Coram. and Cora Lee Wells House
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Historic Site Nomination for the CoraM. and Cora Lee Wells House 4990 Canterbury Drive San Diego, California 92116 Prepared by Priscilla Ann Berge (619) 281-2799 August 2003 HISTORIC SITE NOMINATION for the CORAM. AND CORA LEE WELLS HOUSE 4990 CANTERBURY DRIVE SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92116 Submitted to The City of San Diego Historical Resources Board Prepared by Priscilla Ann Berge 4990 Canterbury Drive San Diego, California 92116 (619) 281-2799 August 2003 Reviewed and accepted by Research Committee, Historical Sites Board, City of San Diego on , 2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS DPRForms List of Figures and Appendices Historical Assessment Applicable Criteria: A & C Figures 1-28 Appendix A Appendix B Selected Bibliography State of California -The Resources Agency Prima~#__ ________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI # ----------------- PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial _________________ NRHP Status Code ----------- --- Other ListinQs Review Code _________ Reviewer ___________ Date _ _______ Page __1___ of __1__ *Resource Name or#: (Assigned by recorder) Cora M and Cora Lee Wells House P1. Other Identifier: Wells House *P2. Location: Not for Publication X Unrestricted *a. County San Diego and (P2c, P2e, and P2b or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.) *b. USGS 7.5' Quad La Mesa Date August 1 2003 T .16S; R, 2W.. f __; __B.M. c. Address 4990 Canterbury Drive City San Diego Zip 92.1.16 d. UTM: (Give more than one for large and/or linear resources) Zone 11, 032° 46' 08 8" N mEl 117° 06' 34 6" W mN e. Other Locational Data: (e.g., parcel #, directions to resource, elevation, etc., as appropriate) Tax Assessor's Parcel #440-330-09-00; Map 1861 Kensington Manor Unit No. 2 Block 161ot 29. Thomas Bros. Map page 1269-Grid G2. *P3a. Description: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, setting, and boundaries) The Cora M. and Cora Lee Wells House was designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style with Ranch style elements. Distinctive characteristics include: original red tile low pitched shed roof with exposed rafters at the asymmetrical front fa92de; exterior stucco walls, parapeted at the flat roof; a stuccoed chimney; the original wooden plank entrance door, inset to allude to thick adobe walls; original ironwork exterior entrance light fixture; multi-light wooden casement windows flanked by original rancho design wooden plank shutters. The original red concrete walkway curves across the lawn to the red concrete entrance steps, without a functional front porch. Resting on a concrete foundation, the house is in good condition. There are compatible alterations, which focus on the back of the house; few are visible from the front fa92de. This single-family residence has 1663 square feet of usable floor space. The house sits on a .43 acre canyon lot overlooking 1-15 to the west. The front faces Canterbury Drive. Built in 1927, on Lot 29 Block 16 of Kensington Manor Unit No. 2, the house was one of the first on the block in the neighborhood. Today, the Wells House is within the older, well maintained community of Kensington in San Diego, California. *P3b. Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes) HP2-single family property *P4. Resources Present: X Building o Structure o Object o Site o District o Element of District o Other (Isolates, etc.) P5b. Description of Photo: Front of house, looking west. July 23, 2003 Photographer: Grant J. Behnke *P6. Date Constructed/Age and Source: X Historic 1927 o Prehistoric "Notice of Completion" Miscellaneous Book 81 page 316, San Diego County Recorder; completed April23, 1927 P7. Owner and Address: Priscilla Ann Berge 4990 Canterbu~ Drive San Diego, California 92116 *PS. Recorded by: (Name, affiliation, and address) Priscilla Ann Berge 4990 Canterbury Drive San Diego, California 92116 Phone: (619) 281-2799 *P9. Date Recorded: August 1, 2003 *P10.Survey Type: (Describe) On site survey, researched by owner, Priscilla Ann Berge, CPH/UCSD in Histo~ : American West; Ethnic & Urban Histo~ of U.S. *P11. Report Citation: (Cite survey report and other sources, or enter "none.") None *Attachments: DLocation Map .K Continuation Sheet .K Building, Structure, and Object Record o Archaeological Record o District Record ounear Feature Record o Milling Station Record o Rock Art Record o Artifact Record OPhotograph Record X Other (List): Historical Assessment Report with Figures and Appendix A & B State of California - The Resources Agency Primary # DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD Page _1_ of _2_ *NRHP Status Code 1 *Resource Name or# The Cora M. and Cora Lee Wells House 81. Name: The Cora M. and Cora Lee Wells House 82. Common Name: Cora Lee Wells House 83. Original Use: domestic I single family dwelling 84. Present Use: domestic I single dwelling *85. Architectural Style: Spanish Colonial Revival style with Ranch style elements 86. Construction History: (Construction date, alterations, and date of alterations.) "Notice of Completion," Miscellaneous Book 81 page 316, San Diego County Recorder, completed April23, 1927. Early enlarged view window in front door, no date; detached wooden carport, circa 1964; bedroom, bath addition at back of house, kitchen, breakfast room, laundry remodel; unfinished basement; veranda at back of house. Thomas L. Silvers, A.I.A., Permit No. C003-69-92 completed May 20, 1993; detached single car garage (replace in kind): Architect, Thomas L. Silvers, A. I.A., Permit No. C300388-00, completed June 9, 2000. See: Figures 20 & 28, herein. "87. Moved? C8l No 0 Unknown Date: N/A Original Location: N/A *88. Related Features: none B9a. Architect: John William Gemandt, designer b. Builder: A.M. Southard Company, San Diego, CA *810. Significance: Theme: community development, residential architecture Area: Kensington Manor Unit No.2, San Diego, CA Period of Significance: 1925-1941 Property Type: Building Applicable Criteria: A and C (Discuss importance in terms of historical or architectural context as defined by theme, period, and geographic scope. The CoraM. and Cora Lee Wells House, completed in 1927, is a Spanish Colonial Revival style with Ranch style elements. Categorically, the Wells House can be placed into the Spanish Colonial Revival style, 1915-1941 , in residential architectural development. Both this architectural style and the more modern Ranch style, 1935-present, have roots in 19th century Spanish Mexican adobes and ranchos. In 1915, the Panama California Exposition in San Diego symbolically placed the Spanish Colonial Revival style in the forefront of a quest for regional identity. The Kensington community reflects this quest shifting from California Craftsman bungalows toward the multiplying Spanish Colonial Revival houses. As one of the first houses built in Kensington Manor Unit No.2, the Wells House helped to formulate the neighborhood's architectural style. (See continuation sheet B10, page 2 of 2.) 811. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes) none *812. References: Bruce, Richard E. and Joyce. Oral Interview by Author, May 7, 2002, San Diego, CA, neighbors of Cora Lee Wells. City of San Diego Water Services. Gernandt, John William, Application for Social Security Account Number, June 4, 1942. Johnson, Jeanne Houle, Oral Interview by Author, January 17, 2003, Escondido, CA, niece of Cora Lee Wells. San Diego City Directory, 1923-41 . San Diego County Assessor's Office. San Diego County Recorder's Office. San Diego Historical Society Research Archives and Photo Archives. San Diego Public Library, California Room, Newspaper Room . San Diego Union Wells, Cora Lee, Application for Social Security Account Number, June 10, 1962. Whiffen, Marcus, American Architecture Since 1780: A Guide to the Styles. Cambridge MIT Press, 1969. 813. Remarks: Zoning RS-1-1, RS-1-7 *814. Evaluator: Priscilla Ann Berge, owner 4990 Canterbury Drive, San Diego, CA 92116 Phone: (619) 281-2799 *Date of Evaluation: August 1, 2003 {This space reserved for official comments.) State of California - The Resources Agency Primary# - ----------------- DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# ------------------- CONTINUATION SHEET Page _2_ of _L. *Resource Name or# (Assigned by recorder) The CoraM. and Cora Lee Wells House *Recorded by Priscilla Ann Berge *])ate August 1, 2003 12:1 Continuation D Update *81 0. Significance: Initially, in the early 1900s, Kensington developed similar to other "streetcar suburbs" in San Diego. Craftsman bungalows on straight lined streets with access to the trolley line. With the increased impact of the auto, streets curved out to the canyon rims to sites like the Wells House. Cora Lee Wells actually drove her Mother, CoraM. Wells, out Canterbury Drive before the streets were paved. The Wells House reflects mid-city mesa top development in San Diego. Theoretically, landowners, real estate developers, architects, designers, builders, contractors, and financers worked together with potential homeowners to provide a sense of place- a San Diego identity. A sense of place existed for thousands of years with the Kumeyaay people. Over time, the Spanish, Mexican, and American periods covered the land. By 1910, a company called Kensington Park Land Company, led by G. Aubrey Davidson, extended development in what is now Kensington. In 1925, Kensington Park Land Company joined with Pasadena-based real estate developer, Southlands Corporation, to promote the development of Kensington Manor. Buyers resold or contracted on their own with architects,