HISTORICAL NOMINATION OF THE William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House ------. b the A. M. Southard Co. 5002 CANTERBURY DRIVE flmiiJm~-~iiaiiUrG ~KENSINGTON
Mnchine Cuttini Sa ve• 2 Ronald V. May, RPA Legacy 106, Inc. P.O. Box 15967 Legacy San Diego, CA 92 17 5 www.legacy1 06.com 106,.c (619) 269-3924 HISTORIC HOUSE RESEARCH Legacy Historical Landmark and Mills Act Assistance 1061NC. P.O. Box 15967 • San Diego, CA 92175 Phone; Fax (619J 269-3924 • www.legacy106.com Executive Fact Sheet Resource Name: The William F. and Leta B. Gemandt House Resource Address: 5002 Canterbury Drive, San Diego, CA 92116 Community: Kensington, Council District 3 Requesting Mills Act? Yes~ No Applicant's Ronald V. May, RPA Owner's Suresh and Tara Name: Legacy 106, Inc. Name: Rangarajan Address: P.O. Box 15967 Address: 5002 Canterbury Drive San Diego, CA 92175 San Diego, CA 92116 Phone#: (619) 269-3924 Phone#: (619) 546-8549 E-Mail: legacy1 06inc @aol.com Resource Type: Building I Single-family property APN: 440-330 - 1000 Legal Description: Lot 30 in Block 16 of Kensington Manor Unit 2, Map 1861 Date of Construction: 1926 Architect: William F. Gemandt Builder: A. M. Southard Co. Architectural Style: Spanish Eclectic- Southern California Style Applicable Criteria: "C" Architecture Prior Resource Address: 3947 Canterbury Dr. and 5032 Canterbury Dr. Explanation: 3947 was the address in builder's 1926 advertisement 5032 was the address from 1927-1929 per the city directory 5002 was used from 1930 to present Keywords: Kensington Manor, Pacific Ready-Cut, Machine-Cut System, Spanish Eclectic, Southern California Style, Gernandt, Southard, Southern California Mortgage Co., Lessick, Lee, Scroggs, Young /J.C 1 MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN CULTURAL RESOURCES ASSOCIATION © 2006 Legacy 106, Inc. 2 Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Executive Summary This nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gemandt House concerns a one-story stucco over wood frame structure on a concrete foundation located at 5002 Canterbury Drive in the community of Kensington. The house to the immediate south, the Cora M. and Cora Lee Wells House, was built by the same builder, but a year later, and that house is now San Diego Historical Landmark No. 619 under Criteria c, Architecture. The Gemandt House is also important under Criteria "c" for its Spanish Eclectic architecture. It is as an excellent example of the style and it retains its critical elements of integrity. The A. M. Southard Company built this house in 1926 at the request of renowned mid-west architect William Frederic Gemandt, who came with his wife Leta to San Diego to retire. Their son, John William Gemandt, had worked for Alfred M. Southard for several years as his superintendent of construction while Southard held the area affiliation of the Pacific Ready-Cut Building Company out of Los Angeles. Southard had recently given up his affiliation with Pacific Ready-Cut to transform his company. His strategy changed from high quality ready-cut provided plans and materials to an on-site "machine-cut system," which reduced carpentry waste and costs by using portable electrical saws. This innovation allowed Southard to maintain his high production standards and pass the savings on to his customers. Southard also created his own independent fmancial branch to offer mortgage loans as well as in-house service of expert architects who could draw plans in a variety of architectural styles to suit the client. Of particular significance under Criteria "c," is the fact that Southard implemented a new change in construction technology at this critical point in time, which revolutionized his building process. Just as the change from hand-sawn lumber to factory-cut lumber was a major technological innovation, the ability to transport electric table-saws to each construction site and then custom machine cut the lumber quickly to specification as needed was also a significant change in house construction. This house and the technological change adopted by Southard represents the fulcrum or turning point for the entire technology of house construction in that time period. We cannot over emphasize the importance of being able to place a portable electric powered machine cut saw on the construction site. A master carpenter would then measure every location of wood and custom cut it to fit that particular need in a more time-efficient manner. Before the development of portable table saws and the introduction of electrical power to a construction site, everything was either cut by a handsaw or shipped in as pre-manufactured materials. Since this house was one of the first built by Southard in his period of independence from Pacific Ready-Cut Homes, it thus represents an important step in the evolution of house construction technology. It was a significant endorsement of the companies' quality and methods that two architects had chosen the A. M. Southard Company to build the homes they had designed for their personal residences. William Gemandt was one of those architects. Additionally, William's son, John, also had the Southard Company build his home on Mississippi Street, so that both generations of Gemandts lived in new Southard-built homes. Thus, the Gemandt House contributes to a better understanding of the architectural development of the Kensington community in the mid 1920s. Legqcy 3 106. Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Table of Contents Executive Fact Sheet ...... 2 Executive Summary ...... 3 Table of Contents ...... 4 DPR 532a Department of Parks and Recreation Primary Record Form ...... 5 DPR 532b Department of Parks and Recreation BSO Record Form ...... 7 Site Location, The Thomas Guide ...... 13 Criteria ...... 14 Architecture ...... 15 Integrity Evaluation ...... 16 Contemporary Photographs ...... 20 Architectural Evaluation ...... 26 Historical Aerial Photographs ...... 30 Historical House Photographs ...... 32 Historical Maps - Sanborn Fire Insurance Map ...... 40 Historical Maps- c. 1930 Ritchfield Map ...... 41 Chain ofTitle ...... 42 Chronological Directory Listing ...... 43 Historical Context for the Community - Kensington Manor Unit 2 ...... 44 Kensington Manor Contest ...... 46 Why is the Restricted Development Historically Significant? ...... 49 Canyon Lot Preferences ...... 52 Historical Context for the Builder ...... 53 Alfred M. Southard and Julia Southard ...... 53 Pacific Ready-Cut Homes Agent ...... 54 A.M. Southard's Independence from Pacific Ready-Cut Homes, Inc ...... 60 On-Site Machine-Cut Lumber ...... 70 John "Jack" William Gemandt ...... 74 Historical Context for the Architect ...... 76 William Frederic Gemandt ...... 76 Nebraska National Register Listings for William Frederic Gemandt ...... 77 1910 U.S. Census Gemandt Family ...... 80 Subsequent Owner Information ...... 83 Charles and Anna Lessick (1929-1939) ...... 83 John T. and Nellie Lee (1940-1942) ...... 85 W.A. "Bill" and Eula T. Scroggs and William A. Scroggs, Jr. (1942-1954) ...... 85 George W. and Mildred W. Young (1954-1958) ...... 87 Naming the House ...... 87 Conclusion ...... 87 Bibliography ...... 88 Attachments ...... 92 Residential Building Record ...... 92 Water Record ...... 94 Current Deed ...... 95 San Diego County Assessor' s Map 1861 ...... 96 Kensington Manor Unit 2 Subdivision Map 1861 ...... 97 Historical Kensington Map ...... 99 Area Subdivision Map ...... 100 USGS Map ...... 101 Legqcy 4 106_ State of California - The Resources Agency Primary# DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial NRHP Status Code Other Listings Review Code Reviewer Date Page 1 of 2 *Resource Name or#: The William F. and Leta B. Gemandt House APN #440-330-1000, 5002 Canterbury Drive, San Diego, CA 92116 P1. Other Identifier: Gernandt House * P2. Location: Not for Publication 181 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 7.5' Quad Date 1997 Maptech, Inc. T ; R %of Y• of Sec ; M.D. B.M. c. Address: 5002 Canterbury Drive City: San Diego Zip: 92104 d. UTM: Zone: 11 ; 489713 mEl 3625532 mN (G.P .S.) e. Other Locational Data: (e.g., parcel#, directions to resource, elevation, etc., as appropriate) Elevation: 373' The property is located on the U.S.G.S. La Mesa Quadrangle. It is identified as Tax Assessor's APN # 440-330- 1000 and is located on Lot 30 in Block 16 of Kensington Manor No.2, Map 1861 in the City of San Diego, County of San Diego, State of California. The street address is now 5002 Canterbury Drive, although during the historical period the address was known first as 3947 and then 5032 Canterbury Drive. The addresses changed as new houses were built, shifting the sequence of addresses to accommodate the new structures. The house is on the west side of Canterbury Drive and is located on a rim lot that faces west to Interstate 15. The front elevation of the house faces east. *P3a. Description: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, setting, and boundaries) The Gernandt House is a Spanish Eclectic style with an attached west gate and side yard wall. The detached garage contributes to the architectural significance of the house (See Continuation Page) *P3b. Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes) (HP2)-Single family property *P4. Resources Present: 181 Building D Structure D Object D Site D District D Element of District D Other (Isolates, etc.) P5b. Description of Photo: (View, date, accession #) View of east elevation, June 27, 2006 Photo by Ronald V. May, RPA. *P6. Date Constructed/Age and Sources: 181Historic D Prehistoric D Both Water Permit Date: 7/16/1929 Residential Building Record: 1926 County Tax Records: 1927 (first year of taxation - house usually built prior year) P7. Owner and Address: Suresh and Tara Rangarajan 5002 Canterbury Drive San Diego, CA 92116 *P8. Recorded by: (Name, affiliation, and address) Ronald V. May, RPA, Legacy 106, Inc. P.O. Box 15967 San Diego, CA 92175 *P9. Date Recorded: June 30, 2006 *P10. Survey Type: (Describe) Intensive *P11. Report Citation: (Cite survey report and other sources, or enter "none.") Ronald v. May, RPA, and Dale Ballou May, "Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House," Prepared by Legacy 106, Inc., 2006. *Attachments: D NONE D Location Map 181 Sketch Map 181 Continuation Sheet 181 Building, Structure, and Object Record D Archaeological Record D District Record D Linear Feature Record D Milling Station Record D Rock Art Record 0 Artifact Record D Photograph Record 0 Other (List): L egacy 5 106_ State of California - The Resources Agency Primary# DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# CONTINUATION SHEET Page 2 of 2 •Resource Name or#: The William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House APN # 440-330-1000, 5002 Canterbury Drive, San Diego, CA 92116 •Recorded by Ronald V. May, RPA •Date June 30, 2006 1:81 Continuation D Update *P3a. Description: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, setting, and boundaries} Continued The roof is Spanish fired red clay tile set on a medium pitch, cross-gable roof. Ornamental rafter tips protrude from under the shallow eaves. The walls are adobe-like stucco on balloon frame set on a cast concrete foundation. The front is asymmetrical with one gable protruding out at the northeast corner. The side wall of that room exhibits a cast concrete Islamic privacy grill, or as Southard described it, "plastered grills, or false exterior window, which ornament and yet preserve privacy." (San Diego Union, October 25, 1925). This privacy grill is a character-defining feature. A modern steel security door covers the medieval style front door. All the other windows are wood framed casement with wood headboard and flanked by wood shutters. The front porch has modern terra cotta tile and the curved walkway is flagstone set in the lawn. The south side gate connects the house to the solid stucco side wall that extends to the rear of the house. The chimney on the south side is stucco and rises above the south roof gable apex. A modern rear room addition has been set out approximately 18-inches in two steps and the stucco walls have metal windows not flanked by shutters. CALTRANS funded the metal windows to partially mitigate traffic noise from Interstate 15. The detached garage has a flat roof, stucco walls on wood balloon frame, and is characterized by a low Spanish fired red clay tile shed roof over matching barn type doors secured with heavy wrought iron black metal hinges attached to vertical boards and there are two small windows set into the doors. Although these doors are original, they have been extended from the garage by approximately 12-inches, presumably to accommodate one of the larger model automobiles. Leg Page 1 of 6 *Resource Name or#: The William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House APN #440-330-1000, 5002 Canterbury Drive, San Diego, CA 92116 B1. Historic Name: Gernandt House B2. Common Name: Gernandt House B3. Original Use: Single family residence B4. Present Use: Single family residence *85. Architectural Style: Spanish Eclectic Bungalow 86. Construction History: (Construction date, alterations, and date of alterations) William Frederic and Leta Gernandt acquired Lot 30, Block 16, Map 1861 on April9, 1925. Gernandt retired as an architect in Omaha, Nebraska, designed this house, and retained the A.M. Southard Co. to construct it. A.M. Southard used Gernandt's conceptual drawing in 1926 advertisements and the company brochure, which established its existence in that year. This is corroborated by the County taxation records, which show the first year of taxation to be 1927, which typically means there was a house on the property the prior year. Not coincidentally, Gernandt's son, John W. Gernandt, also worked for Southard as his superintendent of construction. John also had his own house built by Southard in this period. The answer to the question of who designed the house has been a bit murky, but the most convincing advertisements say that the design was created by William, as his tribute to the Southern California style. Gernandt cleared title on January 17, 1929 so that he and Leta could sell the property to Charles Lessick the same day. Because the tract was an unincorporated area of the county, utility permits are often difficult to find for the original owners. In this case, the only utility permit is for the water service, which Lessick took out on July 16, 1929. On August 9, 1989, the City of San Diego approved a building permit to extend the rear of the house. *87. Moved? l:8l No 0 Unknown Date: N/A Original Location: N/A *88. Related Features: There is a detached garage, south side gate, and boundary wall B9a. Architect: William Frederic Gernandt b. Builder: A.M. Southard Co. *810. Significance: Theme: Residential Architecture Area: Kensington Period of Significance: 1926-1930 Property Type: single-family dwelling Applicable Criteria: c (Discuss importance in terms of historical or architectural context as defined by theme, period, and geographic scope. Also address integrity.) The Gemandt House is an excellent example of a Spanish Eclectic Bungalow and is nominated under Criterion "c" for its architecture. The house exhibits intact integrity on the east elevation along Canterbury Drive, which is the public view, and meets the Secretary of the Interior's integrity standards because the rear addition is offset, exhibits distinctive windows, and does not overwhelm the primary presentation of the house. (See Continuation Sheet.) B11 . Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes) (Sketch Map with North arrow require d.~ (HP2)-Single family property *812. References: (See Continuation Pages) B13. Remarks: none i *814. Evaluator: Ronald V. May, RPA *Date of Evaluation: June 30, 2006 (This space reserved for official comments.) 7 State of California - The Resources Agency Primary# DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# CONTINUATION SHEET Page 2 of 6 *Resource Name or#: The William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House APN # 440-330-1 000, 5002 Canterbury Drive, San Diego, CA 92116 *Recorded by Ronald V. May, RPA *Date June 30, 2006 181 Continuation D Update *81 0. Significance: (continued) (Discuss importance in terms of historical or architectural context as defined by theme, period, and geographic scope. Also address integrity.) The William F. and Leta Gernandt House is significant under Criterion "c' in that it reflects the ongoing interpretation of the Southern California style, while meeting the needs dictated at the national level for economy of materials and efficiency in the building process. In addition, the house contributes to a better understanding of the development of Kensington Manor's built landscape during the transition of architectural popularity from Craftsman and English Tudor to the Mediterranean variations that interpreted the Southern California style. The owners and developers of the subdivision exercised architectural controls and restrictions from 1925 to 1930, the period of significance, to ensure that the values of the properties would increase. This transitional period is even more significant in that all of the Kensington Mesa subdivisions that were developing at that time worked in agreement to ensure a uniformity of style throughout the area. Interestingly, Gernandt's choice of style of house for himself and his wife Leta says a great deal about choices and preferences in the period. Gernandt was himself an accomplished mid-west architect with numerous public and private buildings to his credit Today, some of those buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. In Nebraska, the Gernandts lived in an impressive two-story Colonial Revival house that would be considered a mansion by most standards. Family lore has it that the couple came to retire, and San Diego was the logical choice because it was where their son John resided. Certainly the couple had the ability to choose any location within San Diego to reside, and initially they lived in a modest house in Mission Hills. Additionally, there were a number of excellent high-end tracts under development at this time, not to mention there were excellent empty lots in Mission Hills as well. In this context it is telling that William chose this lot in this subdivision with this company as the builder of his choice of design. He designed their new residence at 5002 Canterbury Drive as his interpretation of the evolving Southern California style, and he chose the A.M. Southard Company to build it Presumably, he would choose the best available builder to provide the highest quality residence he desired for himself and his family to live within. A.M. Southard thought so highly of the house that he included it in his promotional brochures and many 1926 newspaper advertisements. Of course, John Gemandt worked as superintendent of construction at A.M. Southard, and that connection certainly played into William's decision. The Gernandt House was on a secluded rim overlooking a canyon on the edge of the subdivision. It is also opposite one of the few quaint English Tudor houses in Kensington Manor, giving the neighborhood a touch of the fairy tale charm that is inherent with that style. According to our research and the work done by Priscilla Ann Berge on her Kensington Manor Unit 2 Historic survey (in progress) this house holds the distinction as the third house built in the subdivision and the second Spanish style house. The view north and east into Kensington Manor No. 2 reveals that the historical setting of this SO-year old residential neighborhood is relatively intact All the landscape features of paved streets, lawn strips, palm trees, and concrete curb and gutters remain. As such, the Gernandt House serves to contribute to understanding the evolution of the Kensington community from the nearby English I Craftsman neighborhood of Kensington Park off Marlborough Drive. The lots on the traditional grid system evolved into the curvilinear street arrangement that was used to create a park-like ambiance. The Gernandt House is in excellent condition and it retains integrity values in location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, and association and the rear yard addition meets the standards for compatibility with distinction. The subdivision remains an intact pocket of the older original residential Kensington Manor neighborhood that survives to tell the story of this unique community, which once marked the eastern boundary to the City of San Diego and outlying unincorporated area. Leg *Recorded by Ronald V. May, RPA *Date June 30, 2006 ~ Continuation D Update *812. References: Books Baumann, D.D.S., Dr. Thomas H. 1997 Kensington- Talmadge, 1910-1997. Kensington-Talmadge Community Association. San Diego: Ellipsys International Publications, Inc. Second Edition Black, Samuel F. 1913 San Diego County, California, A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Volumes I and II. Private printing: San Diego Brandes, Ray S. 1991 "San Diego Architects 1868-1939." University of San Diego 1981 San Diego An Illustrated History. Los Angeles: Knapp Communications Corporation, Inc. Brilliant, Ashleigh 1989, The Great Car Craze: How San Diego Collided with the Automobile in the 1920s. New York: Woodbridge Press. Burgess, Patricia 1994 Land Use Controls and Residential Patterns in Columbus, Ohio, 1900-1970. Ohio State University Press www.ohiostatepress.org/Books/Complete%20PDFs/Burgess%20Pianninq/04.pdf California Office of Historic Preservation 1996 The California Register of Historic Resources: Regulations for Nomination of Historic Properties. State of California, The Resources Agency, Department of Parks and Recreation Ching, Francis O.K. 1995 A Visual Dictionary ofArchitecture . New York: John Wiley & Sons Clay, Lancaster 1985 The American Bungalow 1880-1936. New York: Abbeville Press Duchscherer, Paul and Douglas Keister 1995 The Bungalow: America's Arts & Crafts Home. New York: Penguin Putnam, Inc. Eddy, Lucinda 1997 Frank Mead and Richard Requa: Toward a Simpler Way of Life: The Arts and Crafts of California. Ed Robert Winter. Berkeley: University of California Press Gebhard, David and Robert Winter 1984 Architecture of Los Angeles, A Compeat Guide. Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith Books. Gordon-Van Tine Co. 1992 117 House Designs of the Twenties. Reprint of the original 1923 catalog by The Anthenaeum of Philadelphia and Dover Publications, Inc. New York Kirker, Harold 1986 California's Architectural Frontier: Style and Tradition in The Nineteenth Century. Salt Lake City, Utah: Peregrine Books Legqcy 9 106_ State of California -The Resources Agency Primary# DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# CONTINUATION SHEET Page 4 of 6 *Resource Name or#: The William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House APN #440-330-1000, 5002 Canterbury Drive, San Diego, CA 92116 *Recorded by Ronald V. May, RPA *Date June 30, 2006 181 Continuation D Update *812. References: McAlester, Virginia and Lee McAlester 1990 A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred Knopf, Inc. McPhail, Elizabeth C. 1979 The Story of New San Diego and of its Founder Alonzo E. Horton. San Diego Historical Society. National Park Service 1985 Historic American Building Survey Guidelines for Preparing Written and Historical Descriptive Data. Division of National Register Programs, Western Regional Office, San Francisco, California Pourade, Richard F. 1964 The History of San Diego: The Glory Years, Volume 4 San Diego: Union-Tribune Publishing Co. 1965 The History of San Diego: Gold in the Sun, Volume 5 San Diego: Union-Tribune Publishing Co. 1967 The History of San Diego: The Rising Tide, Volume 6 San Diego: Union-Tribune Publishing Co. Starr, Kevin 1990 Material Dreams: Southern California through the 1920s. New York: Oxford University Press 1985 Inventing the Dream: California Through the Progressive Era, New York: Oxford University Press Starr, Raymond 1986 San Diego: A Pictorial History. Norfolk, Virginia: The Donning Company Stevenson, Katherine Cole and H. Ward Jandl 1986 Houses by Mail: A Guide to Houses from Sears, Roebuck and Company. Washington, D.C.: National Trust for Historic Preservation The Thomas Guide 2006 Thornton, Rosemary 2004 The Houses That Sears Built: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sears Catalog Homes. Alton, Illinois, Gentle Beam Publications Thornton, Rosemary and Dale Patrick Walicki 2004 California's Kit Homes: A Reprint of the 1925 Pacific Ready-Cut Homes Catalog, Alton, Illinois, Gentle Beam Publications Winter, Robert and Alexander Vertikoff 1996 American Bungalow Style. New York: Simon & Schuster Winter, Robert 1985 Architecture in Los Angeles: A Complete Guide. Salt Lake City, Utah: Peregrine Books Wright, Kai, (ed) 2001 The African-American Archive: The History of the Black Experience Through Documents. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers Legqcy 10 106_ State of California - The Resources Agency Primary# DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# CONTINUATION SHEET Page 5 of 6 "Resource Name or#: The William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House APN #440-330-1000. 5002 Canterbury Drive, San Diego, CA 92116 "Recorded by Ronald V. May, RPA "Date June 30, 2006 181 Continuation 0 Update B12. References: Manuscripts Cotton, Oscar 1963 "A History of San Diego Real Estate Subdivisions in 'The Good Old Days'." San Diego Historical Society. Culliname, AlA, John J. 1999 "National Preservation Institute, Practical Application of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties," April19, 1999 May, Ronald V. and Dale Ballou May, Legacy 106, Inc. 2004 Historical Nomination of the Jack G. and Eugenia Robb- America Pete and Stephna Rotta House, 4958 Marlborough Drive, Kensington 2004 Historical Nomination of the Commander Wilbur V. and Martha E. Shown and Louise Severin House, 4394 North Talmadge Drive, Talmadge Park Unit 1 2003 Historical Nomination of the Walter M. and Loretta B. Casey House, 4830 Hart Drive, Talmadge Park Romero, Kathleen 2001 California Preservation Foundation, Mills Act Workshop, May 17-19, 2001, Office of the Tax Assessor, County of San Diego. Sedlock, Robert 1958 "A History of Kensington," San Diego State University Historical Archives Thesis Hennessey, Gregg R. 1977 City Planning, Progressivism, and the Development of San Diego, 1908-1926. Master's Thesis, San Diego State University, Department of History Newspapers San Diego Union, San Diego Sun San Diego Historical Society, Archives Biographical Manuscript Files & Photographic Archives Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps City Directories, 1910-1968 Municipal, County, Government Archives, Records, and Publications County Recorder, Deed Books County Tax Assessor, Records 11 State of California - The Resources Agency Primary# DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# CONTINUATION SHEET Page 6 of 6 *Resource Name or#: The William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House APN # 440-330-1000, 5002 Canterbury Drive, San Diego, CA 92116 *Recorded by Ronald V. May, RPA *Date June 30, 2006 181 Continuation D Update 812. References: "Historical Greater Mid-City San Diego Preservation Strategy," Consultants: Architect Milford Wayne Donaldson, FAIA, Inc; IS Architecture; RNP/Roesling Nakamura Architects, Inc., prepared for the Planning Department, City of San Diego, July 15, 1996. "Instructions for Recording Historical Resources: Office of Historic Preservation, March 1995 "Mid-City Communities Plan, Final," City of San Diego, August 4, 1998 "Uptown Community Plan," City of San Diego, Adopted February 2, 1988 Water Department, Records Internet www.Ancestry.com www.cr.nos.oov/nr/publications/bulletins/suburbs/text2.htm U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, National Register Publications, National Register Bulletin, Historic Residential Suburbs. Guidelines for Evaluation and Documentation for the National Register of Historic Places. l eg<1cy 12 106~ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Site Location The Thomas Guide Map 2006 (overview & close-up) Leg¥y 13 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Criteria Criterion A Exemplifies or reflects special elements of the City's, a community's or a neighborhood's historical, archaeological, cultural, social, economic, political, aesthetic, engineering, landscaping or architectural development. Criterion 8 - Not applicable Is identified with persons or events significant in local, state or national history. * Criterion C Embodies distinctive characteristics of a style, type, period or method of construction or is a valuable example of the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship. Criterion D Is representative of the notable work of a master builder, designer, architect, engineer, landscape architect, interior designer, artist or craftsman. Criterion E - Not applicable Is listed or has been determined eligible by the National Park Service for listing on the National Register of Historic Places or is listed or has been determined eligible by the State Historical Preservation Office for listing on the State Register of Historical Resources. Criterion F Is a finite group of resources related to one another in a clearly distinguishable way or is a geographically definable area or neighborhood containing improvements which have a special character, historical interest or aesthetic value or which represent one or more architectural periods or styles in the history and development ofthe City. Le~JClCY 14 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Architecture Spanish Eclectic- Southern California Style low~pirc hetl roof red tile ruof covering eaves usually wi1h little or wa ll s u r fac~: no O\f\:: rhang usually SluC'co asymmttriral a.r che.~ above ~ facade tloor I III'I' ED ltOOF FL\T ICOOF From a Field Guide to American Houses by Virginia & Lee McAlester, page 417. Photo by Ronald V. May Legqcy 15 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Integrity Evaluation Secretary of Interior's Guidelines. The following is an analysis of how the Gemandt House meets the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Preservation Projects (39 C.F.R. 67) and ten rehabilitation standards: 1. Use of the property as originally intended. The house at 5002 Canterbury Drive has always been used as a single-family dwelling. 2. The character will be retained. Although no historical photos of the house could be found to establish its original 1926 appearance, the Gemandt House closely matches the artistic rendering published in the May 23 and June 13, 1926 issues of the San Diego Union. This artwork shows the same window and door layout, except the window to the right of the front door is an Islamic modesty grill. We have an early undated photograph that shows the same details as the artistic renderings, except that the location of the window to the right of the door in this photo is washed out as white. The existing location today has the Islamic modestry grill, which we believe was present in that old photo but the detail was lost in the image. Southard used these grills in his construction in this period in his custom homes. The San Diego Union of October 25, 1925 provides an article about the David R. Higbee House at the comer of Pringle and Puterbaugh in Mission Hills that has this type of grill, which Southard described as "plastered grills, or false exterior window, which ornament and yet preserve privacy." Taken together, we believe the existing cast elevation is true to the character of the house. Otherwise, the representation is pretty much the same. The current owners plan to retain the character of this house. 3. Preservation of the integrity of the structures and setting. Current owners Tara and Suresh Rangarajan are committed to protecting the architectural and historic appearance of the house and landscaping. 4. Architectural status in its own right. The western rear addition is not old enough to have attained architectural merit in its own right. 5. Rhythm and height. The Gemandt House retains the one-story rhythm and height of the Canterbury Drive neighborhood. 6. Repair rather than replacement of deteriorated features. The house is in excellent condition. The current owners have not replaced deteriorated features, although previous owners removed wood windows on the rear addition and replaced them with metal windows in response to CALTRANS noise mitigation to reduce I-15 traffic sound impacts to the interior of the house. 7. Integrity. National Register Bulletin 15, Section VII lists seven aspects of integrity that are relevant to this landmark nomination. This section of the report focuses on the ability of 5002 Canterbury Drive to convey its significance in terms of integrity. Leg Although a very subjective judgment on the part of each analyst, integrity is grounded in the property's physical features and how they convey its significance. Part Vill of the National Register Bulletin provides guidance on how to evaluate the integrity of a property by outlining seven values or tests. That document asserts that a property must possesses some, if not most, of these aspects in order to meet the National Register' s threshold for integrity. Local jurisdictions use these aspects as guidelines, but often apply a less stringent threshold for locallandmarking. The following is an analysis of the Secretary of the Interior's seven integrity values: a. Location: Comparison of the Sanborn Fire Insurance Map with aerial photographs demonstrates 5002 Canterbury Drive remains in its original location. b. Design: Review of the Tax Assessor's Residential Building Record, careful examination of the building, and comparison with the May 23 and June 13, 1926 San Diego Union artistic renderings and the undated historical photograph show the east elevation facing Canterbury Drive and the sidewalk retain the original design. The only change from the design is the rear addition, which can be slightly viewed from the neighbor's driveway on the south and a portion of the homeowner's driveway on the north. The pink, scored, cast concrete driveway is distinct from the neighboring driveways, and appears to be original. c. Setting. The Kensington Manor Unit 2 neighborhood remains intact. All the original lawn strip landscaping exists between the sidewalk, concrete curb, and gutter, but there are no palm trees in this section. Front lawns flank this house. The landscaping for this house involves a lawn, bounded on the south by a 3-tier high brick barrier that separates the neighbor' s driveway from this property. The gardens adjacent to the exterior wall contain a variety of ornamental shrubs. Out on the lawn is a relatively mature ornamental tree, which partially obscures the street view of the front windows. Historical photos show another ornamental tree in a slightly different location and larger shrubs that obscured much of the east elevation walls. The current landscaping in general exposes more of the east elevation than is shown in the older historical photos. The flagstone walkway probably dates from the late 1940s or 1950s, as that was the period in which this building material became popular in San Diego. The old photos are unclear as to whether the walkway was cast concrete or flagstone. Although a few ornamental trees are new, shrubs and trees throughout the neighborhood appear to be more than fifty years old. The house sits on a canyon rim, which receives traffic noise from Interstate 15 to the west. Across the street there is an original street lamp pole. Walking or driving down Canterbury Drive visitors can feel the historic sense of this 1920s- 1940s neighborhood that was intended by the creators of the original subdivision. d. Materials. The house retains its key materials. Although the roof tiles have been replaced, they closely match the original low-fired, Spanish red clay tiles. The A.M. Southard offices at the comer of Fifth and Maple exhibited Spanish fired red clay tile roofs without cement mortar, which closely matches the roof treatment that exists today on the 5002 Canterbury House. Leg Although the Wells House to the south has a Spanish tile roof with cement border, it is equally possible that Southard installed the roof on the Gemandt House that more closely matched that found on the A.M. Southard Co. office. The wall stucco, wood door, and wood windows are original. A modem vent pipe has been attached to the east-facing side of the chimney, although painted in a matching color to the stucco. The chimney is topped by a modem spark arrester. The south side wood gate is original. The original garage doors are swing-out bam doors with ornate steel hinges and small windows. All the wood plank shutters are original. The ornamental tile applied to the porch stoop is not original, but pointed out to HRB Staff in a meeting February 7, 2006. As pointed out to Mike Tudury, HRB Staff, there are modem ornamental tiles applied to the porch stoop. Tudury replied that he did not think this minor integrity issue was significant and recommended submitting the nomination. There is a room addition at the rear of the house. The windows on the addition at the rear, are dark metal, and were installed with CALTRANS mitigation funds to reduce traffic noise from Interstate 15. CALTRANS recommended installation of window air conditioners but these would have been a greater integrity issue than the metal windows. When pointed out to Tudury, he indicated that also was not a major issue. e. Workmanship. The stucco workmanship exhibited at the east elevation facing Canterbury Drive demonstrates very high skills, which can be seen by the scalloped top of the inset doorway. The craftsman created walls that captured a sense of an old Spanish style adobe house. The Islamic cast concrete modesty screen or plastered false exterior window that ornaments & preserves privacy adjacent to the medieval door, wood casement windows, and wooden shutters enhances this. Skilled carpentry can be seen in the wood window shutters, wood headboards, and roof beams that support the roof eaves. Close examination of the vertical board garage door also reveals unusual skill in creating this medieval door system. Overall, the impression presented is that of a house built by unusually high skilled workmanship. See page 73 for a list of the craftspeople and companies that Southard used exclusively. A.M. Southard specialized in high quality design and hired architect-trained construction supervisors, like John William Gemandt and, later, Edgar Ullrich. It equals the adjacent Wells House, which the City of San Diego landmarked in 2003. f. Feeling. The physical features of 5002 Canterbury Drive express an aesthetic sense of post World War I Spanish Eclectic architecture, as had been intended for Kensington Manor No. 2. The houses along Canterbury Drive convey the historical sense and feeling ofthe 1920s-1930s Spanish Revival and Spanish Eclectic neighborhood of red tiled roofs, stucco walls, wood windows and doors with lawns and Mediterranean landscaping. g. Association. The house at 5002 Canterbury Drive provides a direct link to interpretation ofKensington Manor Unit 2 in the 1920s. The developers created this subdivision to present the illusion of a Spanish village on top of the ridges that overlook Mission Valley and arroyo canyons to the north and west. This effect of a Spanish village still exists as visitors drive north on Marlborough and northwest on Canterbury Drive. Leg<~cy 18 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House 8. Archaeology. Ronald V. May, RPA is a qualified archaeologist who walked around the front and sides of the house and did not observe archaeological material in the gardens. The nature of the high elevation of the mesa on which Kensington Manor had been created is not a likely location for prehistoric Kurneyaay camps or occupation areas, although ephemeral trails, cobble knapping stations, and overnight camps might be anticipated for the area. Although some concern has been raised by the Historical Resources Board that Kensington falls within former Mission lands, so does much of the City of San Diego. The original Mission lands did not have a map boundary in the Mexican period, but included then entire length of the San Diego River and any upland areas that could provide forage for cattle, sheep, pigs, and irrigable water sources for grain crops, olive trees, and vegetables to serve the growing Catholic Church. This upland area lacked water resources and would have been a difficult hike for livestock of the church. During the United States Lands Commission sorting out of former Mexican-owned lands, the final decision divided enormous segments of the city of San Diego into lots declared Ex-Mission Rancho and identified each one by lot number. This American designation of the lots overlying the Kensington mesa bears no realistic relationship to the land used by the Roman Catholic Church for agricultural purposes. In essence, when looking at the Ex-Rancho Mission lots, it covered much of the city of San Diego and the part that is not is identified as Pueblo Lands. It is our opinion that attempting to connect the cultural or archaeological history of this small upland area to the vast lands available to and used by the Roman Catholic Church or Native American people associated with the Mission lacks any contextual meaning. The Kurneyaay Village of Nipaguay was located along the San Diego River within a mile of the Roman Catholic Mission and not up in Kensington. Although anyone could have hiked the steep hillsides to get to this mesa, we think it is a stretch of logic to attribute Kensington's land use history to the things that occurred at Nipaguay and the Roman Catholic Church. 9. New additions. The 1989 rear addition is offset by more than 24-inches in two locations and is only visible from the neighbor's driveway to the south. 1 0. Non-conforming additions. The flat roof and stucco walls of the 1989 rear addition are compatible with the 1926 architecture. The modem metal windows (CALTRANS noise mitigation) on the rear addition are non-conforming, but the addition meets the "compatible, yet distinct" test. LegClcy 19 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Contemporary Photographs Note: The Public Views are the East, South East, and North East Elevations. The rear of the house (west elevation) is not a public elevation, which overlooks 1-15 from the mesa rim. East Elevation All contemporary photographs taken June 2006 by Ronald V. May Leg South Elevation Detail Leg North East Elevation This view reveals that Gemandt and A.M. Southard intended for the north elevation to be part of the presentation of the house along Canterbury Drive. The evidence lies in the window treatment, which very closely resembles the window treatment on the east elevation facing Canterbury Drive. Leg East Elevation Detail Note the plastered grill, or false exterior window, that Southard used to ornament and yet provide privacy." This privacy grill is a character defining feature. Legqcy 23 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House East Elevation Detail Notice the sculpting in the door entryway to the A.M. Southard Co. model home and office. (San Diego Historical Society photograph) The sculpted doorway inset and ornamental rafter tails in the Gemandt House are character defining features. Leg East Elevation Detail Leg Architectural Evaluation The architectural design of the Gemandt's Spanish Eclectic house at 5002 Canterbury Drive is a higher quality than found on most Pacific Ready-Cut Homes of the period, which in themselves set a high standard for quality of materials and substantial design for many of their custom homes. With that solid building experience, Southard was well placed to build a fine home, to all of the exacting specifications that architect William Gemandt could have itemized. The architecturally defining features of the Gernandt House are as follows: • Spanish fired red clay roof tiles • Scalloped top of the inset doorway • Arched natural wood front door • Extended ornamental roof beams at the gable apex • Ornamental rafter tips • Triangle pattern of curved roof tiles for attic vent • Rustic adobe-like wall stucco • Tapered stucco chimney • Complex wood window system with casement windows, topped by a heavy headboard, flanked by wooden shutters, and a sculpted stucco lintel at the base • Islamic or Moorish modesty grill (aka plastered ornamental privacy grill) • Wood gate at the southeast comer that attaches to a four-foot high stucco south perimeter wall • Pink-stained, cast concrete, scored driveway • Detached garage with flat roof, rustic adobe-like stucco walls, fired clay pipe attic vents, protruded entrance topped by a tile shed roof, and out-swinging, vertical board, bam doors set with black metal hinges and door pulls and inset with two small windows Legacy 26 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House The Gemandt House is similar to the neighboring Wells House with asymmetry, side gable, rustic front door, wood casement windows flanked by wood shutters. It differs in that there is a front gable that crosses the northeast comer and the detached garage is original with bam doors set on heavy metal hinges. The deep-set and scalloped front door entry presents more of a sense of thick adobe walls. Overall, the effect is very powerful for presenting a Spanish Eclectic style bungalow. Front Windows The front windows are white-painted, wood frame, casement, topped by an embedded wood headboard, and flanked by wooden shutters. The outer trim, embedded board, and shutters are painted a light gray-green. This pattern continues around the south side to the chimney and north side to the detached garage. Rear South Elevation Windows To the rear of the chimney on the south elevation, several feet from the original wall plane is an offset room addition. The windows were originally wood, but CALTRANS mitigation money funded replacement with metal windows to mitigate acoustical impacts from traffic down the slope on Interstate 15. These metal windows are in the new room at the rear and are slightly visible from the sidewalk at the northeast comer of the neighbor's property. Legacy 27 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Front Landscape The original artist's conceptional drawing and historical photographs document the changing landscape over time. Today, the front landscape is a mature lawn with a relatively young ornamental tree, shrubs beneath the front windows, and a wide lawn strip between the sidewalk and gutter. Although palm trees are in front of many houses on the block, none are present in this lawn strip. Close-up of June 1964 photograph from the collection of Loretta Balistrieri Schmidt through the assistance of Priscilla Ann Berge. (top) Portion of Southard advertisement, May 23, 1926, San Diego Union (bottom) Portion of photograph from the collection of Loretta Balistrieri Schmidt through the assistance of Priscilla Ann Berge. Legacy 28 106. Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Detached Garage and Driveway. One of the architecturally defining features of this property is the front of the garage. The original swinging barn doors are still in place. They exhibit large ornamental steel hinges and small rectangular windows set in vertical board. This front has been extended out approximately 18-inches and is topped by Spanish frred red clay tile. The garage has the original stucco. Southard's experience with Pacific Ready-Cut provides a context for the types of garages commercially available in the period. Gernandt's design is not one ofthe typical PRC models. The old pink-stained driveway exists at the curb cut and along the north elevation to the set back detached garage. The scoring pattern is a series of squares and the center row may have been filled in later. (top left) Portion of photograph from real estate advertisement from the house provided by the current owners, Suresh and Tara Rangarajan, compared to (top right) contemporary photograph of the garage. Note that the door is not one of the styles listed in the 1925 Pacific Ready-Cut Catalog showing their models of garage doors available for purchase. Legacy 29 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Historical Photograph- Aerial April1929 Erickson Photograph No. 6483, San Diego Historical Society Photo No. 13433, looking east over the Kensington Mesa. Highway 15 now passes through the canyon below the house. Lower photograph is a close up of the area surrounding the Gernandt House. Note much of the area is yet to be developed. N ..,..01111---- Hwy 15 ~ LegCJcy 30 106. Historical Photograph- Aerial Oct. 9, 1937 San Diego Historical Society Photo No. 79:741-371, looking east over the Kensington Mesa. Highway 15 now passes through the canyon below the house. Lower photograph is a close up of the area surrounding the Gemandt House. N ....r---- !1~:.-lt/A~ lfoof£t lit'sA u/J/~~-~ !?IJ,{f ~r-~~~------~~~~~._- Hwy .__....15 Leg Historical Photographs This original panoramic sepia tone photograph of 4990 and 5002 Canterbury Drive had "May 1928" penciled on the back. It belonged to Cora Lee Wells who lived in 4990 Canterbury with her mother. When Cora died, this photograph became part of her estate, which was inherited by her niece, who graciously allowed Priscilla Berge to reproduce the photograph for her house nomination in 2003. The family does not know who took the picture or why it was taken. In May 1928 the Gemandts lived in their house, and this photograph represents their period of occupancy. Note the landscaping and the jar \ in the front yard. Courtesy of Priscilla Ann Berge from the Wells Family Papers. Legacy 32 106~ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Historical Photographs J Close-up of May 1928 photograph from previous page from the Wells Family Papers. Note the low hedge on the southeast perimeter ofthe lot and just beyond that, a large globular urn. Virtually none of the landscaping shown in this photograph survives in the current landscape. Close-up of a portion of a historical photograph of 5002 Canterbury Drive enlarged and cropped to show detail of the house. The original 3 W' x 5 Y:z" sepia tone print is stamped on the back Burnell Photo "Aug 19 1927" San Diego California. Courtesy of Priscilla Ann Berge and the Wells Family Papers. Leg Historical Photographs Historic Site Nomination for the CoraM. and Cora Lee Wells House 4990 Canterbury Drive San Diego, California 92116 Prepared by Priscilla Ann Berge August 2003 Amended September 2003 Cover of the August 2003 Historic Site Nomination prepared by Priscilla Ann Berge for her house at 4990 Canterbury Drive. The photos she used on her cover provide an historic view of the neighboring Gemandt House in August 1927 in comparison with a then contemporary photograph from 2003. Leg<~cy 34 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Historical Photograph - 1964 Enlarged close-up of the historical photograph that appears on the following page from June 1964. This photograph is used with the generous permission of Loretta Balistrieri Schmidt through the assistance of Priscilla Ann Berge. Notice how the landscaping has changed over time. Of particular interest is the walkway leading up to the porch, which appears to be flagstone, as exists today. Notice in the next photograph that in 1964 the lawn strips did not have palm trees. Legacy 35 106. Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Historical Photograph- 1964 JUNE 1964 Historical photograph of Loretta Balistrieri taken in June 1964. As is sometimes the case, wonderful images of neighborhoods can be found in family photo albums. Such was the case with this photograph. Loretta Balistrieri Schmidt and her sister Gina Balistrieri grew up living in the house at 4981 Canterbury Drive, across the street from 5002 Canterbury Drive. Their house is adjacent to the English Tudor residence opposite the Gemandt House (indicated by arrow). This photograph is used with the generous permission of Loretta Balistrieri Schmidt through the assistance of Priscilla Ann Berge. Leg~cy 36 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Historical Photograph- 1964 UG 196 Historical photograph of Loretta Balistrieri taken in August 1965, again with the Gernandt House in the background. This photograph is used with the generous permission of Loretta Balistrieri Schmidt through the assistance of Priscilla Ann Berge. Legacy 37 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Historical Photograph - Realtor, 2005 COLDWeLL 5002 CANTERBURY DRIVE BANI(.C!RO YOUR 1\1 V 111 YOl R Ntxl \10V( !!58-354-0600 Evelmc.(ii)Cnldwclll\;lnkrr t Advertisement for 5002 Canterbury Drive in the possession of the present owners. Courtesy Suresh and Tara Rangarajan. 38 Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Historical Photograph - November 2005 Photograph by Ronald V. May Leg Historical Maps Sanborn Fire Insurance Map 299F, July 1934 1940 Series Sanborn Map Company, Volume 2, 1921 :1948 with new index July 1940 210 ~~ :ll \ C" ~ ~ \ 0 Leg Historical Maps ....._. FRE . . :.j, ·-...~ Undated Ritchfield Street Guide Map showing Kensington community before Highway 15 was built, perhaps in the 1930s. Note "Ward Road" was the road that preceded I-15, and the Gemandt House had a lovely view over the canyon to the north and west. Note also that the San Diego City boundary is just to the north, and this area was unincorporated. Map courtesy Legacy 106 , Inc. Collection. Leg'lcy 41 106~ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Chain of Title Legal description: Lot 30 of Block 16 of Kensington Manor, in the City of San Diego, County of San Diego, State of California, according to Map 1861 , recorded September 1925; portion of Tract K, Normal Heights. Date Book/Page File Number Grantor Grantee 4/9/1926 1133 /257 Kensington Park William F., Leta Deed Land Co and John W. Gemandt 1/17/1929 1562 / 457 Southern Title & William F., Leta Trust Co and John W. Gernandt Comment: Clearance oftitle 111711929 1562 / 458 William F., Leta and Charles Lessick Deed John W. Gemandt 8/23/1939 982 / 167 Charles and Anna John T. and Nellie Lessick Lee Comment: Agreement to sellfor $4,500.00 12/2211939 982 / 167 Charles and Anna John T. and Nellie Lessick Lee Comment: Order ofsale and to perform construction for $27,150 1/23/1940 File 3920 Charles Lessick John T. and Nellie Estate, Executor Lee Comment: Clearance oftitl efor Deed 1123/1940 File 3901 John T. and Nellie 1st National Trust Lee & Savings Bank Comment: Trust Deedfor $500; satisfied March 12, 1942 2112/1942 Deed File 12564 John T. and Nellie W .A. and Eula Lee Scroggs 3/1211942 1311 / 470 W.A. and Eula San Diego Title Scroggs Insurance & Trust Bank of San Diego Comment: Trust Deed for $3,500 at 5% 5/19/1954 5242/28 W .A. and Eula George W. and Deed Scroggs Mildred W. Young 12/23/1955 5917 / 90 Mildred W. Young George W. Young Deed 8/14/1958 7213 / 130 George W. Young George W. and Deed Mildred W. Young ***End of transactions in historical period*** l eg<1cy 42 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Chronological Directory Listing Year Householder Occupant Occupation Address Listin2 1926 No listing Note: Gernandt Wm F (Leta) h 4027 Lark Mission Hills) 1927 5032: Gernandt Gernandt Wm F (Leta) h 5032 Canterbury WF dr 1928 5032: Gernandt Gernandt Wm F (Leta) h 5032 Canterbury WF dr 1929 Lessick Chas (o) Lessick Charles (Anna lawyer h 5032 Canterbury M) dr Note: Gernandt Wm F (Leta) h 3158lvy 1930 Lessick Chas ( o) Lessick Chas (Anna M) h 5002 Canterbury 1931 No directory 1932 Lessick Chas ( o) Lessick Chas (Anna M) lawyer h 5002 Canterbury 1933 Lessick Chas ( o) Lessick Chas h 5002 Canterbury dr. 1934 Lessick Chas ( o) Lessick Chas (Anna M) lawyer h 5002 Canterbury dr 1935 No directory 1936 Lessick Chas ( o) Lessick Chas (Anna M) h 5002 Canterbury 1939 Vacant 1940 LeeJT(o) Lee John T (Nellie) cigars 630 F h 5002 Canterbury 1942 Scroggs W A Scroggs W A "Bill" Dist Mgr h 5002 Canterbury (Eula) Bankers Life Drive Co of Iowa 1943 Scroggs W A (o) h 5002 !12 5002 !12 Fitzgerald Jos T Canterbury dr Fitzgerald J T 1944-45 Scroggs W A (o) Scroggs Wm A (Eula J) clo clnr 3686 h 5002 Canterbury El Cajon dr blvd 1946 No directory 1947-48 Scroggs W A Scroggs Wm A (Eula T) (Elite h 5002 Canterbury Cleaners & drh 5002 Laundry) Canterbury dr Note: Elite Cleaners & Laundry ( W A Scroggs) 3686 El Cajon blvd 1949 No directory 1950 Scroggs W A (o) Scroggs Wm A (Eula T) Indy 3686 El h 5002 Canterbury Cajon blvd dr 1951 No directory 1952 Scroggs W A (o) Scroggs Wm A (Eula T; Elite h 5002 Canterbury Cleaners & dr Laundry Wm Ajr r 5002 Canterbury dr; Elite Cleaners & Laundry (W A Scroggs) 3686 El Cajon blvd 1953-54 Vacant 1955 YoungGeo W Young Geo W agt Travelers h 5002 Canterbury (o) (Mildred W) Ins Co dr Legqcy 43 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Historical Context for the Community Kensington Manor Unit 2 Hi.)luric Silc Nun:aiu<.~Lion (or lhc Neighbor Priscilla Ann Berge became interested in the Cora M. and Cora Lee Wells House subdivision because it is where she lives. In fact, she is 49t"JO Canterbury Drive the immediate neighbor to the south of the Gemandt San Diego, California 92116 House on Lot 29, and she learned that the A M Southard Company built both houses, although the Gemandt House was built in 1926 and hers was built in 1927. Her research has become a passion, which she has channeled into an effort to gain historical district status for the Kensington Manor Unit 2 tract. As part of this effort, she researched and self-nominated her own home for landmark consideration to the City of San Diego in August, 2003. Her efforts were successful and in September, 2003, the "CoraM. and Cora Lee Wells House," was designated Historical Landmark No. 619 under Criteria c, Architecture. In her analysis for her own home, Berge concluded that "The Gemandt family and the two Cora Wells were linked together in the construction of this house, [5002 Canterbury Drive] as well as the 4990 Canterbury Drive house [Berge' s house]. On page 11 she states: Lots were purchased in Kensington Manor both for speculation and for homes. CoraM. and Cora Lee Wells contracted with William F. and Leta Gemardt and their son, John William Gemardt, an uncertified architect, with AM. Southard Company, to build adjacent "Spanish" houses. Cora Lee Wells wanted "a Spanish house, not an English house," she told the neighbors, who live in the developer's model home, a Tudor Revival. Cora Lee Wells also recalled to her neighbors that they did not own one "Spanish" house very long (Lot 30, now 5002 Canterbury Drive). They "sold it," she said, and "made $4000." Cora Lee Wells also purchased the canyon lot adjacent to the Wells House (Lot 28). For both Cora M. and Cora Lee Wells, 4990 Canterbury Drive remained their home until their deaths in 1934 and 1982 respectively. Sources: Richard E. and Joyce Bruce, Interview by Author, oral interview March 7, 2002, San Diego, California, the Bruces a re long-time neighbors of Cora Lee Wells; San Diego City Directory 1923-1941; Appendix B Figures 2-3, herein; Figures 2.1-2.2, 3 .1, 9-10, 19-25, herein. Legacy 44 106. Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Berge argued further that "as one of the first houses built in Kensington Manor Unit No.2, the Wells House helped to formulate the neighborhood's architectural style." (B.lO section, Statement of Significance, DPR-B form, Wells House Nomination) She generously provided extensive consultation, resources, and materials from her own research to assist with this nomination. She believes the two houses are connected, perhaps with a family relationship of some nature between the Wells family and the Gemandts. She went so far as to conduct telephone interviews with the Gemandt relatives as well as long time neighbors within the community and friends of the Wells family, although she was unable to prove that connection or fmd architectural plans for either house. Berge further revealed that the house to the north of 5002 Canterbury Drive, which was a vacant lot in the early phase of the development, was built for the owners to whom the Gemandts sold 5002 Canterbury in 1929 (Lessick family). Thus, all three houses are in fact related through ownership and architectural preferences, although the northerly house was built a decade later than the Wells and Gemandt houses, when the style was reaching the ending of its peak. This study reveals even more connections between the three houses. (left) The Wells house is shown to the left with the Gemandt House in the middle. (right) The right photograph shows the house the Lessicks built in the 1930s. The ownership of all three houses is related. Enlargement of aerial photograph showing the Gemandt and Wells Houses as they appeared in April of 1929. Note the vacant lots on both sides, owned by each, giving both houses a sense of pnvacy. Erickson Photograph No. 6483 San Diego Historical Society Photo No. 13433 Leg~cy 45 106~ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Kensington Manor Contest There is a distinct possibility that Gemandt created the conceptual design for 5002 Canterbury Drive in response to the Kensington Manor No.2 contest for "the best architectural design" in order to win the rights to a free lot (San Diego Union December 13, 1925). In sequence, William and Leta acquired Lot 30, Block 16, Kensington Manor Unit 2, on February 26, 1926 (recorded April9, 1926) and Southard announced it was under construction on May 23, 1926. The house that the subdividers used to announce the contest is across the street from the Gemandt House, but it did not quality for the contest because it was not yet done. Certainly the incentive of a refund for the cost of the lot would have been appealing, and Gemandt's architectural skills along with the Southard's building skills, did produce a fine example of the Southern California style. It also produced, the second or perhaps third house in the subdivision, with the English Tudor being the first. n '· This contest also Visi tors·Ballot on Best lfens;,;gton-M:Qnor Ho~se: brings into question · l\t~nai.~rton ·Aiae&r- li~i.J ..... :d fltt>•-~·. U · rf'fund aU ·.. . hoote. frool &n arch:iteetuno• ~ " d nt:J:•a. tliiii 1 who held architectural deci~cd hy the Juge•.t num~ - , : ' =1 1-y control over the f.e mplated · bomt• f10.· Kt<1•in• o:.~ · . ... . ~, :.; ae ~-~!:.l~!!~i!!..II,.!L_:!~ie§~~!f ..' abed in tiFnC ~o- b&ve a pa_ •_• _... _tb_~ · co_n te:._t.~---'-'---~---.-'"--___;_--+ subdivision, as there is no clear specification of any named architect who performed the approval of each house design. December 13, 1925 San Diego Union December 13, 1925 "Visitors Ballot on Best Kensington Manor House - Kensington Manor subdividers will Photograph by Ronald V. May refund all money paid for the lot on which the best home, from an architectural and utilitarian standpoint, is built. The best home will be decided by the largest number of ballots cast by visitors to the tract. Among the most contemplated homes for Kensington Manor is the one pictured below, which will not be finished in time to have a part in the contest." l eg<1cy 46 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Probably the most frequently relied upon source of information about the Kensington and Talmadge communities today is a book by Dr. Thomas H. Baumann, D.D.S. Kensington - Talmadge 1910-1997. The most available version is the second edition, an updated version of the limited 500 copies Baumann originally published. The second edition was prepared by Claire Condra Arias for the Kensington-Talmadge Community Association through their Ellipsys International Publications, Inc. company and published in 1997. Much of the material Baumann compiled was based on research by Robert Sedlock in 1958 for a college paper, which Baumann then assembled into his book and did not properly attribute to Sedlock. While Baumann' s resources are good starting points to understand the Kensington and c)l rQtttrictQJl Talmadge communities, his information was not YQ8Jdentt¢ Park' always correct, and there remains a great deal more to be learned based upon research into primary documents about the community and its residents. Each house under consideration for landmarking adds new information towards a better understanding of the community and San Diego's history. Today, probably the biggest misconception about Kensington I Talmadge is that they are in essence one large community that developed about the same time. The entire community is, in tact, the product of nearly 21 separate subdivisions, thirteen in Kensington and eleven in Talmadge. The subdivisions of Kensington Park, Kensington Manor, Kensington Heights, and Kensington Point, were separate investors and developers whose real estate and financial backers were not related. The Talmadge units were separate from the Kensington units, although in general much of the area built out their initial phases in the 1920s. Map Name Map Number Filin2 Date Kensington Park 1245 April 8, 1910 Kensington Park Annex 1780 February 13, 1924 Kensington Park Extension 1838 June 2, 1925 Kensington Manor, Unit 1 1845 August 13, 1925 Kensington Manor, Unit 2 1861 September 25, 1925 Kensington Heights, Unit 1 1875 January 4, 1926 Kensington Heights, Unit 2 1912 May 24, 1926 Kensington Villa 1922 June 18, 1926 Kensington Heights, Unit 3 1948 September 28, 1926 Kensington Villa Annex 1953 November 3, 1926 Kensington Point 2004 March 5, 1927 Kensington Heights Extension 330 December 3, 1952 Kensington Park Villas 8284 March 31,1976 (Baumann, page 32) Legacy 47 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House The owners of the subdivision were the Kensington Park Land Company, which was "'lMSOUthlaDdS led by G. Aubrey Davidson, who in 1926 was the -c:oaPOJIIATioN- president of the Southern Trust and Commerce ..... ffJ/11 Banlc He hired the Southlands Corporation, formerly known as the Ellis Bishop Company of HOW TO REACH Kensington Manor Pasadena, to develop the subdivision. In 1926, the th. AJ-""' line ID Morlf•· president of Southlands Corporation was Jack C. ""'"A""""" IJfHl tum~~-"'. "P~Ig u IArlclll G MWDI Allthlt/.1' Thompson and Ellis Bishop was vice-president and treasurer. Thompson was also a director of the Southern Trust and Commerce Bank, where his title was Assistant to the President - G. Aubrey Davidson. Davidson had been instrumental in the success of San Diego's 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition, as well as many other important San Diego endeavors. He had been interested in the Kensington Mesa area through his earlier involvement in the Kensington Park subdivision to the south. This close connection between the Southern Trust and Commerce Bank and the Southlands Corporation is made further interesting in their ownership of Kensington Park and Kensington Manor, in that one of the bank's vice presidents was George Burnham. In this period, Burnham had become the executor of theW. W. Whitney estate. This included holdings within Ex- Mission Rancho lands that encompassed a large portion of the Kensington/Talmadge mesa. It should be noted that Ex-Mission Rancho lands extended many times greater than Kensington/Talmadge. Part of Burnham's responsibilities were to liquidate the holdings to the benefit of the estate, and these lands became available to Davidson and others through Burnham's involvement. A common thread between them all, were the banking interests in San Diego, who became aware of the Ex-Mission Rancho lands were soon to become available. Other reports by Legacy 106, Inc. for houses in the Kensington/Talmadge communities go into this history in more detail.* These relationships and affiliations tell a portion of the early history of the area's development, prior to the creation of the subdivisions, as well as the evolution of San Diego's eastward expansion into incorporated areas. Leg<~cy 48 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Kensington Manor Unit 2 was a resubdivision of a portion of Tract K of Ex-Mission Rancho Lot 26, which also involved the very eastern edge of the Normal Heights subdivision Map 985, filed May 9, 1906. Why is the restricted development of Kensington Manor Unit 2 historically significant? While on the one hand the rich architectural landscape of Kensington Manor as a representative of one of the early planned urban style subdivisions of San Diego appears to be a candidate for landmarking under Criterion a, a segment of the Historical Resources Board has challenged landmarking any houses in Kensington because the real estate deed restrictions and mortgage conditions imposed on the future residents appear by today' s standards to be repugnant and unacceptable. How then, can any homeowner, or historian, ever hope to recognize their unique community history if the Historical Resource Board cannot understand and accept the contributory value of these houses in understanding historical wrongs of the past? The question then becomes, where is the appropriate forum for discussion and where does one draw the line in the sand? The purpose of landmarking is to recognize those elements within a city that can be used to educate people of San Diego to understanding both the good and the bad in our American past. The following is a discussion of this heady issue and the sentiment Legacy 106, Inc. places on the issue. Until this issue has been resolved by the City of San Diego Historical Resources Board, and Mayor Jerry Sanders, (who by the way is a Kensington resident), Legacy 106, Inc. will not nominate any Kensington houses for Criterion a, even though we believe it the case can and should be made for landmarking. When Architect Requa argued in 1925 that homebuyers wanted properties of adequate size, improved with high-class architectural amenities, standards, and restrictions, he was referring to standards that limited business development in residential zones, architectural considerations and house value limitations. A contemporary advertisement by the developers of nearby Talmadge Park stated their intent to market to artists with the restriction that they shall not build any flat roof houses "so that people living on the mesa at the top of the canyon will not have to look down upon unsightly flat roofs." ("Talmadge Park News" by Roy C. Lichty, San Diego Union, May 16, 1926) Another developer in Talmadge Park (to the east of Kensington Manor), George W. Dilling, who specialized in the early Old English, Normandy, and Spanish homes that can be found along Adams A venue, was very explicit in his advertisements, stating "Talmadge Park is the largest tract of Residential Property in the city, with building and race restrictions which insure a continuation of high class improvements and increasing values." (San Diego Union, June 13, 1926) A June 13, 1926 article in the San Diego Union declared "Restrictions Held Valid by Ruling: Supreme Court Decides Agreement Prohibiting the Purchase of Conveyance of Land to Negroes Legal." Leg The court' s ruling was deemed to be: of importance to realtors as well as to property owners in every city of the country, according to advices received yesterday from the headquarters of the National Association of Real Estate Boards ... The ordinance forbids the public authorities 'from issuing a building permit for the construction of a residence for Negro occupancy in a 'white community,' or for a white person in a ' negro community,' without the written consent of a majority of the persons of the opposite race inhabiting that community. Further sections make it unlawful for any white person to establish his home or residence in a Negro community or vice versa except upon the written consent of a majority of the persons of the opposite race inhabiting that community. (Ibid) Kensington Manor, like many subdivisions in this era, was advertised by the owners and developers as "A Restricted Residential Park." (San Diego Union, September 6, 1925) It is in this context that many of the first deeds prepared in the 1920s in San Diego and throughout America have architectural covenants, as well as discriminatory religious and racial restrictions written into their language, often with expiration dates as well. The subdivider owners and their representatives, as well as the National Association of Real Estate Boards and their agents, implemented these restrictions. An excellent analysis on this subject can be found in Planning for the Private Interest: Land Use Controls and Residential Patterns in Columbus, Ohio, 1900-1970, by Patricia Burgess (1994). Chapter Two, "Shaping the City: Private Controls and Residential Development, 1900-1945 ." This detailed analysis examines the development practices of Columbus, Ohio and the individual activities of its realtors, subdividers, and community planners. These real estate interests were attempting to control the layout and arrangement of those communities in the absence of governmental urban planning or zoning regulation of these new communities. The study is relevant for San Diego, and probably many other American communities, because what happened in Columbus, Ohio was repeated across the nation, as communities grew into outlying unincorporated areas: Through their choice of site and the nature of the restrictions they imposed, land developers established the city' s social and spatial structure. They chose specific locations to develop upper income residential subdivisions and used deed restrictions to ensure upper income development, thus granting to certain areas an exclusive or desirable character and leaving other parts of the city for those less well off ... In this manner the developers established the character of the newly formed suburban municipalities as well as the city itself. This was because development occurred irrespective of municipal boundaries. Real estate developers most often chose unincorporated land beyond the urban fringe ... It was important for a developer to maintain the character of the neighborhood he was creating until he had sold most of the lots, for the first 75 percent of lot sales covered his development costs and only the last quarter of lot sales provided his profit. ... In the 1920s ... specifying a building type, its value, and its occupancy was almost the norm. (Excerpts from Burgess, Chapter 2) Legqcy 50 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House While there is no doubt that these restrictions reflect America's ongoing dynamic regarding race, intolerance, preservation of property values, and choice of community in which to live, they also address the reality of deliberate urban planning and the use of subdivision development in unincorporated areas to expand community boundaries. The U.S. Supreme Court eventually ruled that these restrictions were illegal and unenforceable in the landmark 1948 Shelley v. Kraemer decision, which was deeply intertwined within the ongoing Civil Rights Movement. However, the architectural restrictions that were imposed represent a very real aspect of how many of America's communities developed into today's suburbs and the lingering effects of these restrictions still impact contemporary community demographics and character. For the most part, people like William and Leta Gemandt were interested in a semi rural, large lot environment to live in a countrified atmosphere and yet be able to drive or take the streetcar into downtown San Diego in a relatively short period of time. Legacy 106, Inc. has not found archival evidence that supports the hypothesis by some that the residents of Kensington practiced overt racial or religious discrimination. There can be no doubt that society in general in this time period discriminated across the board in a very class-conscious society. However, that has since broken down by U.S. Supreme Court rulings, the Civil Rights Movement, and a new way of thinking that for the most part guides people today on these issues. We believe it is inappropriate to project contemporary values into the past to the degree that historical importance is ignored or suppressed. In this particular instance, we must take into account that the German-American Gemandt family must have encountered discrimination during World War I and World War II. As well, Gemandt designed a servant's quarters into the house. Like many other people in Kensington and Talmadge, they wanted servant's quarters so that housekeepers, nurses, nannies, or other help could be comfortable and available as needed. This is as much a part of the historical fabric of Kensington as is the architecture. Today, we can look back upon this period of American history to understand what the consequences of San Diego's restrictive development practices were, how they arose, why they were used, and when they were changed. With this knowledge, we can better understand Kensington's evolving community character within San Diego and the overall development of America in the first decades of the twentieth century. Legacy 106, Inc. believes that it is far better to bring this very important social issue to the surface and show how the development of the subdivisions fit into the greater role of national social issues. We believe that the individual homes in Kensington can contribute in a significant way through Criterion a to helping our fellow citizens in the City of San Diego understand these issues which have been suppressed or ignored as they have become embarrassing and uncomfortable. We recommend that the Historical Resources Board support the use of Criterion a (community history) in Kensington, where appropriate, to landmark those houses and commercial properties that have the ability to contribute to a better understanding of this part of American history. Legacy 51 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Canyon Lot Preferences For tho1e l!'ho appreciate the fJOMibilillt.;; of the :.~yon lol, Kt:mingron Manor itf/atd• """' eral choice /Kift:ell of omplc proportion for diltindlce garden treotmenl, ancl gel fronting Dn highly •mj:r..)VeJ. 1 Ire e t 1 of e ,.,,...,..,M~IIw ,...,..11/Motlh:..,....,_ ~~·;:,C!:~d~ -~-~~~• ..J ,a ,_,., .. ltqJJII...,._,,,c,h•/ ""'"'--'• J>~ ::;:;,,.".tid One of the important distinctions between 1926 and ,bl~ ... the. ltiVIMrt. .. ~· trluiiJ~ofSaiM.x ftC•tt· 6wr Orlut l!f K-n.,_ M,.,,.,lticlt.....,.mtH,_. now is the visual landscape potential homebuyers saw ~~~~ at Kensington Manor. The landscape was vast and rural with large empty areas and expansive views. To the north, Mission Valley was a patchwork of farming operations and pastures and the San Diego HOW TO JlEACil-- Kensington Manor River meandered down its length. To the west, the O'f>PoU...IIW'A~:.r.:~·,:;. mesa rim lots offered seclusion with a beautiful ..P,..,.II ir L.,J,. M.-1 A,.... canyon view. This setting would have appealed to many who wanted to escape the higher density and urban settings in Mission Hills or Hillcrest. The Southlands Corporation specifically marketed these canyon rim lots and it is likely this appealed to the Gemandts. Of course, the long-term future reality would not have been apparent at that time that eventually the neighborhood would fill up and be every bit as dense as every other neighborhood in San Diego. Legacy 52 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Historical Context for the Builder A.M. Southard Company ..___ ~·--··--· ~ ----,.,...,.--~~------~ --· -..c:::::::_------..""::::::::::-;---- - ...... :::::--=.-···--- ~ .. - ... __ .... _ ·-·-·-- ·~--:-: . ----..::~-=:.~---_-~_ PJ-4- Legacy 106, Inc. has nominated and helped landmark many San Diego homes for which the builder and/or architect were unknown. In those cases, it is customary to discuss the context of the architecture within the broad pattern of development in America as appropriate for the house. In this case, however, we are fortunate to know both the builder and the architect, and there is excellent information to understand the specific context within which the house was built. This house, therefore, can contribute significantly to our greater understanding of the development of Kensington's architecture and San Diego's subdivision history in the 1920s. Alfred M. Southard and Julia Southard. Alfred was born in Colorado on February 4, 1893 to Herbert M. and Edith Southard. His father was a policeman in Denver. The 1910 U.S. Census shows he was in Denver and his father was then a county bailiff. Julia was born in Nebraska on April6, 1892. They married in 1919 and came to San Diego in 1920. They do not show up on the 1920 U.S. Census, but his family had by then moved to Seattle, Washington. As best can be determined, his family was not in the construction business. Alfred reported he had been building Pacific Ready-Cut Homes in San Diego since 1920 and the couple first appeared in the San Diego City Directory in 1921 (San Diego Union, June 13, 1926). After a successful building career in San Diego, they eventually moved to the Los Angeles area where Julia died on June 20, 1941 and Alfred died on June 12, 1972. (California Death Index) According to a history of the Southard Company published in the San Diego Union on June 13, 1926, Southard was the authorized agent for Pacific Ready-Cut Homes, an enormously successful Los Angeles factory operation that mass-produced quality pre-cut lumber to fit 40,000 architectural designs. They were not as big an operation as Sears' mail order homes or the Aladdin, and they differed in that they were not a mail order business. Their focus was largely the Pacific coast where potential buyers could visit their community of model homes to select their desired model. Agents in Los Angeles or outlying areas such as San Diego were ready to assist the potential client with every detail to find the right home for their needs and completed orders would be shipped by rail to the nearest drop off location for their appointed builder. L egacy 53 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Pacific Ready-Cut Homes Agent. Rosemary Thornton, a contributing editor to the Old House Web, has conducted exhaustive research into California's small homes, particularly the kit homes manufactured by Sears and Pacific Ready-Cut (PRC - Pacific Homes) companies. Her research, in conjunction with that ofher colleague, architectural historian Dale Patrick Wolicki, provides invaluable background context for the architecture of the Gernandt house, the relationship between the Gernandt family and the Southards, and the development of the Kensington community in the mid 1920s. Thornton became extensively familiar with the vast inventory of Sears kit homes and consulted with Wolicki to help her understand the west coast houses she encountered. Wolicki suggested her unidentified houses that were from around the Los Angeles area were probably from the Pacific Ready-Cut Homes Company. After she encountered a 1919 Pacific Homes catalog, she realized he was right. Thornton recounts this back ground in an article featured on The Old House Web, "California Kit Homes, Part I. 'Almost' Sears Homes a West Coast Legacy." ( www.oldhouseweb.com/stories/Detailed/136677 .shtml) In 2004, Thornton and Wolicki reprinted the 1925 Pacific Ready-Cut Homes Catalog along with "Seven Tips for Finding and Identifying Pacific Homes." In their introduction, they lament the scarcity of information about this firm, which operated from 1908-1940, until it reinvented itselfto become the first commercial manufacturer of surfboards, which continued the Pacific "Swastika" brand (which in that era denoted harmony and peace, rather than Nazi Germany). Nationally, there were six major firms that sold mail-order, or kit, houses, and a variety of smaller regional firms as well. The firms were Sears, Aladdin Homes, Lewis Manufacturing, Sterling Homes, Harris Brothers, Gordon Van Tine (who also sold to Montgomery Wards), and Pacific Homes (Pacific Ready-Cut Homes). (Thornton and Wolicki) Between 1921 and 1925, Pacific Ready-Cut Homes, which was led by William P. Butte in Los Angeles and under the management of the A.M. Southard Company in Pui~ E.dibiho• Gro•11Js San Diego, dominated the "ready-cut" niche in each 411 cntrtdly Ior4t~tl •t community. Thornton and Wolicki explain in their book 1330 SowtA Hill Strut. that the process for a homeseeker to purchase a Pacific Los A•rrlu Ready-Cut home was different than that of the big kit home companies like Sears or Aladdin. In Los Angeles, the company had an exhibition grounds at 1330 South Hill Street with 12 sample homes, complete with landscaping and furnishings covering a city block, open for PRC's Los Angeles inspection. In fact, in 1923, they offered to refund railroad fare exposition grounds. to any visitor coming to inspect their model homes. Thornton & Walicki p. 5 (Thornton introduction, page "x") LegClcy 54 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Their framing materials and interior trim were made of "sound Douglas Fir" with redwood being the wood of choice for the sills and framing at ground level. The 1923 catalog stated that 4540 men were employed onsite at the mill and the annual payroll was $1 million. Paints, windows, doors, screens, window shades and metal work were manufactured at the mill. High-altitude virgin lumber was purchased by the shipload direct from forest cutters at the rate of 35 million board feet per year. (Thornton introduction, page "xi") Thornton speculates that the catalog's boast of virgin grown, high-altitude grown Douglas Fir suggests their lumber was "unusually dense, strong wood." (Thornton introduction, page "xii") Thus, the discussion of the architecture of this house fits Or;PAitTMt)fft A lit> B LIILJioiSCI I. ( MIH'I O~r l. 1'•1111 FMt•t'l within the local context of One Profit lnatead of Many t gt~:~.:~iJ'fF~, 6. u.. J_, , u,,.. T he customer's purchase o f the many needed materials is crn 1. 1.~,,.,., r•• , o~. n.,.,. San Diego's building history, trahzed.-so instead of paying a multitude of profits spread I . s., • ..,J I>" ' F-.tt~y . over the many and varied items that go into the construction 9. l •rl•'l S.ln Ofou . 10. Sn~u, c.·., C•••tr as it relates to Southard, the II. h trttiJ r / oRIJA Jf'-.ulo'Ur of your home. you pay but one profit. The many savings we ll. Snno f M.,.''I obtain for you arc all applied in buildmg better qUality into IJ. C-..,,.,., Sh~ II, S••4 -~~ /Jftr lf"• •f4o•Jr connection to the Pacific your Paci fi c Home to sell at a consistent price-an all-value IJ. Rrttl o4t Clult', Oiott. 16 . .u ••u .• , o,~,, home that can be resold by you at bigger profit than you 11, l:. lrti•W' t.-.., c.... , could realize by building any othe r·t ype of home. II . M oil fJr$-t. Ready-Cut Building I , , luu io» /o,.,.Aont ,.l. zo. M illtl 1. • • ,,. n,,,, 24 A"""" ..r Servi.,., 2/, H• •J-.-1 (), ,., ll. Swlottt Stoo• tt Dt ~ l . Company, the addition of The great Pacific plant is virtually an industrial dty within 1J. sw,.1 r ..u •• , D, ,,, ll. Tt4tlow ( ;..,.,,, itself- a beehive of activity. capable of producing a ll the l S. Ct41r•t. f'I• Jif• Or,t. 14. s,.,,c,,.,.,v,.,. John Gernandt to his staff in materials for a complete home every 20 minutes dunng the 11. s ..... c .. u •• , v,,,, work1ng day . This mammoth ·plant 1s equipped with every ll. StH it C•ttt111 Ott t. lf. S'-t•tt l.t0.tt41H 1923, and the opening ofthe facility to add quality t o Pacific H omes. To reach a capac Jl. K J~ L . ... ,. St~• ct Ity of 25 houses daily the functions of ever y department J l . ,.,_.,o,,. JZ. & ... &c., •• ,o,,.,, vast Kensington I Talmadge are systematized so that there is no extra, unprohtable ~~: ~f.:;;·~:,!''l!,wy handlmg of materials Every operation counts Materials JS. £1ru.WM /uum FMtfll'7 are prepared in quantity so that when orders are fi lled there J6. SJo1tt Jlr tM o,,.,, mesa for subdivision is no delay Ample stocks o f aU sizes of individual p•eces are ::: :t!:J's::!;"!.S1~. •, o,,. Jf. "•• " •' o,,, carried. Our complete enrollment of employees at the null I I. ' ""!# FMt...., development in 1925-26. u . IJ? l ll• and tn the construction crews operating direct from the m11l 11. n., x. J. numbers approximately l t(XX). compnsing the most capable 41. Dr, A J• II. f,,,, c.,.,, cdbinet makers. machine operators. carpenters, plumbers. I J. T•• t ltlt.t ,.u Dt1l. pla$terers, pamters, electricians, tinsmiths , Inspectors. etc. Pacific Ready-Cut's Los Angeles manufacturing plant, supplied materials to Gernandt in San Diego county. All of the nearly I ,000 PRC homes in San Diego have lumber produced from this massive systemized factory. Thornton & Wolicki, 1925 PRC catalog, p. 8 In addition, the ongoing efforts by those in the real estate industry to define an appropriate "style" of architecture for Southern California comes to the attention of the elder Gernandt, himself a well-trained and experienced architect from Nebraska, but with no need to involve himself in Southern California' s architectural introspection, except for the fact that his son has made San Diego his home and place of business. Leg'l ey 55 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House According to McAlester & McAlester (p. 418): Domestic buildings of Spanish precedent built before about 1920 are generally free adaptations in the Mission style. It was not until the Panama-California Exposition, held in San Diego in 1915, that precise imitation of more elaborate Spanish prototypes received wide attention. The exposition was designed by Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, who had previously authored a detailed study of Spanish Colonial architecture. Goodhue wanted to go beyond the then prevalent Mission interpretations and emphasize the richness of Spanish precedents found throughout Latin America. Inspired by the wide publicity given the exposition, other fashionable architects soon began to look directly to Spain for source material. Because of its broad roots we prefer the more inclusive name Spanish Eclectic. The style reached its apex during the 1920s and early 1930s and passed rapidly from favor during the 1940s. After 1926, W. A. Russell advertised "Bettingen Ready-Cut Homes Now in San Diego" with their "improved Bettingen Machine-Cut System now available to San Diego homebuilders" in October of 1926. (San Diego Union, October 31, 1926). The machine-cut system enabled Russell and a few other firms into the niche, but Pacific Ready-Cut remained a major provider. Southard's exclusive relationship with the company lasted from 1920 through 1925, when it transitioned over to the newly formed Brown-Olmstead Company. The Brown-Olmstead Company did not stay with Pacific Ready-Cut for long and by October 3, 1926, Cornell-Zealear was the new representative with Allvn Cornell and S.F. Zealear builders and E.N. Gibson Sales Manager. Their new model office was at 3833 Park Boulevard, in what is now known as the Egyptian district. The continuation of Pacific Ready-Cut through these San Diego firms deserves further research. Credit needs to be given to Thornton and Wolicki for bringing Pacific Ready Cut's influence on the Pacific coast markets to the attention oftoday's researchers. Thornton has made national TV appearances on the subject of kit homes, and has given more than 200 lectures across the nation on the topic. She is also a contributing editor on the Old House Web. Wolicki earned his Bachelors of Architecture from Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Michigan and is a noted authority on mail order homes. His expertise covers Aladdin, Lewis-Libery, Sterling and Bay City companies, and he helped with the restoration of the Wright-designed Aftleck House in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. (Their biographies are on page xvii of the introduction to their 1925 reproduction of the Pacific Ready-Cut catalog.) Their research, as extensive as it has been, does not explore the San Diego market, and also does not highlight A.M. Southard' s role in the business or development of San Diego's architecture. The period from 1910 to 1920 is not understood for Southard as it relates to how he acquired the Pacific agency in San Diego or his knowledge of building. He may have worked in Los Angeles for Pacific Ready-Cut and after marrying, moved to San Diego. His relatives were not carpenters or in the building industry, so how he achieved his experience is unknown at this time and warrants more research (Per 1900 and 1910 U.S. Census). This study expands upon Thornton and Wolicki's, along with that of Priscilla Ann Berge, who has conducted extensive research into the Kensington community and Kensington Manor subdivisions in an effort with her neighborhood group to obtain historical district status. Legqcy 56 106.~ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House The National Park Service's Bulletin on Historic Residential Suburbs provides a context for the suburban Kensington community and its architecture. Relevant excerpts are listed below: The evolution of the American home reflects changing concepts of family life and the ideal suburban landscape. From 183 8 to 1960, the design of the single family, detached suburban home in a landscaped setting evolved in several broad stages from picturesque country villas to sprawling ranch houses on spacious suburban lots. The central motivation for the invention of the suburban house was the desire of Americans to own a single-family house in a semi-rural environment away from the city - what would become the American dream. Several factors influenced the evolution of suburban house design: • The lowering of construction costs, accomplished with the invention of the balloon-frame method of construction in the 1830s and successive stages of standardization, mass production, and prefabrication. • The translation of the suburban ideal into the form of an individual dwelling usually on its own lot in a safe, healthy, and park like setting. • The design of an efficient floor plan believed to support and reinforce the ideal family. After World War I, improving the quality of American domestic life took on special importance. Alliances formed among architects, real estate developers, builders, social reformers, manufacturers, and public officials - at both national and local levels - to encourage home ownership, standardized home building practices, and neighborhood improvements. Better Homes and the Small House Movement, 1919 to 1945. Better Homes in America, Inc., a private organization founded in 1922, spearheaded a national campaign for domestic reform focused on educating homeowners about quality design and construction. (National Park Service's Bulletin on Historic Residential Suburbs) Better Homes Week was celebrated across America from May 11 - 17, 1925 to address concerns such as reasonable standards for privacy, shelter from the elements, space, natural light, adequate ventilation, heating and protection from the cold, and sanitary plumbing. This standard held that: Better conditions in the home make for better citizenship, and through surrounding our rising generations with true home life and fostering the family spirit we will provide better conditions for the future. Better homes mean a better people. Better people means a better government, and a more rapid advance in our civilization. (In "Secretary Davis and Housing Expert Bespeak Better Homes in America; Demonstration Week- May 11 to 17" San Diego Union, May 10, 1925.) Legacy 57 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House In addition to the Better Homes Movement in this period, another consideration for the housing boom was the nearly 18,000 former service men from World War I who were seeking funds to get a home. American war veterans were being provided funds to purchase either a farm or a home and in California, the funds were about to run out by 1926. Veterans Welfare Board records showed that 20,000 former sailors, soldiers, and marines had already filed for aid to purchase property since 1921 , and by 1925 only 2,050 veterans had been funded. A 10-month lull in funding was pending in 1926 until a new bond act could be passed in November to provide additional funds to help the waiting list of thousands of veterans hoping to get a home or farm. The construction boom resulted in more money being spent in new construction in 1925 than in any previous year, and some estimated that five to six billion dollars had been spent that year on new construction. On the Pacific coast, that translated into figures reported by the National Monthly Building Survey of S.W. Straus & Co. that of the 80 principal Pacific coast cities in their survey, building permits issued in 1925 overall reflected a 2 percent gain over August and 8 percent gain over July. ("San 1 Diego Ranks 8 h Among Cities for Construction: Makes Record for Building During August, Figures of S.W. Straus & Co Show" September 13, 1925, San Diego Union.) The Union Trust Company of San Diego predicted that 5000 new families would come to town between January 15th and Easter, and they would "occupy over 400 blocks of new homes, which in one line would measure over 25 miles." (October 25, 1925, San Diego Union) An article in the San Diego Union on December 13, 1925, next to the previously mentioned article about the WWI Veterans, stated the need for all in the construction industry to reduce costs and waste: That there is waste in this vast industry is recognized frankly by all who are engaged in it. Studies have been made of the problems of construction with the increasing seriousness during the last two years. The contractors, through their professional bodies, the bonding companies, the material supply manufacturers and distributors, all have taken up phases of the question of how to reduce costs, not only for their selfish benefit, but for the benefit of those who must pay for each piece of construction. (San Diego Union, 12113125) Yet another factor of the period was the newly introduced procedure to grade-mark lumber, which had just recently been put into place. In April of 1925, President Hoover wrote President Frost of the Southern Pine Association to compliment the lumbermen for their institution of the practice of grade-marking all pine lumber for quality to reduce waste. "Correctly grade-marked lumber can be bought and sold without necessitating actual inspection." The implementation of this practice, which had been in universal use in Europe for many years, enhanced the ability to competitively export lumber as well as steer low grade or economical lumber and prime lumber to their most appropriate domestic consumer. ("Grade-Marking of Lumber Is Indorsed by Hoover" San Diego Union, May 17, 1925) Leg Within this context comes Architect Richard S. Requa, who in 1925 was a partner in the firm Requa & Jackson, and a regular columnist in the San Diego Union 's Sunday Development section with his "Southern California Architecture" column. There can be no doubt that in San Diego, and much of Southern California, Requa was a major influence in helping to direct the popular definition of San Diego's Spanish Eclectic architectural style. Many of the architects and builders had been wrestling with the concept for years, and the movement to defme a "Southern California style" provided on-going discussion and artistic interpretation. Requa himself was a bit of an issue for architects, because he was an electrical engineer who did not obtain his architect's license until many years after apprenticing with Irving Gill and then learning by seat of-the-pants and the school of experience. He became a self-made man whose influence was far reaching then and it remains so today. In fact, one of the most frequent searches found on Legacy 106, Inc.'s website is for information relating to "Richard+Requa." George T. Forbes, owner and developer of the neighboring Kensington Heights subdivision, hired Requa to be his (one-member) Architectural Review Board, giving him fmal approval and design control of all the houses to be built within that tract. His column in the San Diego Union lambasted examples of what he considered to be "meticulous shams" of good architecture and plan books "made up of mostly very bad designs" and "claptrap atrocities" ("Southern California Architecture: Article III, What Constitutes a Home, Magazine Lauds City for Homes Really Artistic," San Diego Union, September 20, 1925). Requa argued in his Article III "San Diego's Grand Opportunity" that many of the new homes "are fine examples of California architecture, designed to harmonize with the civic improvements. Lately a country club and golf course, one of the finest in America, has been added to the many recent attractions" and that: Every year thousands of families travel to southern California in search of a desirable home site. Many of these have made their fortune elsewhere and are concerned principally in a congenial, harmonious environment. They demand more than natural advantages and climate, more than pavements, water and sewers, more than schools, churches and theatres. They seek property of adequate size and restrictions, neighborhoods of high class architectural improvements, localities pleasingly parked and landscaped. rt behooves San Diego to raise the standard of its architecture, to provide adequately improved and highly restricted properties such as will attract and interest people of this class." (October 25, 1925, San Diego Union) Builders, designers, architects, and real estate industry associates were all hearing his message, even if they did not necessarily agree with it. Furthermore, while it is clear that there was architectural review and design approval required for Kensington Manor Unit 2, the record is not clear who performed those approvals, and it does not seem to have been Requa. In the context of the Gernandt house, there comes together an interesting pairing of an experienced, well-trained eastern architect, William Gernandt, and Alfred Southard, a building contractor who had over 1000 Pacific Ready-Cut homes completed in San Diego to his credit which he and his company, the A.M. Southard Co. had built between 1920 and 1925. Southard did not necessarily agree with Requa's narrow style constraints for Southern California architecture. Legqcy 59 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House In 1923, 26-year-old John W. Gemandt, William and Leta Gernandt's son, had arrived in San Diego and hung up his shingle as an "architect." By 1924, Southard had hired him as superintendent of construction of Pacific Ready-Cut Homes and Southard advertised his services as "A.M. Southard and Staff- Contractors and Builders of Pacific Ready-Cut Homes." In the context of the development of the "Southern California" architectural style, an interesting set of circumstances comes together with Gernandt, the young son of a well-trained, highly experienced Nebraska architect, arriving in town to join up with Southard, who operates one of the most efficient building operations in town. All methods of production, design, cost-estimating, premium quality ingredients, connections with all builders and architects, distributors of hardware and supplies, and subdividers with open tracts are available to Southard and Gernandt. Furthermore, Pacific Ready-Cut, with its Los Angeles home base of operations, makes available to both these men all the advantages of their experience and connections. Finally, enter into the mix the elder Gernandt, who at age 54 had no built-in loyalty to the "Southern California style," its advocates, or the various advocates' arguments. He was perfectly capable of evaluating an appropriate style for the area himself based upon his own training and experience. In fact, his portfolio of accomplishments included residences, schoolhouses, and courthouses, a number of which today are on the National Register of Historical Places. His choice, therefore, of his own new home for himself and his wife makes an implicit statement of endorsement with their selection of location, community, contractor, materials, and architectural style. A.M. Southard's Independence from Pacific Ready-Cut Homes, Inc. The precise time in which Southard broke away from Pacific Ready-Cut Homes has not yet been pinned down, but he filed Articles of Incorporation for the Southern California Mortgage Company, the financing arm of his independent operation, on October 6, 1924. He listed himself, A.B. Root, T.B. Higgins, Julia G. Southard, and Don 0. Chamberlain as equal partners (San Diego Historical Society, Research Archives). By January of 1925, Southard began to advertise "Our New Model Spanish Home Now Ready for Your Inspection" at Fifth and Maple Streets. Southard still identified himself as the A.M. Southard Co., Designers and Builders of Individual Homes, Pacific Ready Cut Systems, Fifth and Maple Streets in the newly built El Prado Commercial Center, designed by Frank 0. Wells. Advertisements in the San Diego Union chronicle the evolution of the A M Southard Company away from Pacific Ready-Cut to his own independent firm, which evolved around the exposition inspection home located at 5th and Maple. Pacific Ready-Cut used model homes as a buying tool for homeowners, and the ads show Southard used the model home while involved with both companies. Subsequent advertisements over the next year would indicate that thousands of San Diegans visited the model home at the exposition grounds at the El Prado center. Southard filed his Articles of Incorporation for the Southern California Mortgage Company, the financing arm of his independent operation, on October 6, 1924 and by October of 1925 Pacific Ready-Cut had appointed the Brown-Olmstead Company to represent them with temporary offices on Fifth Street. Leg~cy 60 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House The opening of this exhibition home marks the turning point for his company, and by May of 1925 his ads no longer mentioned Pacific Ready-Cut Homes. On September 20, 1925, the ad for A.M. Southard stated, "we no longer represent, in any capacity, the Pacific Ready-Cut Homes, Inc. of Los Angeles." His involvement in the Ready-Cut industry remains a bit muddled, in that despite his 1925 claim to not represent Pacific Ready-Cut of Los Angeles, the 1930 edition of the "Merchants, Tradesmen and Manufacturers Financial Condition for San Diego, California: Information Obtained from the 1930 R. G. Dun Mercantile Agency Reference Book:' listed "Southard A.M. Co (not inc) Ready-Cut Houses" and a "F3" rating. The "F" meant "Estimated Pecuniary Strength of$10,000 to $20,000" and the "3" meant "General Credit - Good." Perhaps Southard did not update his listing or Dun's information was simply dated. The location of the new model home in the El Prado complex was announced on June 25, 1926 in the San Diego Union article "Business district on square bounded by Fourth, Maple, Fifth and Laurel Streets is named "El Prado."(8:2-4). The location fronted.Balboa Park and the main entrance to the park and the Cabrillo Bridge. Additionally, the Fifth Street location was also a prime business artery where a number of prominent builders had their offices. An article in the San Diego Union on January 1, 1926 described this area thusly: The main entrance into the park is by way of Laurel Street, which leads to Cabrillo Bridge, whose quarter-mile span connects the Exposition grounds with the western part of the park. From this bridge the view is one of the most delightful to be had in the city. At 112 feet straight below may be seen the lotus pond, where, in season, lotus and pond lilies spring in thousands, casting their reflection upon the quiet bosom of the pond. To the north, bison and other ruminants are seen grazing in their paddocks at the Zoological garden; to the south are seen the downtown district, the bay, the Silver Strand of Coronado, and the still more distant Coronado Islands of Mexico. Artists from the west and from the capitals of Europe have visited San Diego so that they might put on canvas the charm that has made this spot a lure to lovers of beauty. Many of these canvases have been admired in the galleries and salons of London, Paris and Rome. Legacy 61 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Entrance to the El Prado Commercial Center at the Northwest corner of Fifth and Laurel where the A M Southard Company had their model home and business and financial offices. San Diego Historical Society Photo, courtesy Priscilla Ann Berge. The origin of the 1926 conceptual design plan for the Gernandt House is embedded in the unique history ofthe purpose of William Frederick and Leta Gernandt' s presence in San Diego. William retired from his architectural practice in Omaha, Nebraska and he and Leta moved to San Diego to be near their son, who worked for Southard and in 1924 lived in the Pacific Ready-Cut model home on 5th and Grape Streets. The timing of their arrival fits in compellingly with the timing of Southard's activities that led to his split from Pacific Ready-Cut at the end of 1925. William and Leta rented a small house at 4027 Lark Street in Mission Hills and Southard began to advertise the first of two key changes to his company, "a master architectural service ... a special architect," (San Diego Union October 18, 1925). The second change was the establishment ofhis own financing company, the Southern California Mortgage Company, which was an outgrowth of the financing services he had offered through Pacific Ready-Cut. Southard published a full-page advertisement on October 25, 1925 that further promoted a master architectural service for custom home design and announced he broken off from Pacific Ready-Cut Homes, Inc. The technological break-through that enabled Southard to successfully compete with Pacific Ready-Cut Homes, Inc. was the "portable" table saw that allowed onsite machine-cut lumber for customized carpentry. Southard took that opportunity to promote a five-year plan with anticipated home building growth through 1930. Comparison of Southard's ads against the editorial column authored by Architect Requa reveals a serious rivalry and difference of opinion as to the "right and proper" course for the City of San Diego (San Diego Union September 25, 1925). Southard countered that San Diego housing ought to offer a variety of English, French, Flemish, Mission, and Spanish style architecture, but Requa declared that Spanish-inspired "Southern California style" should be the only offering to home buyers. As a master architect, William Frederic Gernandt enabled Southard to provide homes of distinction in those other styles. Leg~cy 62 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House at Fifth and Maple Streeta Pacific's Greatest Book of Homes ..... - ...... _, .. ,,.~--...... -···'-"'"--...... ,..,., •-••.... •• ..... ~, •ttto ,--·...-- ort..t ...-. --.~oo .. ., ••• n_.___ ··---• - · ., ....-..,. " " '"'".,.,__ ·- ·•••• -• .,. .,,....,_,., ~~~·1"§lf::?;~.;t1;;1f~~::~~c:.~;~:~.=~·!:~;:.;::::: ~-Get Our 1-6&-Page Boolc of"Deaigna Oon\AinU.., fullrnf• ·muto~ot. "it'. •ll•••lmli('ln.• IIUI•I•·omplrtf' noor r1&~uo o( A M. Southard Co. liS le~t 1\J')fl .11'11·1<1"""" I' l.oot.IIIJ, II. I IIM',., ~~anlah 1_.,.pt1-, l>11f('h. ~ftt: yd Y.n~ll~h ll"f',ll•· lor,..-, 1...-!>-JIIt)n· btum-e, lurn•alfiW ,...,uriA. four. Designers and Builders of Individual Homes t ..lb'fla\1, etr. A tor:v .. r l 1•111l \)folr. roA~ t•<"lo.U e l ourofrir~ ror olll, ~ PACIFIC READY-CUT SYSTEM Fifth and Maple Streets Phone Main 802 Southard advertised 5002 Canterbury Drive as Gemandt's first contribution to the Southern California style (San Diego Union May 23, 1926). Since John William Gemandt devoted most of his time at A.M. Southard as superintend of construction running from any one of the thirty-five houses under construction at any one time, his father may have been involved in, or perhaps even supervised, "a department of exceptional architects" in the design of custom homes for discriminating clientele (San Diego Union October 10, 1926). On October 15, 1925, Pacific Ready-Cut Homes announced they had appointed the Brown-Olmstead Building Company as their representative in a large advertisement that read "Pacific Ready-Cut Homes, Inc., Appoints New Firm to Handle Sales and Construction." Temporary offices were located at 2859 Fifth Street, four blocks north of Southard's office. Further clarification in the ad states "Construction to start immediately on our new offices at 5th and Juniper Streets." LegClcy 63 106~ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House On December 27, 1925 the San Diego Union announced that the Brown-Olmstead Company was constructing four Pacific Ready-Cut homes on the corner of West Lewis and Stephens Streets in Mission Hills and that their " 1930 Home," which was their new model home to depict their vision of what a 1930 house could be. That model home opened at the comer of Fifth and Juniper Streets. Southard's own ads announced "All Our Homes are Original Designs." (December 27, 1925, San Diego Union) Offering ~e Farnous.Model Hbine Open fo~ Y euf Inspection·· ·~~ ' W: Well 1'#Dtu,. to NY tba• tlu... -~= ·,ho t. ..htblh"n lloate lt.lla N£\rER "'"'D ., thol"'CC~Iy a pl... f' "r 1:-t"""'t ;::1':1 no••- 11.nUNnd• ha'# \iewtod th• •..:.. ul-"'he •nd """l'IC 4..._,,..., ' " M tk.. af'f'Mtfl'fl•fllll -.~!oil a ltd r-f'.,.t workl11&11Abip as typtr~t."(l in ··~ , hM1.-u\> arr.~· t~f r,t·hud"f hf>mf' ldtu. TN'II liw ""'IUII~I...t ...... 7- ~~ ... lo..- • • .,,. ..l-1 •"" ...... , "'-• •t ... - lt. ' •-' hll.e•• ••, ....~ fill ...... _ .. ( -~ ...f' ... y ....- ...t •• "l&• u..... n.-, .,. '"'"11110• .t VaWtr-iLnkJtr tu•plol"' 1•~ _,_,_ ~..,"'•"'r~'littw .r~. .UW t iem.f!ffliW. ~III.I.. n.. Wed~ &ed b'"ld ._... ' " 01111 llir~ lao!" ....''"' ~-~ n( 1~,. •"'-~ (\ur )l... o .. r u~ IOII~~ ,,.. w ynr u~ Tltnl. 101\ .... .-;11 ~~or:., fMI n u.,... )·oar ,.... lir"fttt "' tt~l 11'\111 ..;u -• J'tl•r •I'Pf'll ..&l. n~ M'<>d~l n ..... ;. "'"'" r~~· ....,,~ ,.,.~,... nfr:t ..,.,\ d,, ,.._ ' •• ) A •"'1'1'•••• bl' t f ~~-th11aw-.ilf)'OQ.\ IIUII(rttt, ,.______.,...... _. THE BROWN. OLMSTEAD BUIJ..DlNC __COMPA"Y Designers and B uilders OFFICES AND MODEL HOME Fifth and Maple Streets Phone Ma.in 802 __ ,, 'Picl!ic-~ .... ~ea~-Cu~ O~~~ (top left) September 13, 1925 (bottom left) October 18, 1925 (top right) October 25, 1925 San Diego Union ~ct~:... ..You _, ...... ; 1alt.t 1 tC::!. -:: a:ad ...... Legacy 64 106. Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House On October 25, 1925, Southard announced the design and construction of a large eight room residence for Dr. David R. Higbee in Mission Hills at Pringle and Puterbaugh Streets, where they had just completed laying the foundation. Southard advertised it as: "a correct example of Americanized domestic Spanish, with many individual touches ... to make it more than a mere house ... a house should express the personality of the owner, that the type of architecture should be varied to suit the individual, that the important thing is first to select the most appropriate architecture and then develop its true beauty by creative innovations in harmony with the whole. Only so can proper architecture and self expression go hand in hand." ("Many Ornamental Features are Included in Spanish Residence in Mission Hills," San Diego Union, October 25, 1925) Office of A.M. Southard Company at Fifth and Maple Offices in the El Prado Commercial Center. Photo courtesy San Diego Historical Society via Priscilla Ann Berge Legacy 65 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House By July, 1926, Southard advertised the introduction of "Our Machine-Cut System for eliminating material waste and Visit Our reducing labor costs." They Spanish also advertised that they Studio maintained their own architectural staff to design homes and that they would finance up to 75% ofthe total cost of the lot and home combined. (San Diego Union, July 11 , 1926) San Diego Union, April 14, 1929 T ·~~ -~ .!' .• d::!'.~•_r: h....,,. .. .,·~ r~. - .. ~ ~~-~~·...... __._ ..,.~.. Ull- poorlHI#04 ...... ,.,, , ,...... , ...u .... -pM. hen"- of.,,..,,., hJM. u ..,~ ' '"" "' "aa.d·..ii, .. - 1.. •'J ..... q . ..., , ... ,_. ,, .... "r • ".,' ~u •w- .rr.- Our Machine Out Syste.m .... Tbe iDtrodueh oD. or the lll&tbint• vultaru t'tlt 11111em for f'hlftinatint ma. ~rial wute u ll rtdut u&a tahor Attractive co.o.t. bM pr-J1't'd ill p,..H icabll\11 Modd Bome ar..J '" oae of the rt... Da • ll1 S ..:~tbard ho~llt h•~• in nriab1T at FlNl and e-•• ~ ln. lw btillcl :Maj>lestreeta_... _, Designing - ~a~ October 31 , 1926, San Diego Union July 11, 1926, San Diego Union Legacy 66 106.c Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House AM Southard Advertisement, June 13, 1926 San Diego Union This advertisement features both of the Gemandt's houses, William and Leta's in Kensington as well as John's on Mississippi. Leg AM Southard History, June 13, 1926 San Diego Union .. 1\lan-.er• nt Del 1\lonto Jun• 21 to /STORr OF A.. M.'SOUTHARD . 25 . 'Jbu«t>n farm r"ller bill uk. lhn gr~at majority of the hom011 yell.1'1! 4.C'O tho toun4l\tiOn wnt oompanl4'!01 that ~llmlnnte t.he nn• r• f th t> popular ~IU<'<' u rtnl~ • Julia G. Southard and A.M. Southard founded company in 1920 • They obtained the San Diego County agency for Pacific Ready-Cut homes • By 1925, they regularly employed 75-150 trained trades people. • Considered one of the largest home construction firms in southern California • Employed own crews for plastering, painting, cement/brickwork, carpentry, decorating • 1925 - Discontinued Pacific Ready-Cut affiliation & went independent • 1925 - Developed complete architectural design division with new offices at 5th/Maple • 1925 - Started "machine-cut system of cutting lumber on the job" - lowered costs • 1925 - Opened fmancial division- Southern California Mortgage Company to finance homes Legacy 68 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Many of the custom homes A.M. Southard advertised in 1925 and 1926 involved two story Spanish variants and a few salt box slanted Spanish fired red clay tile roofs, casement windows with shutters, wrought iron balconets and window grills, striped canvas awnings attached to leaning cast iron spears, front doors with Roman quoin surrounds, sets of French doors, flying wing side gate and faux porte cochere driveway entrances. He specialized in designs that made the base appear wider than the upper floor, contributing to the illusion that the houses were larger. Many of the Spanish style buildings exhibited ornamental Islamic cement privacy grills, arched portals, and ornamented chimney tops. But his later ads included an English "storybook" house in the logo (San Diego Union May 9, 1926). He featured an artistic rendering of the home of John William Gernandt at 3559 Mississippi on May 9, 1926, which showed a one story European bungalow with a low-pitched roof, adobe-like walls, shuttered casement windows, and a deeply inset wood door that the ad described as " ... a delightful place of abode--- a home of enchantment!" Southard hired master designers to create custom houses for his clientele. Although the basic "box" plan of the interior rooms probably did not differ greatly, his creative efforts were focused on the living and dining rooms and front exterior of the houses. One article boasted: The Southard Model Home is of beautiful Spanish-type stucco construction, with large living room, dining room, breakfast room, kitchen, two generations size bedrooms and bathroom. The living room has the latest elliptic arch (barrel) ceiling, dropped floor, mantel and one of the most superb plate-glass view windows in San Diego--- a window which is perhaps the stellar attraction of the home. The walls of the living and dining room, divided by steps and artistic wrought iron hand rails, are finished in the most expensive Italian polychrome blend. Floors throughout are of select oak. The novel Japanese breakfast dining room is further distinguished by an ornamental grill over the window. The hallway to bath and bedrooms is surprisingly spacious, with ample linen closet, desk and telephone space ... woodwork throughout is of stipple glaze finish, harmonizing perfectly with the varied wall treatment of different rooms. The roof is of Granada vari-colored tile, and there is a special covered archway leading to the rear (San Diego Union October 25, 1925). He offered thirteen different architectural designs from which ~Design[f'inal"\Ce buyers could choose and an October 16, 1925 ad showed & Bu11d: English, Flemish, French, Mission Revival, and Spanish <;?panish. 1 Baroque styles because he saw "diversity of architecture an 1 "En~l1.shMoroccan I agreeable check to the monotony which would ensue if one lta11.an type of architecture were adhered to in San Diego." ~1i.shCnl Dutc"h Ccs1. Southard none-too-subtly challenged master architect Requa, Mrrocan~ who ranted in his weekly column that everyone should shift to Japmese the "Southern California style," as defined by him to be a flero.tsb. variant of Spanish, French, and Italian farm house styles. Mooris1t =f'-rench In essence, Southard offered a wider variety than Requa, Aztec, whom he saw as narrow-minded and extreme. \ '1\optt {HOMES (left) Varieties of building styles offered by I . 6 Southard. October 18, 1925, San Diego Union Leg~cy 69 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Nonetheless, Southard' s own model home at 5th and Maple was a "modified type of Spanish architecture, chosen because of the growing popularity of this style ofhome and its suitability to this part ofthe country." ("New Model Spanish Home" San Diego Union, January 11, 1925) On-Site Machine-Cut Lumber. The technological innovation that enabled Southard to break away from Pacific Ready-Cut Homes was the invention of the portable table saw, which could be hooked up to temporary power lines. This enabled him to select his own lumber from local lumber yards and then cut the pieces on-site to specific sizes and shapes. (San Diego Union "Official News Bulletin," September 20, 1925). While this is something we may take for granted today, in its time it was an important innovation and cost-saving improvement. Not only could Southard reduce his labor costs, but he could also employ his own Machine Cuttin(t Saves 20 By October 1925, the A.M. Southard ads showed enormous two-story Mission Revival style buildings, small Spanish-Moorish bungalows, and single story English Tudor storybook style houses and announced, "our machine-cut system reduces (the) cost of hand labor" (San Diego Union October 13, 1925). Of course, an important element of this process involved the San Diego Consolidated Gas & Electric Company's extension of power lines into the subdivisions and creation ofjob site temporary power poles. The precise number of homes designed by Gemandt and built by A.M. Southard Company during the 1923-1928 time period remains unknown. For Pacific Ready-Cut, he claimed over 1000 houses built. In 1928, the company reorganized. That year, the Gemandts left the firm to form the Gemandt Construction Company. Following the split, Southard listed himself as manager of A.M. Southard Company, "Construction Engineers." In 1929, and he and Julia moved to 4112 Orchard in Point Lorna. He continued to serve as president of the Southern California Mortgage Company. Legqcy 70 106. Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House and hllilt by Off1ce and Model Home fifth at Maple· BMutiful Span ish Couagt Dr.iSIGNUD AND BuiLT Dv A. M. SouTHARD Co. FoR M n.. W. F. GnRNANDT AT 3946 CANTERBURY Dn.rvn, KeNsiNGTON MANoR 19 "Homes of Individuality Designed and Built by the A.M. Southard Co." Impressive illustrated brochure, circa 1926, with many examples of the homes built by the company, listing owners, addresses, and community. It also advertises the many companies used by the firm, and quite a few indicate that Southard exclusively used their products in their homes. (Note, colorization added to simulate original.) Leg~cy 71 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Southard's brochure in 1926 provided a partial listing of clients for whom he built houses. Although he is not being nominated as a master builder at this time, nor are the Gemandts, further review of their work should take this into consideration. Style Owner Community Spanish Cottage Mr. W. F. Gemandt 3946 Canterbury Drive, Kensington Manor Spanish Dr. David R. Higbee 3705 Pringle Street Mission Hills Spanish Mr. J. W. Gemandt 3559 Mississippi Street University Heights Spanish, 2 story For A.M. Southard 3612 Elliott Street Point Lorna Spanish Mr. Oscar lnvin 1622 Plum Street Point Lorna Colonial Mrs. Hamilton B. Clark Chula Vista Flemish Dr. E. N. Young 33 15 Grape Street South Park English Country Mrs. Mary Hyde 3436 Elliott Street Lorna Portal English Barney& Rife New Braemar Tract Pacific Beach English Cottage Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Payson 3031 Ibsen Street Point Lorna English Frederick L. Brown La Jolla English Mrs. 0. H. Fraher 1414 Upas Street North Park Eng lish Mrs. Margaret A. Doan Chula Vista English Mr. Kenneth Howard Harbor View Drive Point Lorna English Mr. John J. O'Donnell 4292 Cleveland *June 13, 1926 San Diego University Heights Union announcement An indicator of the quality of materials and workmanship in Southard's homes can be judged by the companies and contractors he used exclusively in his construction. It is rare to be able to identify the materials and craftspeople involved in a house, and this list provides insight into San Diego's building industry in 1926. Le9acy 72 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House The companies A.M. Southard Co. used regularly and sometimes exclusively as advertised in their brochure (1926) were: Product Company All Kinds of Sheet Metal Work University Sheet Metal Shop That we do all the Sheet Metal Work in A. M George M. Sexauer, Prop. Southard Co. "Individual Homes" is a 3833 University Avenue recommendation to both ofu s. Roofs Gauteraux Roofing Company We Know How, and do Build Good Roofs, L. Meyers, Manager We Specialize in Tile Roofing. All the Tile and 330 Fifth Street Composition Roofs on the Beautiful Homes pictures in this book are representative ofo ur work Cement & Stucco Squires-Belt Co. The A. M. Southard Co., being far sighted builders. 1i h and L Streets endeavor to obtain f or durability and permanency the best materials on the market, therefore they use exclusively MONOLITH PLASTER WA TER- PROOF CEMENT for all exterior stucco work, and MONOLITH REGULAR CEMENTfo r f oundations and other cement work. Plumbing (brass fu:tures) N.O. Nelson Mfg. Co "Nonco Plumbing Fixtures" This is the trade-mark 426 ih Street you will find on all brass plumbing goods in A. M. Southard Co. "Individual Homes" Plumbing Goods Reed Bros. Company, Good Plumbing and Good Fixtures are always a Plumbing Contractors, 727 ih St. part ofA.M. Southard Co. "Individual Homes." We are pleased to say that many ofth e beautiful homes pictures in this book have plumbing installed by us. Plumbing Good Plumbing Plumbing Contractor in A.M. Southard Co. By Andy C. Croskey, Plumbing "Individual Homes" Contractor 145 West F Street Builders Hardware Hazard-Gould & Co Corbin Hardware Fifth and K Streets We have f urnished the A. M. Southard Co. for several years with builders hardware and are pleased that their standard ofm aterials calls for the use ofCO RBIN HARDWARE Plastering E. F. Thayuer All the plastering on A.M. Southard Co. 826 Glendale Street "Individual Homes" is representative ofm y work Brick Construction B. W. Anderson "Quality Brick Construction " is my motto - Brick 4127 37th Street Contractor to A.M. Southard Co. Legacy 73 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Companies used exclusively by the A.M. Southard Co. as advertised in their brochure (1926) - Continued: Paint Jones-Moore Paint House The fine homes erected by the A. M. Southard Co. NW corner Fifth and A Streets require the very best paints, varnishes and enamels obtainable. We have been and are supplying these goods from our ample sock ofT.O. Paints and Pratt & Lambert Varnishes, Enamels, and Lacquers Door and Window Screens San Diego Screen Mfg. Co. The best door and window screens are made by 3780 Swift Avenue San Diego Screen Mfg. Co. and are used exclusively by A.M. Southard Co. in the "Individual Homes" built by them. Sash, Door, & Mill Work Home Sash and Door 541 Second Street Lathing W. J. Brown Lathing on A.M. Southard "Individual Homes" by 1136 17th Street W. J. Brown Madera Laundry Trays Madera Laundry Trays A Madera Laundry Tray will be found in all the 1129 So. 41 st Street "Individual Homes'' built by A. M. Southard Co. Water Heater- New Model30 Hoyt Heater Company May be seen on display and in operation in A.M. Spreckels Building Southard Co. 's Model Home The Great Depression hammered Southard, as well as most everyone else. The 1932 Directory shows he became a salesman for E.H. Depew & Company. Edward H. Depew designed bungalows for Ideal Building Company in the early to mid 1920s, but listed himself as a building contractor with financing capabilities. Southard retained that sales job in 1933, left town in 1934, and returned in 1936 to list himself in the directory as manager of Southard Steel Structures Company at 405 "K" Street. He and Julia lived at 2429 5th Street. By 1939, they had left San Diego and moved to Los Angeles. John "Jack" William Gernandt. John William Gernandt arrived in San Diego in 1923 and listed himself as an architect. His grandsons reported to Priscilla Berge that he went by the nickname "Jack." By 1924 he worked as superintendent of construction for A.M. Southard Company (Directory 1924). After his parents arrived in San Diego, they retained A.M. Southard Company to construct their home at 5002 Canterbury Drive. Since their son worked as superintendent of construction for the company, it is likely he was closely involved. Leg On September 4, 1925, John filed the Notice of Completion for his A.M. Southard-built house on Mississippi Street. The notice recorded John William Gemandt as the owner who "entered into a contract with Self' to build the house. (Berge, 2003 Figure 9 and 2006, personal communication) A.M. Southard promoted both Gemandt houses as prime examples of the kind of work the company produced in a 1926 advertisement that featured conceptual line drawings. As noted earlier, William Frederic designed his own house and in all likelihood, helped Southard design other houses. By 1928, John split from A.M. Southard, and in all probability joined forces with his father in the development of the Gemandt Construction Company. He did not file articles of incorporation to verify his backers, but from that point on he listed himself in the directory as a building contractor. Although thorough research has not been conducted to identify the post-1928 body of work of the Gemandt Construction Company, the County Recorder's Office documents show he built two large Spanish Eclectic houses on Sheridan and Lyndon Streets in Mission Hills in 1928. The precise sequence ofGemandt's departure from A.M. Southard and his replacement is not clear. Whether he left in protest of being replaced or left to work with his father, or simply went out on his own cannot yet be resolved. At about that time, Southard hired license architect Edgar Ullrich, who went on to design many beautiful homes for the company. Berge tracked down Gernandt descendants and learned one of them still retained some of John's building plans. The family history shows that John left San Diego in 1939 to accept a position with Architect S. Charles Lee to help design movie theatres. Although most of the Lee-designed theatres are in the city of Los Angeles, he also designed the Ken Cinema in Kensington, which Chris Cosgrove built after World War II. (Baumann, 1997). Most of the information provided to Berge is second hand, because the grandchildren were really too young to know very much about their grandfather. The family story is that John eventually parted from Lee and found difficulty working with people. At that point in his life, his wife Harriet went into real estate sales and supported the family. The full story of Gemandt Construction Company has yet to be researched. Although Legacy 106, Inc. contacted the family of one of the grand children, we were unable to obtain a follow up interview. The Gernandt family history attributes the house of Jehovah's Witnesses president Rutherford on Braeburn Street in Kensington to Gernandt Construction Company (Berge 2006). They have records of Gernandt-built houses in Kensington, Point Lorna, Hillcrest, and Mission Hills. John built the Bishop Theodore and Daisy Thurston House, City of San Diego, Historic Landmark (HRB-04-051 ). That report stated that the Gemandt Construction Company existed in San Diego from 1929 through 1936, although Legacy 106, Inc. identified two more buildings Gernandt built in 1928 (Tudury and Delcamp 2004:3). Another Gemandt-built houses that has become a City of San Diego, Historic Landmark is the Florence Everinham House, HRB Site #574. Leg Historical Context for the Architect William Frederic Gernandt Retired Master Architect William F. "Frederic" (sometimes F.W.) and his wife Lizzy "Leta" (Bruhn) Gernandt moved from their two story Colonial Revival residence in Omaha, Nebraska to San Diego in 1925. William left a successful career in the mid-west, where he built a number of the buildings that are now listed on the National Register. The Nebraska National Register Sites in Jefferson County lists the 1908-09 Coleman House [JF02-004} (listed 1982/06/25), built by W.F. Gernandt for Andrew and Lillie Coleman. Legacy 106, Inc. believes John Gernandt apprenticed under his father because he listed himself as an architect RESIDEXn·: UF II". F. GER XAXDT when he arrived in 1923 and he rapidly rose to A U CHI T~CT .um SUPIJI1"'TltiPII'IT superintendent of construction for A.M. Southard I Oi 6 0 STPEET in San Diego. Gernandt residence in Nebraska, prior to their move to San Diego. In addition, the Irwin Consolidated School, built www .rootsweb.com/- nejeffer/fairbrook/pg64g in 1917 by William in Shelby, Iowa, is also on the ernandt.jpg National Register. The Fairbury, Nebraska Historic Homes Tour counts his 191 0 Gothic-Georgian Revival Showhouse at 1016 D Street as one of their highlights. Other buildings attributed to him are the Webster County Courthouse, the Pawnee County Courthouse, and the Valley Valley Courthouse. ( www.cambridge bb.com/history.html ) They went by the nicknames of Frederic and Leta (Berge 2006). William was born in Germany in 1872 and emigrated to the United States in 1878. Leta was born in Germany on June 6, 1878 and immigrated to the United States in 1891 (U.S. Census). She passed away in Los Angeles on May 7, 1951 (California Death Index). One of William's recreational activities involved writing poetry. He recorded his pseudoname, "Ralph Otis Lamb," at the San Diego Country Recorder's Office, Miscellaneous Book 76, pages 106-7. According to Berge, who found and read the documents, William wrote poetry under that pseudoname. Further research on this topic is beyond the scope ofthis study, but warrants investigation. (Berge 2006, personal communication) Legacy 76 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House They first rented a modest house at 4027 Lark Street in Mission Hills in 1925. On February 20t\ they purchased Lot 30 in Kensington Manor Unit 2 from the Kensington Park Land Company, but the Notice of Filing did not record until April9, 1926. On September 3, 1926, they then purchased Lot 29, (the Wells House) That deed recorded on November 5th. That same day, fellow Omaha, Nebraska real estate broker (and presumably Gemandt friend) Philip J. Tebbens ofthe firm Birkett & Tebbens, purchased Lot 31 next to the Gemandt's lot. William and Leta then moved from Mission Hills to "394 7" Canterbury (later changed to 5032 and then 5002) after contracting with A.M. Southard to build their new home in 1926. Tebbens' lot next door to the north would remain vacant for four years until both lots sold at the same time to the second owner of the Gemandt House. Tebbens never built on the neighboring lot during his 4-year ownership, and the 1930 U.S. Census shows he and his wife Ottilie owned an expensive home in Omaha, Nebraska and where he continued his real estate investment business. (Ancestry.com) Nebraska National Register Listings for William Frederic Gernandt About Mr. and Mn:. William H. F• ling, home and community builders William I I. Fall~ "'aS born in JI.'ffO">()(\CUUI~l), Ncvo Yud. in 18411 IIi! "lllJ llt:!C\t~llt• fiMm WI+. mallfd in (1\mlin& in his Hrl) ~ratlo. Mail \rntum: lnllliooi~ Minnr'OOta and !l..:clcT, Ncbnsb fl)llowed. Mt. Fating and his wife. AnN (Sttwan) Falin& armed m t,'ambrkJat m IIXO and opcm ~The RcaulatOf'". a fint ~I ~ i!'oe Slort "ith an 111\tniOf) \III!JN • $8,000 lAICf' lhot )cat. Anna WIL5 appoinled loc ~~I for Ute 9 AM Ra.aJ.ro.d Md W,ll...,_ "".:1-t'rOtntC!d Land Agent for the Ltncoln landCompan). Ln IIU "''lhtht mJUircd 200 mlkknu. he hdptd inrotpOrllk: Cambridge and~ its fli"Sl ~tayor AJ M:t)ot and 1..-nd Atcnl ~·altnali.KI out-. pbn Architec:lun.l inform.atioa from the Nation1l Register of Historic PIA u s f• Sc-ptcmbcrofl999. a ~wu madc to lhc NdntbSWe tl dtoric::ai Sorit"cy ~iooBo.d forp&acc:mc:atoa tllc N.uon.JRq;islcrof H dloric:Piaca.. W"ICb ~otlhit &o.n1 tht" caw W11S lhaJ. ron-.-.nkd 10 N.._.. Commiaee. NOOrfQiion ofdw:lrf!P'OVal CMW: in Dtcmlobuof 1999. Tht follooA... cbaiption oflht homt"ddaib &k,;,pi(ICIQC'eo(lht .mitecllnlllllribules. The house D lbree .coric:s. phiS lillie: Md full bMnnertt Md domiaalet: lhe llftod c:om« of' hrbc' _. historical Hjpny 6 .t l4. Tht' llcllikd dcsipd the FaliQa home in the Ncodassbl JC)'Ie with 1 full bci&he entry divided by 1 tower fvll-wK!th potdl. standiftc with INn)' lonK: cotumM. Thills ~ unusual tn lbal no cokassaJ coNmns 1rc ucd for 1 fu ll hdP cnby; ift.Sic*l1 JtiCIOQd tit'f Jf columns ocan above the lo't.o.U' porch. These columns trc CorinthiiQ io Ayk:. Cokunns abo xawoa the now m dosedsouth porch. and on the-ch wall of' !h. buildi"'-Jonk pllMkn .-.aMine fiom lhc fi rst floor 10 the second. The enc:s around the borne ~ dt.corMed with box denlils wS 1 runnin& omarnmtal border. The Crone door is oU sunounded by art ('llfptkll arch Md ~liJhts. dcanlcd with leaded bcn kd Austrdn alas&. rbe enuy hall and mainstJiraseSiill b('vthc Of'i&in.l fi nish('fa la..tx~an manblina m.vbk. ::>ri&iNI Faux designs al!oappeer in the dining room. from end blet hall ceilina Mel the J('(Oftd noor. Masft'f Bedroom boasu faux painted birds fhe ll'lo'OodwQft in tht hooK has btetl w('!J Pl't't'f'Ved. Oak is lded extCMively .net Uutriof rohnnns Vld boroet tq)('8t the e:telt'ri« desi&f'd. The fUlC crafl.smansbip i.l e!J~Ulally evNkm il'l the livlna 'OOfft fil'f1)fact called Surround: abo the mail'l sWrcas1C (siBfted b)' the craftsman). M\d the din.lna 'OOftllidtboan:l wltit'h ~to br ~ of lt..lian oli>·c•~. Laded bcvet.ed al•is Ukd ~ghoul and tbe rose eRe ofl ife st.tintd &).ss window oo tflc main ~ is die focal point of bod! the downstairs ra:ep~ion ball and the upst.llirs bakony. Ttl(' hotne t'$W a hiah ckpft of bi..nc intqrily and an cxccUm 1. exampk of ewty 20dt «ntury att.h~. About the Architect, W. F. Gema.ndt and Interior P1i.Dten H1nsen 606 Parker Street on I Dd WiUtr Highway 6 & 34 Camb ridge. Nebraska The home: was CCOSlfUCkd &om 1907 . 19 10 under die dftdkln of renowned lldll«t.. W. F. 69022 USA Gemanck. O&tw:r siplir~C:W~~ bvitdin&s DOled to his cmtit ~ Netn*l inch.ldc ~ftc: biseorit ColemaD ttowe dl OiDe:r. !be' Wdlslcr COW!IIy Counbouse.lbe raw.cc Couwy C~ Md hilton@swncbr ncl Vattey C-..y Counbouse. Cambfidte had ao d«aicicy ll the hiM. howevtt. it ...., avail:abk fldt .JOS-6~7-3120 lhc Md olcompktioft of 11M bouse and witma IIIJd dearie liehtin& 'fl-eft inslalkd n.o.t oriJiMI li&Mint. fo:tun:sstill bane in the pram~ home. The hup:Sir'UC:bln:ol2200~ l"eet JI('ffto« http~lwww.cam bridge·bb.com/history .html (duu plus h&w:mmil) \II"'ldd ba\'C heal a ~ &Ut widlouc decwkal ud nodcn buiklirlc C"qVi~ aec':CIS. howtwr Mr. GemlftCII bftluallt ~cnlbmco lad dtc fiMII bWkl~ fnllt'rials10 W sde. Accepted to the National Register ofHistoric Places in 1999. Information for the W.H. Faling Residence (now Cambridge Bed & Breakfast) from www.cambridge.bb.com/history Leg<~ cy 77 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Nebraska National Register Listings for William Frederic Gernandt National Re11.ister of Historical Places- NEBRASKA (~ ). Jefferson County NEBRASKA - Jefferson County Colman House •• (added 1982 - Building-#82003 191) 50 I Lavelle St., Diller Historic Signilkance: An:bih..>cture/Eng.inecriog. E\·ent Architect. builder. or engin~r: Htlnsen & WiUer. Gemandt.W. F. An::hitectural Style: Mixed {More Than 2 Stylts From DitTerent Periods) Area of Sig.nilicance: Art. Architecture Period of Significance: 1900-1924 Owner: Pri,·ate Historic Function: Domestic Historic Sub-function: Single Dwdling Current Function: Domestic Current Sub·funclion: Single Dwelling The Colman House, located in Diller, is a distinct and sophisticated turn-of-the-century residence, designed by German-American architect W. F. Gernandt. The house was built in 1908-9 by Andrew H Colman for his wife Lillie. The interior contains an exceptionally fine collection of painted and stenciled walls and ceilings executed in 1912 by Charles Hansen and James Willer of tl1e local firm "Hansen and Willer, Painters and Decorators." These Danish immigrant arti sts worked in Jefferson and surrounding counties. The firm also decorated the interior of the Anna C. Diller Opera House. Nll!ional Register of Historical Places- NEBRASKA"(NE), Jefferson County 'fe..-._Dist rict No. 1 School of Jefferson County (added 1997- Building - #97001520) Also known as Steele City Public Schooi;NEHBSJF12-022 Jet. ofN. Second and Curtis Sts., Steele City Historic Significance: An:h.itl!\:lure/Engineering. En:nt Architect. bu ilder. or engineer: Gemandt. Wil liam F. An:hitectural Style: No St)·le Listed Area of Significance: Architecture. Edu..:ation Period of Significance: 1900-1 924 Owner: Local Gol''t Historic Function: Edocation Hisfl)ri~,; Sub -function: School Cui'Tt!n l Function: Vacant/Not In Use National Register of Historic Places listings in Nebraska. Information from www.nebraskahistory.org/histpres/nebraskaljeferson.htm and www.historicdistricts.com/NE/jefferson.state.html Leg The address changes along the street reflect the evolving nature of the neighborhood as new houses were built upon the empty lots. In the course of working on the Kensington Manor Historic District, Berge determined the first house on the subdivision was the English Tudor across the street. The second and third houses lack precise date information, but the Gemandts have the honor of being either the second or third house in the subdivision, and the first or second Spanish style. The evolution of the neighborhood can be seen in the directory Householders section, which lists occupants by address. STREET AND HOUSEHOLDERS' GU IDE (1927) 3012 Cam pbell E C' Mrs .... ~.. • • Fisch er A F L ocu st H a rbor View dr Evergr een HOUSEHOLDERS' GUIDE 0928) Willow 1 CANTERBURY DRIVE ( K en- Plum sington Park)-Weat from A k r on Cou nty Road , 1 blk N of J ef. Clove Yell fer son a v D el M a r a v . 4028 Yacnnt · Pescad ero all I M a rlborough dr Point L o m a av 4li6 K nt ,·n .1 F Tal bot K ensington dr Sussex dr CA NTERBURY DRIVE (Ken sington Park)- W est f r o m 4904 Alh•·rtun L 1 ~ County Road , 1 north of Jef HIOa lJig-gings H H f erson av • 190ti g clwa rcJ " 0 ~, b ldg <' Onlr 3947 Gernandt W F 4nl!! YH<· nnt 4028 Danie ls S H 192b D nnll'l s S H C ounty rd Westminst er ter M a rlborough d r · ' r; o10 :-< at: There are three lines of evidence showing the Gemandts lived on Canterbury Drive in 1926. In 1927, only the Gemandts and the Daniels families lived on this section of Canterbury Drive and there were six houses total. Of those, three were vacant. By 1928, there were 14 houses along Canterbury, and two of them were vacant. Interestingly, one owner, 0 . F. Edwards, listed himself as a building contractor. Enlargment of a portion of Erickson Aerial 6483 taken in April of 1929 showing the neighborhood surrounding the Gernandt and Wells' houses. San Diego Historical Society Photo No. 13433 Leg 1910 U.S. Census- Gernandt Family Wm F., Leda, and John Gemandt in Fairbury, Nebraska. William was 37, Leda was 30, John was 12. William listed his occupation as "Architect, Draws Plans." • ~l~ .. .. - • ...... ,...... • ...... =1 •~ ,., •• AI..J • I t Legacy 80 106. Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House There is evidence to indicate that both John and William collaborated in private practice after John left A.M. Southard in 1928. Legacy 106, Inc. discovered the Gernandt Construction Company built two houses in Mission Hills in 1928. Shortly thereafter, William and Leta sold their Canterbury Drive house in 1929 and moved back to Mission Hills. William answered the 1930 U.S. Census-taker's question of industry of employment by stating "Building," but then revised the response to occupation to "None" and "Building" was crossed out. This hints at his role with the Gernandt Construction Company. In 1932 they moved into a Ranch style house at 1036 Cypress in Marston Hills where they remained for many years. (Berge, 2006) More research into William and Leta's activities after 1929 are warranted in future research. 1930 U.S. Census listing for William Gernandt in San Diego www.ancestry.com ·------Southern California Style Wins·Eastern Designer·J· · W_. 1•'. f:r:nuurdt. \\:f'll known a~< an ardlitr•r·t i11 the middle •t~rn states, "cbatil"ed .. ' arr·hitr·r-tural w_ayR" 1\'lwn t.P nrrivP.d in ,"!H.n Uir•(Co and h~(·ame ftl't(reflte;c:l in the ,rwuthrl"n CalifitJ"nia homf'R tlutt lra\'f' tw .. n (jp'Vr>lopf'd From tht• Spa'ni.'Jh, Mom:.isll and Bfyfr•K. lfjl'l tJ•ifJIIJt.P. t.ft tla~ SOUlhf'rfl ('aJifOJ•nju t{•>f4ij(tt j~; the tl('. r~Orllp&nying drawing Of . ~ir·•• r~f lwmP. whir·h hP i11 huilrling in Kt n,.inJ,Cintt ~~~fwr. Oernandt Dlltnbers amom~dtll;-l ar<·hit~r : tural a·~hi~>vrm•• n!K 10 r•our·thonf'PN, 4--t :-wh rrn l huildin_ WI, I:I.Dd a colietre jlrOUJl 40.000,000. lie f:ltnl" hPrf' HI'Yrt:al month >~ u~ro 1.. rdir·,., bnviug been attracted. b)' "'-t\"'••-..- ·~""- It. he n11mrrouR Southland" r~ orporation dcv~ l uprur-ntH. · · .. . --- ·-· ·--· - . . , San Diego Union, May 23, 1926. This article shows that William designed his Kensington house in the Southern California style and A. M. Southard built it. This connection to Southard is evidence to suggest that William had a hand in their architectural designs. Leg Pron;tinent Omaha, Neb., Architect Selects ·our ·Organization To Bu~ld His New San Diego Home> E A 1n: I'ROI"D. indeed. tu !tan uten ..:oeud by tloi• txaotiall' arollJ.. to-•·t tu ••nnatn~rt hi. new hnllle im l~n llitllO. W• t.. ! that it Ia a W tnhuto· l" our ornn.ution ..,d a t•r•diL to our eaLAbli•h.•d ability t4· bnihJ homf'" ur t~Jutrat•ter ruul diaatiuetitm at ll f't)l( tn meet CODIIJ8titiou. B,. Southard describes 81let·ia1iring in t11Hn e buthlln~e PxdusiYfly Wfl ~re 1LlJJe to aiv~ the utmc:.t id •""'~'"" •billt~· "" well •• San Diego Union, May 23, 1926 LegClcy 82 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Subsequent Owner Information Charles and Anna Lessick ( 1929 - 1939 ) Charles and Anna Lessick acquired the Gemandt House on Lot 30 in 1929. They also bought the neighboring Lot 31 from Gemandt's Omaha, Nebraska friend, Philip Tebbens. Anna was born on July 23, 1899 and died in September 1979. Charles was born on June 28, 1894 and died in July 1980. (Berge, personal commuication 2006) He worked as an attorney, but left little written record of his career. Probate Case #27153 at the Superior Court provided insight into Lessick's financial success by the end of his life. Appraiser Hal Hotchkiss established a value of$111,060.24 for his estate. Lessick invested heavily in municipal and government bonds, power and communications stocks, and received substantial payments from thirty-eight bonds and twenty-one stocks. His municipal stocks extended to Imperial Valley; Salt River, Arizona; Edmundton and Vancouver, Canada; and Chicago, Illinois. The Lessicks hired a builder in 193 8 to erect a house next door and that address became 5010 Canterbury Drive. Presumably, this house was larger and had more modem amenities than 5002 Canterbury (Gemandt House). They were in the process of selling the Gemandt House to John T. and Nellie Lee and recorded an order of sale and to perform construction for $27,150 on December 22, 1939 when Charles became seriously ill and died. The Lessicks had only been in their new home at 5010 Canterbury for a year when he died. Unfortunately too, this happened just before the Lee family made their final payment on 5002 Canterbury, which caused the Gemandt House to get caught up in probate. The First National Trust & Savings Bank, Executor for Lessick, issued the deed to the Lee family on December 22, 1939. In addition to his home at 5010 Canterbury, Lessick held part ownership in the Clark-Randolph Building in Chicago, Illinois and they were still receiving payments on the promissory note for the sale of 5002 Canterbury to the Lees. He had also rented a property on Cleveland Street, but this holding was not explained in the estate inventory. Leg 1930 U.S. Census- Lessick Family 5002 Canterbury Drive Charles Lessick, age 54, born Ohio, parents born Ohio, occupation "none" Anna M Lessick, age 4 7, born Iowa, father born Irish free state, mother born Wisconsin, language spoken before coming to U.S., Danish, immigrated 1885, occupation,"none". Value of house: $12,500 - owned (not rented) ' I ,.. ~·I Ill.I I m·.li l l. Y!~ W• !§!§ I ~ i !1 h.l• ~~~~ !!i'=~w ....=·~~6 1~1" q~ l.ii il Legacy 84 106. Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House This probate case only revealed one clue to the Lessick's community involvement and that was his pledge of one dollar a week to the Kensington Community Church: ln order to establish the Kensington Community Church to serve the religious and social needs of this neighborhood and to raise the Current Expense Budget, I agree if the financial campaign is successful and the sub secured reaches the amount required, to pledge one dollar a week (In the event the sum is not obtained this pledge is cancelled and I will unite the others in reviewing the situation. Total annual pledge: $53.00; amount paid $1.00; balance due $52.00 (Charles Lessick Probate Case). Charles evenly divided his estate between his widow, Anna, and only daughter, Helen W. {Lessick} Herr ofRockview, New York. Anna received the house at 5010 Canterbury and Helen received $8,000 and the balance of the cash divided between them. He also left a gold pocket watch and a 1934 Nash six-cylinder automobile. Anna remained next door as a neighbor to the Gernandt House until 1940. Once the estate settled out, Anna relocated to Ohio. She passed away in 1979. John T. and Nellie Lee ( 1940- 1942) 1940 Cigars 630 F No information could be found about John or Nellie Lee. W.A. "Bill" and Eula T. Scroggs & William A. Scroggs Jr. ( 1942- 1954) 1942 Dist Mgr Bankers Life Co of Iowa 1943 Jos. T. Fitzgerald - renter at 5002 Y2 Canterbury 1944-45 Clothes cleaner, 3686 El Cajon Blvd. 1947-48 1950, 1952 Elite Cleaners & Laundry William A. Scroggs William "Bill" Scroggs was born on November 27, 1896 in Stillwater, Oklahoma and died in San Diego on March 14, 1984. (Photo courtesy Kappa Kappa Psi website) His last residence was in La Mesa, California. Eula T. Washington-Scroggs was born in Arkansas on January 6, in either 1903 or 1904 (the California Death Index and Social Security Death Index had differing dates). She died in San Diego on November 8, 1985 and her last residence was in La Mesa. Her mother's maiden name was Smith. William achieved distinction as the founder of Kappa Kappa Psi, the National Honorary Band Fraternity at Oklahoma State University, which was established in 1919. The university's web site gives a short biography and history: Legqcy 85 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Scaggs received a degree in Commerce and Marketing from Oklahoma A&M College in 1922. After his graduation, he worked as an insurance agent in Denver, Co, before moving to California. . . . Scragg's greatest accomplishment, though, was to follow through on his idea for a fraternity for college bandsmen. From his mind came the vision that would become Kappa Kappa Psi. Scroggs and Raymond Shannon established the Beta and Gamma chapters in the fall of 1920. Scroggs served the fraternity as Grand (National) Editor and Assistant Secretary from 1919-23, Grand Secretary from 1923-29, Grand 2nd Vice-President from 1939-41, Grand 151 Vice President from 1941- 43, and as District X1 (California-Arizona) Counselor. He conducted a piece for the first National Intercollegiate Band in 1947, instituted the William A. Scroggs Founder's Trophy in 1957, and received the Distinguished Service to Music Medal in 1967 for his service to the Fraternity. ( www.orgs.okstate.edu/kkp/scroggs.htm ) During Scroggs' college years at Oklahoma A&M College he played the coronet in the military and college bands and served in various positions such as band president, secretary-treasurer, yearbook editor, and as a member of various clubs: In the years that followed World War I, a movement developed among college and university bands, searching for some motivating force that would create a greater interest in band music. This movement sought expression in an effort to develop good will, fellowship, and understanding among bands and their members, and to recognize the value of dedicated leadership. Seizing upon this idea, ten members of the Oklahoma A&M College (later to be known as the Oklahoma State University) Band, led by William A. Scroggs and their director, Bohumil Makovsky, drew up a plan for a national honorary society for college bandsmen. Director Makovsky selected nine men to work with Scroggs to organize the first local club. . . Officers for the local club were elected and William Scroggs was selected as president. With the local organization complete, a corporation was formed which petitioned the Oklahoma Corporation Commission for a charter. The charter was granted November 27, 1919, and "Kappa Kappa Psi, Honorary Fraternity for College Bandsmen" was established on the Oklahoma State University campus, with the local group being known as the "Alpha Chapter". No person is so important to any organization as its constant companion, inspiration, and source of support. Such a man was Bohumil Makovsky, Director of Bands and head of the Music Department at Oklahoma A&M College (Oklahoma State University) from 1915 until 1945. Affectionately referred to by all who knew him as "Boh," Makovsky provided the strength and encouragement needed by William Scroggs and those nine other bandsmen which saw them successfully through the establishment of a national fraternal society. http://www .orgs.okstate.edu/kkp/introduction.htm The 1930 U.S. Census had the Scroggs living in a hotel in Dover, Bonner, Idaho where William listed his occupation as a traveling supervisor for the Bankers Life Company of Iowa. For one year, 1943, the directory listed Jos. T. Fitzgerald at 4002 Y2 Canterbury, and it can be surmised that the Scroggs rented out the maid's quarters at the back of the garage during that period. Leg The San Diego directory indicates their employment from 1944-1948 was the Elite Cleaners and Laundry at 3686 El Cajon Boulevard. Richard Amero's notes on the history of Balboa Park indicate that William Scroggs wrote to the San Diego Union that the Ford Building would be "perfect for conventions" on December 4, 1958. This was in the context of proposals to rehabilitate various buildings, including the Ford Building, for recreational, cultural, and assembly uses. Clearly, during the time that William and Eula Scroggs lived in the house, William's affiliation with Kappa Kappa Psi and the band remained an important part of his life. The William A. Scrogg's Founders Trophy is still awarded at Kappa Kappa Psi national conventions. The fraternity's website proudly commemorated his contributions to their development and history. 1953 - 54 - Vacant George W. and Mildred W. Young ( 1954- 1958) 1954. Agent, Travelers Insurance Co. Naming the House The City of San Diego, Historical Resources Board's, house-naming policy has been to apply the name of the first owners and master architects and/or builders. Since William F. and Leta B. Gemandt commissioned A.M. Southard to build the home they lived in for three years, Legacy 106 , Inc. recommends the City of San Diego, Historical Resources Board, name this house the "William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House." Conclusion Based on all the reasons stated above, Suresh and Tara Rangarajan respectfully request that their house be approved as a City of San Diego, Historic Landmark under Criterion "c" as an excellent example of 1926 Spanish Eclectic architecture in Kensington Manor Unit 2. If approved, they also request a Mills Act contract. Legacy 87 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Bibliography Books Baumann, D.D.S., Dr. Thomas H. 1997 Kensington - Talmadge, 191 0-1997. Kensington-Talmadge Community Association. San Diego: Ellipsys Lnternational Publications, Inc. Second Edition Black, Samuel F. 1913 San Diego County, California, A Record ofSettlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Volumes I and IT. Private printing: San Diego Brandes, Ray S. 1991 "San Diego Architects 1868-1939." University of San Diego 1981 San Diego An Illustrated History. Los Angeles: Knapp Communications Corporation, Inc. Brilliant, Ash leigh 1989, The Great Car Craze: How San Diego Collided with the Automobile in the 1920s. New York: Woodbridge Press. Burgess, Patricia 1994 Land Use Controls and Residential Patterns in Columbus, Ohio, 1900-1970. Ohio State University Press www.ohiostatepress.org/Books/Complete%20PDFs/Burgess%20Pianning/04.pdf California Office of Historic Preservation 1996 The California Register ofHistori c Resources: Regulations for Nomination ofHistoric Properties. State of California, The Resources Agency, Department of Parks and Recreation Ching, Francis D.K. 1995 A Visual Dictionary ofAr chitecture. New York: John Wiley & Sons Clay, Lancaster 1985 The American Bungalow 1880-1936. New York: Abbeville Press Duchscherer, Paul and Douglas Keister 1995 The Bungalow: America's Arts & Crafts Home. New York: Penguin Putnam, Inc. Eddy, Lucinda 1997 Frank Mead and Richard Requa: Toward a Simpler Way ofLif e: The Arts and Crafts ofCa lifornia. Ed Robert Winter. Berkeley: University of California Press Gebhard, David and Robert Winter 1984 Architecture ofLos Angeles, A Compeat Guide. Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith Books. Gordon-Van Tine Co. 1992 117 House Designs ofthe Twenties. Reprint of the original 1923 catalog by The Anthenaeum of Philadelphia and Dover Publications, Inc. New York Leg Kirker, Harold 1986 California's Architectural Frontier: Style and Tradition in The Nineteenth Century. Salt Lake City, Utah: Peregrine Books McAlester, Virginia and Lee McAlester 1990 A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred Knopf, Inc. McPhail, Elizabeth C. 1979 The Story ofNew San Diego and of its Founder Alonza E. Horton. San Diego Historical Society. National Park Service 1985 Historic American Building Survey Guidelines for Preparing Written and Historical Descriptive Data. Division ofNational Register Programs, Western Regional Office, San Francisco, California Pourade, Richard F. 1964 The History ofSan Diego: The Glory Years, Volume 4 San Diego: Union-Tribune Publishing Co. 1965 The History ofSan Diego: Gold in the Sun, Volume 5 San Diego: Union-Tribune Publishing Co. 1967 The History ofSan Diego: The Rising Tide, Volume 6 San Diego: Union-Tribune Pub! ishing Co. Starr, Kevin 1990 Material Dreams: Southern California through the 1920s. New York: Oxford University Press 1985 Inventing the Dream: California Through the Progressive Era, New York: Oxford University Press Starr, Raymond 1986 San Diego: A Pictorial History. Norfolk, Virginia: The Donning Company Stevenson, Katherine Cole and H. Ward Jandl 1986 Houses by Mail: A Guide to Houses from Sears, Roebuck and Company. Washington, D.C.: National Trust for Historic Preservation The Thomas Guide 2006 Thornton, Rosemary 2004 The Houses That Sears Built: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sears Catalog Homes. Alton, Illinois, Gentle Beam Publications Thornton, Rosemary and Dale Patrick Wolicki 2004 California's Kit Homes: A Reprint ofth e 1925 Pacific Ready-Cut Homes Catalog, Alton, Illinois, Gentle Beam Publications Winter, Robert and Alexander Vertikoff 1996 American Bungalow Style. New York: Simon & Schuster Legqcy 89 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Winter, Robert 1985 Architecture in Los Angeles: A Complete Guide. Salt Lake City, Utah: Peregrine Books Wright, Kai, (ed) 2001 The African-American Archive: The History ofthe Black Experience Through Documents. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers Manuscripts Cotton, Oscar 1963 "A History of San Diego Real Estate Subdivisions in 'The Good Old Days'." San Diego Historical Society. Culliname, AlA, John J. 1999 "National Preservation Institute, Practical Application of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties," April 19, 1999 May, Ronald V. and Dale Ballou May, Legacy 106, Inc. 2004 Historical Nomination of the Jack G. and Eugenia Robb- Americo Pete and Stephna Rotta House, 4958 Marlborough Drive, Kensington 2004 Historical Nomination of the Commander Wilbur V. and Martha E. Shown and Louise Severin House, 4394 North Talmadge Drive, Talmadge Park Unit 1 2003 Historical Nomination of the Walter M. and Loretta B. Casey House, 4830 Hart Drive, Talmadge Park Romero, Kathleen 2002 California Preservation Foundation, Mills Act Workshop, May 17-19,2001, Office of the Tax Assessor, County of San Diego. Sedlock, Robert 1958 "A History of Kensington," San Diego State University Historical Archives Periodicals Eddy, Lucinda 1995 "Visions of Paradise: The Selling of San Diego," Journal ofSan Diego History, 41 (Summer 1995) 3 McPeek, Jan and Naomi McPeek 2003 "Merchants, Tradesmen and Manufacturers Financial Condition for San Diego, California 1930: Information Obtained from the 1930 R.G.Dun Mercantile Agency Reference Book." Salem, Ohio, Aaron's Books San Diego Historical Society 1998 Guide to the Photograph Collections of the San Diego Historical Society: A Special Edition of the Journal ofSan Diego History, 44(Spring/Summer) 2&3 Secretary ofth e Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Preservation Projects (39 C.F.R. 67) Legqcy 90 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Thesis Hennessey, Gregg R. 1977 City Planning, Progressivism, and the Development of San Diego, 1908-1926. Master's Thesis, San Diego State University, Department of History Newspapers San Diego Union, San Diego Sun San Diego Historical Society, Archives Biographical Manuscript Files Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps City Directories, 191 0-1968 Photographic Archives Municipal, County, Government Archives, Records, and Publications County Recorder, Deed Books County Tax Assessor, Records "Ilistorical Greater Mid-City San Diego Preservation Strategy," Consultants: Architect Milford Wayne Donaldson, FAIA, Inc; IS Architecture; RNP/Roesling Nakamura Architects, Inc., prepared for the Planning Department, City of San Diego, July 15, 1996. "Instructions for Recording Historical Resources: Office of Historic Preservation, March 1995 "Mid-City Communities Plan, Final," City of San Diego, August 4, 1998 "Uptown Community Plan," City of San Diego, Adopted February 2, 1988 Water Department, Records Internet www.Ancestry.com www.cr.nps.gov/nr/publications/bulletins/suburbs/text2.htm U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, National Register Publications, National Register Bulletin, Historic Residential Suburbs. Guidelines for Evaluation and Documentation for the National Register of Historic Places. Legacy 91 106_ 1 ':f~;:)//.)~ N II~L I:SUILU/Nb ff~C.;UffU SHEET ___ OF __. -- ~HEETS !PARCEL __;t..:i .~ : ;;, ;.,...:::- ,;- ) • • SAN-.~Iv~~~ ·:CO~;ic;;~ ·RNIA 1 . . . 1 AOORESS " • - • -2 " --t_,k_t • - • .. en I DESCRIPTION OF BUILDING Q) CLASS 8 SH{lf>E CONSTRUCTION STRUCTURAL EXTERIOR ROOF LISHTINf AIR CONDITION ROOM AND FINISH DETAil. L/ qhl Frttmt Stucco tM l'lal ~,4 PHcit Wmng ~roli"9t ..."'1 Fl.OORS LOOR FINISH INTERIOR FINIS/ ::s ROOMS TRIM }) f.,,0 -7 4 .Sui>-Jtondord .. . I( Gobi• I A M K.T 1 c.~, omd ! P...'9 B I Z Mt~lfrlol Grod• Wc/13 C.thnq~ ARCHITECTURE }< Jlotodard s •eolhin9 Sidi"'l . Hop 8.X. . Ctblt HII#Oid. A ll ' A ! GroriiJ! )( IKD o,;t> A s \- c Abort·StondorJ Concrtlt 8/od Jh San Diego County Assessor's Residential Building Record - Side 2 0 I ' ' ' -J , .. .!.. ~- H-t--t-+-:H-+-t--11 ~ . ~ .)t G: ~ H-+-1---+-H-t-t---tl ~ 0 I)- i: I) ~ ~..':: ' ~ H ....!=f--1--t'<::H-t-t--il ~ ~ 0 ~ 0 ::! H~-1---+-H-t-t--i l ... j I) i 1=+-*~d--- 1-- - -~ ./)- Legacy 93 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Water Record OPERATING DEPARTMENT. CITY OF.:.SAN .DIEGO ==,.------:-==-=--=-· =~- .,-- -=::::::' -- ·-==-=·------:rr ~P.LIG:&.TION -ABD ORDER FOR WATER SERVICE -·--r· • .._ ~~ :-· H•t l ~ · ,••1...1 •1r ...... 1 I ..... , .... Ar-•. .., ..,...... -. . . • . 1 I i , ._ - - $"/~ ~ --:-: ·"" ' :. ·fr ...: ·.r; · -~ 7-r ------· LocatiOn 'L~~~'.!.-~.:.... __, ..!....._Q_L_St. between ------···------St. ' ' . ?(M ..,V and ______St. Lot_ _::_;:__ -~ , Blk. /·_::_·~ _ , ·..:./'~L. ~.:::·,r ~.J" ______~ Add. ' · The undersigned hereby applies to the City of San Diego, for water service and meter at tlie above location. And in consideration of the installation· of· such service and meter, agrees to pay all charges incurred upon such location for such water service and to a-bide by all· rules, regulations and provisions prescribed by said city, by ordinance or otherwise, relating to water service, regulation or rates. · It is understood by and between the undersi~ed, who represents himself to be the owner of the aforesaid property, and The City of San D1ego; acting through its Operating Department, · that said City shaU·not, nor shall any of its officers; employees--or 'agents, be obliged or required to maintain, repair, extend, install or re-install any of the water mains or other equipment, excepting said meter, comprising the water system in Kensington Manor, San Diego County, California, or any extensions thereof. · · It is further understood that the City of San Diego does not adopt, take over, or become the owner of any part of the said present distributing system in said territory, and that the installa tion·of such meters or the granting of water service·underthis·agreement shall not obligate the City of San Diego to furnish water to the consumers of said territory through the present _ distribu~n_g_s_:~em. -.~o.·w. · situ~~- ~herein for a period~ t}f~ lon~er~ to J~uary 1, 1930. . . p C'9t.i;. ~ ....{~ Date ·-·· ~~- f-;f, - ~=·~~ ~:~ - ~ !.:::·~===~:=~~~~=-··= GENERAL FOREMAN : Ple~~ · ;;;~r~·--- -~--?.--/-+~"-~· ·_· .~ -e~~~ andJ _. :. --- -F- .. meter at above location · ·r !: • If ~..I ·..: ' REMARKS: ------ Completed 7-.!JI-~1 This water record taken out by Charles Lessick on July 16, 1929 is the only available water record for the Gemandt House. No records from 1926 have been found under 5002 Canterbury or any of the original addresses. 94 Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Current Deed 9080 DOC# 2005-1 034667 RECORDING REQIJESTEO BY: 111111m IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIR 1111 ANII WHEN RECORDED MAIL TO: DEC 01 , 2005 9:40 AM OFFICW. RECORDS RA-06A-,e.fo~.V SAN DIEG O COUNTY RECOROER"S OFFIC£ GREGO FlY J. SMIT H. COUNTY RECORDER FEES: 10.00 Cll~I~U.~ ])!?. oc. oc i.>IE"Oo, CA PAGES: 2 Cf'.J..i/l, ~0 IIUIIlDmlllmlllllmO~ DillBmlmlllllmllliO I 2\)05-1034667 SPACE ABOVE 1. QUITCLAIM DEED TliE UNDERSIGNED GRANTOR(a) DEClARE(a) DoaJmantar; Transfer Tax Is $0.00 Gift from Parent to ChRd It'com puted on fuD value of property conveyed, or, 0 computed on full value less value of Ilana or ancumbnlncea remaining at tlma of soJa FOR A VALUABLE CONSIDERATION, receipt of which Ia hemby ac1Cnow1edged, Surosh Rangarajan and Tar.o Rangarajan, Husband and Wife •nd Lynn Winter Gron, an Unmarried Woman, all as ]oint tan ants do{ea) hereby REMISE, RELEASE AND FOREVER QUITCLAIM to Suresh Rangara]an and Tara Raftgefen~ Husban~ndWife as )oint tenants RttRai'lre4tl.lf'<\ an the following real property In the Ctty of , Coun~SanDiego , State of California: . Si:tn e..~l See Extllbll "A" attaclled llareto and made a pert hereof. Dated; Octobar 27, 2005 ) SS. Lynn~~ro u ~ ~ piQO!lally known to me (or proved to '"" on lll8 basiS ot aatlsladory evidence) 1o be the ~whoso l18l!l8(et @ Bf'O"IIJbsglbod 11> the Wllhln lnalrUIIUint and ~edQBd to me thal~cu!ad theaame ln11lalfiilrlll!elf aulhortzed capaclty(laaj.and thai byliiQMelf slgnature{sl on lila Instrument the~~. or the enlily upon behaW of I i v.tllch the pe110n{er,aotlld, eJOiculad the Instrument. I. !I ! j (This area for official notarial seal) Will TAX STATEMENTS TO: ------ Legacy 95 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House San Diego County Assessor's Map 1861 Book 440 Page 33 11-50 - 1~ .. .l 'I' IAI\K' co;;; . OlJ). * GiJ ~- MAP 1861 - ~ENS!HGTI:fl MAMJR UNlT Nll. 2 Leg~cy 96 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Maps Kensington Manor Unit 2 Subdivision Map 1861 Sheet 1, Filed on September 25, 1925 Leg Kensington Manor Unit 2 Subdivision Map 1861 Sheet 2 I I KENSINGTON MANOR I ;'::.,'2-::-:..::.,.-,. .. -' 1 ~ - I I ' , ...... t I UHIT. tioZ 1-1- I 1.5 I t;::. I //I l .:J : ~ l trE: sua I :s<~U;~ 1 --i ',_ -L __ i_o_- _ J lS I r-- ... - -, ,. --.. • I 1 ~ I I qi~J I _ J ...J __ '- '.:. _I __! __ L J4~'1 1f, DIY A\llf. )'"•. ~ ~. I Leg Kensington Manor A Highly Restricted, Completely lmproved Residential Park .·"V ;,.I ...1... j J EI'1'3!80N -, -- --"":r----· r- -- - i r----, ' .' ' : : ~ : ''Prosperity is Largely a Mental Attitude" Kensington Manor subdivision map, portrayed on page 21 of Baumann book. Lot 30 is highlighted. Le~a cy 99 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House Area Subdivision Map SASE MAP DRAWN 3/17/76 DO 218-1725 ~-=-. ~~(·- ---,-... -- Star indicates location of the Gemandt House on Lot 30 in Block 16 in Kensington Manor Unit 2. Legacy 100 106_ Historical Nomination of the William F. and Leta B. Gernandt House USGS Map Name: LA MESA Location: 11 489713 E. 3625532 N Elevation: 373 feet Date: 6/30/2006 Caption: 5002 Canterbury Drive Scale: 1 inch equals 2000 feet Leg¥y 101 106_