grand dinner in the dining room, dressed in her nuptial finest. 

The entire house, including the newer addition, are now the offices of Elixir Software.

WESTSIDE-DOWNTOWN TOUR 2004

The Velazquez Villa

Mediterranean Spanish Revival bungalow expansion built in 1928

The Westside Community, commonly referred to as “The Avenue” is the oldest neighborhood in Ventura.  This area was originally large fields of lima beans owned by the early farming families. Today, we like to think of ‘development’ as a mid 20^th Century product of post WWII urban sprawl.  However, development of these open fields began as far back as 1880 when the “Avenue Tract” was laid out on the east side of the Avenue.  The Simpson Historic District was designed on the west side of the Avenue in 1927.   This ‘tract’  consisted of one and/or two bedroom, one bath homes and was a direct result of the Oil Boom in the late 1920s built for the working class.

The Velazquez story is one of true vision in real estate investment.  Angel and Elia Velazquez relocated from Santa Barbara eight years ago and bought this house for $79,000.

Initial estimates of nearly $100,000 dollars to remodel and expand the home sent Angel to the library to teach himself how to do 85% of the construction.  Actual costs have been only $19,800.  Nearly a decade ago his family thought he was crazy to move to the “Avenue”, but he told them that his home would eventually be worth $500,000, and today it is

Additionally, his keen eye has also gleaned vintage elements from historic homes slated for demolition, like the many wrought iron lanterns of the 1920s that adorn the interior and exterior of the house.

As you enter the house, you step into what was the living room which has been transformed into an open, airy dining room that looks out into a beautiful Spanish garden.  Bright, rich vivid colors are used on accent walls that add depth to the small rooms of the original house.  The grand addition includes a master suite on a second floor and a Great Room that has been added to the back of the house.  The Great Room, which serves as a living/family/entertainment area is painted a deep saffron with a high cathedral ceiling.  The floor of this room looks like massive squares of cut stone but are actually a pressed board.  Elia is a ninth generation Santa Barbaran and a professional Flamenco dancer who participates in the annual Fiesta of Old Santa Barbara Days and this floor was installed for her to practice on.  This room then leads out onto the patio through beautiful multi-paned French doors.  The patio is enclosed by romantic stucco arches topped with stained knotty pine.  Inset into the east wall of the patio is a vintage hand painted tile mural rescued from a 19^th Century structure in Santa Barbara.  It depicts the Santa Barbara Mission with Flamenco dancers enjoying a fiesta.

But the patio is only the looking glass through which one peers into the ethereal garden of what feels like another time and place.  A multi-tiered ornate fountain found on the Central Coast forms the center piece of a botanical garden courtyard.  The courtyard is bordered by a circular manicured hedge surrounded by roses.  This intimate area is then framed by four California Pepper trees that are hung with sparkling white lights that cast a glow on evening gatherings.  On the east side of the yard is a neighbors garage wall that has been painted with arches and a creeping vine is being trained to form a natural window into what will be murals of Mediterranean vineyards. 

The “Avenue” to the Velazquez family is a community of friendly people where one can walk to the beach, to Downtown, enjoy perfect weather, and live in their own Little Villa. 

MIDTOWN TOUR 2004

The McCord Home

Mediterranean Spanish Revival bungalow expansion built in 1928

This gracious Spanish Revival style home in Hobson Heights was designed and constructed by Lewis Rudolph in 1927.  The floors are original oak hardwood with a decorative pattern along the border.  The generously sized molding and doors are made of mahogany wood.  In the living room, eight-foot stained glass pocket doors are hidden between the entryway and dining room to close off the room.  The fireplace retains its original Batchelder tile on the mantle and around the fireplace opening. The ceiling is open with exposed redwood beams.  Original light fixtures remain in the entryway and dining room.  The dining room has stained glass panels in the ceiling from the Union Bank in Los Angeles, installed by the owner of the house in the 1960s. The home has a beautiful backyard with a pool and cabana.

Lewis Rudolph was an active builder in Ventura in the early 1900s.  He  designed and built several buildings Downtown including the City's first movie theater at 36 S Figueroa Street, where the Knights of Columbus are now located.  He built the Elk's Lodge at 11 S Ash Street and he built the home at 970 E Santa Clara Street, which is now a city landmark.

The Larrabee family was the second family to own the home.  One of their children, Michael, was a 1952 Ventura High School graduate who won two gold medals in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.  He won the medals in the 400-meter dash and the 1,600-meter relay, at the age of 30.  In 1965, the athletic structure on the Ventura High School campus was officially named Larrabee Stadium.

The current owners, Bob and Della McCord purchased the home in 1979 and have an appreciation for Ventura's vintage architecture.  Bob McCord's law firm is located in a Victorian house at 721 E Main Street, a city designated historic landmark, which is featured on the Downtown House Tour.

MIDTOWN TOUR 2004

The Michael Kelly Home

This Spanish Revival home was built in 1928 as part of the Hobson Heights subdivision. The home retains its original floor plan and many original features, such as tile and light fixtures.  Where changes have been made, the owners have respected the Spanish Revival style of the home.  The large living room features a high ceiling with beams, a fireplace and an arched window facing south.  The main bathroom reflects an art deco style, popular in the 1920s, with the original black and white tile floor, built-in storage with glass knobs and original lighting.

In 1925, the first real oil drilling success in Ventura came with Associated Oil Company's drilling of Lloyd No. 9 and No. 16.  Ventura expanded eastward to meet the demand for new housing as the City's population soared with the influx of oil workers.  A.R. Banford, the home's first owner, was a bookkeeper for Associated Oil Company and his wife Estella was a waitress at the Hotel de Leon.  They had a son named Griffith.  In 1934, the second owner was J.P. McGonigle who was in the insurance business.

The home is currently owned by Michael Kelly, an artist and his wife Gisele, a flamenco dancer, and reflects a Spanish and Latin American theme throughout.  The Spanish Revival home has three magnificent custom tile fountains on the exterior of the house and an extensive collection of Latin American religious and folk art throughout the house.  Michael Kelly studied anthropology and art in Mexico City and his oil paintings are based on Pre-Columbian iconography.  The house is filled with a family history of paintings and a major collection of Latin American folk and religious art.

Michael and Gisele Kelly, along with Sean and Desmond McLean are co-owners of California Pottery and Tile Works which was established in 1994, with the primary goal of continuing the rich tradition of producing exceptional handcrafted custom ceramic products in an environment capable of meeting the high-volume, time-sensitive needs of today's architectural, design and building industries.  The company reproduces exquisite Persian, Islamic, Saracen, Spanish Colonial, Mayan, and Floral designs of the historic Malibu Potteries.  They have expanded to offer a wide range of timeless classics expressing a variety of international influences.

MIDTOWN TOUR 2004

The Clench Cottage

This charming bungalow with Craftsman influence was built in 1925.  The original owners were Elwin and Mabel Pendergast.  Mr. Pendergast was employed as a “pumper” with the Shell Oil Company.  The current owners, Ken and Karen Clench, have owned the house for ten years.

The original façade of the house remains unchanged since its inception, with the exception of the newly added stained glass front door.  Passing though that door one enters an enclosed porch with gable ceiling and dormer windows which give the indoor-outdoor feeling of coastal living.  Original photos of the home on the walls of the porch through the early decades document early owners and the streetscape of Poli.

When one steps through the front door into the living room a prior sensitive remodel in the 1990s expands the architectural sense of space.  The original standard height ceiling was removed to create a vaulted gabled arch that spans over the separation wall into the dining room.  This fools the eye into feeling that the living room and dining room are vast.  Two glass block windows have been stalled on either side of the fireplace to let in light and keep privacy.

The dining room retains its original corner china cabinets and window looks into the front porch, adding a larger sense of space.  A combination of contemporary and vintage lighting make the rooms glow with period warmth.  Karen has added many personal family artifacts, photos, and heirloom antiques to blend with the character of the house.  The kitchen retains its original footprint with a service porch.  The prior owner installed granite long before it was popular.  Slowly, the Clench family is adding strong but soft colors accenting the architectural details of the house in the hallway, office, master bedroom, and their daughter’s room.

However, the greatest showstopper of the house is the bathroom.  Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, and Art Deco come to mind immediately upon seeing the stunning black and white design.  Completely covered in veined black and white marble tile, with pedestal sink, vintage fixtures, and a double shower, the drama is the exterior wall surrounding the bathtub.  This wall, from floor to ceiling and from side to side is glass block, drawing you like a firefly toward light at the end of the hallway.

The backyard has recently been re-landscaped into an Asian Zen-like garden with pathways, rock river streams, and a Buddha for good luck.  There is a small one room structure that serves as a laundry room but has paper curtains that imply it could be a Japanese tea house. 

An added feature is that the house has a basement that is accessed from an exterior storm door and can serve as a wine cellar. 

The two Poli houses, while very different in style, are very similar in that they both say “welcome home” to past and current generations.

MIDTOWN TOUR 2004

The Gwillims Monterey Hacienda

Mediterranean Spanish Revival bungalow c. 1928

This Spanish Colonial Revival home was first occupied by Carroll and Eugenia Wright, Mr. Wright being an assistant cashier at the Bank of Italy (later the Bank of America) on Main Street.  The next owners were Floyd and Dolores Harkness, proprietors of the Paris Cleaners, also located on Main Street.  The Harkness family lived in the house until 1976.

The present owner, Steve Gwillims has owned the home since 1987 and for nearly two decades has been slowly putting his imprint of design and style with great creative imagination without changing the original footprint.

The living and dining rooms have been replastered and Steve used stucco color paint rubbed into the bare plaster to create an “old world” finish.  All the original hardwood floors of the house have been retained and refinished.  A combination of acquired vintage lighting (primarily from Sherlocks Lighting in Casitas Springs) and original fixtures have been restored and installed throughout, giving the home an authentic flavor. 

Mr. Gwillims has chosen bright vivid colors in wall and ceiling paint to enhance the Latin architectural influence.  Local decorative painter, Gloria Fisher, and her brother Dennis have applied their talents to the unique details of the house.  In the hallway a cool green finish livens the texture of the plaster.  In the Master Bedroom a dark leather-like red faux finish accented by gold textured molding and a teal blue ceiling bring a sense of enlargement and high drama. A small room addition off of the Master Bedroom added as a nursery by the Harkness family now serves as an office.  A second bedroom is now a richly painted and furnished den.  Both the office and the den open out through French doors into an enchantingly landscaped backyard designed by Nick Williams with vined arbors, fountains, ponds, stone pathways, and a custom built outdoor fireplace, complete with slate stone seating.

The kitchen, however, is pure California Monterey.  With guidance and influence from the Old California Store located on Thompson and the artistic talents of Gloria, Dennis, and Steve, himself, this kitchen is museum quality in expressing the Monterey style.  The vintage Chambers stove and very early double refrigerator were located at the Antique Stove Shop on Laurel Street.

The custom Spanish tiles were supplied by Michael Kelly and RTK Studios.  The floor is yellow and red linoleum.  The cabinets are saffron yellow and authentic recreations of Monterey floral designs were applied by Gloria.  The hood of the stove was replicated from the Lanterman House.  It is a cornacopia of color, period design, and efficiency.

There is one word to describe this house……………….happy