Threatened: Terminal Island, Port of Los Angeles, CA

Noted in an earlier post about the bridges of Yosemite Valley, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has recently posted its America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places that included two California sites. The second, Terminal Island at the Port of Los Angeles, is threatened with continued demolition over adaptive reuse by the Port Authority.

Looking into California's past sometimes exposes events that challenge us. During WWII, Terminal Island was one such venue where its community of Japanese-Americans was relocated to the Manzanar internment camp. Their experience was well captured in Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston & James D. Houston's book, Farewell to Manzanar. Places like Terminal Island and Manzanar enable us to openly discuss difficult subjects like racism, internment, and war. Without them, we are left vulnerable to missed discussions, reflections, and the risk of repeating horrific mistakes.

Update: A Southern California Public Radio posting provided a little more information about the site, and an intriguing video clip of a WWII newscast explaining the government's version of why Japanese-Americans were relocated.

Benefits: Historic Preservation

One of the first questions I am asked when discussing historic preservation is, "What are the benefits of registering a historic building?"  It is a great question, simply because the organizations like the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Parks Service, and our California Preservation Foundation and the California Historic Preservation Office do not make the answer obvious.  This is unfortunate, because the answer may motivate the public to actively pursue preservation projects.  So, without further delay, here are ten fundamental benefits when formally registering your project as a historic place or district:

1. Economic incentives based on your community's participation in the Mill's Act.  Contact your local planning office for your community's status.
2. Your community might also include special waivers, parking benefits, and signage for your historic site.
3. A 20% federal rehabilitation IRS tax credit by way of the National Parks Service.
4. Historic districts with historic buildings help increase property values with great value retention and faster appreciation.
5. If your community develops a Main Street Program, town's frequently benefit from increased tourism, revitalization projects, and more job opportunities.
6. Your building and district become protected, which in turn helps retain resale and market values.
7. Your preservation project contributes to the cultural and heritage fabric of your community, where others can learn from your project's past.
8. Having a home or other building formally registered is a prestigious accomplishment that benefits the entire community.
9. It is a "green" thing that can include adaptive reuse, sustainability practices, and even LEED certification.
10. Your project supports a better understanding of your community's unique sense of place.

Do you already have a registered historic property here in California?  Please feel free to comment about the benefits and possible disadvantages of registry.  Thank you.

Threatened: Bridges of Yosemite Valley, CA.

Sugar Pine Bridge Drawing.  Photo file
found at the National Trust for Historic Preservation

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has recently posted its America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places that included two California sites.  The post highlighted three Yosemite Valley bridges that the Trust described as "Rustic Style built in 1928 and 1932."  Yosemite Valley is our nation's first national park, and likely that early designers did not anticipate the millions of annual visitors and vehicles it hosts today.  Consequently, constant wear brings into question their durability by the National Parks Service, causing to consider removal and replacement.

Sugar Pine Bridge, Yosemite Valley.  Photo file found at Architectural Record.

Stone bridges are rare in the United States and link us to an earlier time where details and durability mattered.  They easily connects us to the landscape and a feeling of assurance for safe crossings.  How will we experience Yosemite with anything different?

Update: The public has been invited to provide feedback to the National Parks Service regarding the possible removal of the 1928 Sugar Pine Bridge. The plans include additional destruction of some historic cabins including the 1911 Residence 1 that traditionally housed the Park Superintendent.  The public meeting is coming up soon!  March 21, 5-8PM at Fort Mason Center's Room C370; Marina Blvd. at Laguna Street, San Francisco.  For more information and/or comment, please contact Anthony Veerkamp, Filed Director of the San Francisco Office of the National Parks Service.  The NPS is developing a larger management plan involving the Merced River corridor.

Lost: J. McDonald Bungalow, Healdsburg, CA.

Photo by Google Earth

This early 1900s bungalow was in need of attention until 2008, when a vintner remodeled it as a tasting room, complete with a wrap around terrace to enjoy views of the vineyard.  In this bucolic landscape of Sonoma County, the bungalow's adaptive reuse exemplified the county's agrarian character.

The Windsor Times just posted an article mentioning its new owner, UPTick, decided that its aesthetics and use as a commercial facility was insufficient for their needs, and so it was demolished with little interest in preservation.  The construction company, Harkey Construction was first to post an announcement, complete with the before shot of the remodeled bungalow.  The architect will replace the bungalow with a "Mid Century Agrarian Modern" facility.

Threatened: Pier 29, San Francisco, California

Yesterday, a fire severely damaged Pier 29 at the bay's edge in San Francisco.  Built in 1915, the pier like so many other places in San Francisco, was designed to help California compete with other international cities and ports like New York.  Highly visited events like the Panama Pacific International Exposition of 1915 and San Diego's Panama-California Exposition of the same year all attest to early investments in California.

At the moment of writing this post, it is unclear if the pier, under the Port Authority for San Francisco, is registered as a historic site.  If anyone has information, please feel free to post a comment here.

The fire highlights how we both perceive historic places and their use for contemporary needs.  We see the pier as old and immediately tag "historic" to its label, but what exactly does historic mean?  Is it historic enough to warrant rebuilding, and if so, will the severe damage alter its status?

More and more preservationists are adopting a reuse and repurpose position so that buildings are less vulnerable to the wrecking ball.  For this pier, it means reuse as a major cruise ship port and future offices and regatta station of the America's Cup.  Authorities say that the damage will not interrupt the building schedule, but what exactly does that mean?  Will the pier receive a new facade, or will it be reconstructed?  We'll be watching!

Supported & Saved: Hembree House Now Museum, Windsor, CA.

Hembree House photos by Rob Huebschmann

Dr. Atlas Hembree and his wife Clara (Cunningham) Hembree built this retirement home in 1931.  The Hembrees had just moved back from Southern California to the Cunningham Homestead to build their dream home, clearly influenced by Spanish Eclectic styles of the time.  Interior details are simple yet surprising, where doors, moldings and other miscellaneous woodwork were crafted from cypress wood on the property.  The Windsor Historical Society further discusses how ownership changed hands, including the site's significance as the founding place for Landmark Winery; a premier wine that was once enjoyed at the White House.

Today, the house is owned by the Town of Windsor, and the property is leased as a museum to the Windsor Historical Society.  The collections include early Windsor artifacts and highlights the region's productive agrarian landscape.  The museum sign, seen above, was made from a wine barrel stave by one of the museum's primary supporters, George Greeott.  The house is also listed on the Town's  historic register.

In Need: Cunningham Homestead, Windsor, California

Currently owned by the Town of Windsor, the Cunningham Homestead is the site of one of Windsor's earliest settlement buildings, circa 1855.  The Windsor Historical Society is managing its restoration and has been able to fund its new, temporary metal roof until a more authentic shake can be installed.  Foundation work is next, followed by returning the front porch to its presumed original location on the facade shown above.  A sketch of the original elevation appears in the Town of Windsor's history webpage.  Funding thus far will not allow for the reuse of this structure. The Cunningham Homestead is listed in the Town of Windsor's Historic Register.

Threatened: Mattie Washburn House, Windsor, CA.

This 1911 home was the resident of Windsor's first woman school superintendent, Mattie Washburn.  Her name is well respected within the community where one of its schools is named after her.  It's for sale!  The real estate listing identifies the parcel zoned as CR (Commercial Residential), which places this historic building at risk for redevelopment.  Seen in the photo is a rare example of one of our regional identifiers, a period tank house (a.k.a. water tower).  Some deferred maintenance has resulted in the use of a blue tarp over the tank house, however the home itself appears to be in great condition.  This home would be a great candidate for the state's or nation's historic registry.

Update:  The real estate listing has changed to describe the home as historic instead of its previous encouragement of redevelopment.  The price came down, too!

Update:  It appears that the Mattie Washburn home has been sold and will remain a private residence.  It fate is still unclear, and we can only hope that the new owners will be sensitive to its local significance.

Threatened or Not? Buddhist Temple, Fresno, California

Buddhist Temple, Fresno, California.  Photo found on flickr by Richard Harrison

In the January/February 2012 edition of Preservation Magazine, it lists this site as threatened because the current congregation has placed the building up for sale. I see this and other Buddhist temples throughout California as integral components to our state's history. Is there anyone out there actively working on this? Does anyone have photographs of the building so I may publish them here?  For this and any other building I post here, I am interested in monitoring their status.

The National Asian Pacific Islander American Historic Preservation Forum (APIA) states that the structure exterior is "protected and not a threat." The post also discusses the congregation's move toward its sale and building a new temple elsewhere in the city.  Under the control of the congregation, this change in place offers an opportunity to further discuss place attachment and "cultural" or collective memory.

Update:  Great photo found!  Also, a video from a local news agency.

Threatened: McCloud Hospital, McCloud, CA

I stumbled upon this rare find in the historic community of McCloud, a former company town in northern California.  This circa 1903 company hospital was until recently still operating as a hospital, but unfortunately has suffered with us through poor economic times.  It's up for sale for $135K, on a couple acres and in great need of attention.  The 1976 film Baby Blue Marine was filmed here.  It's located among elegant mountain homes, lodges, and bed & breakfasts at the base of Mt. Shasta.

The Mt Shasta News covered this property in September of 2010.