Charles M. and Elizabeth Henderson House 4554 Norma Drive Historical Resource Research Report
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Charles M. and Elizabeth Henderson House 4554 Norma Drive Historical Resource Research Report February 2017 5649 La Jolla Boulevard La Jolla, CA 92037 (858) 456-8555 State of California The Resources Agency Primary # DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI # PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial NRHP Status Code 5S1 Other Listings Review Code Reviewer Date Page 1 of 53 *Resource Name: Charles M. and Elizabeth Henderson House P1. Other Identifier: *P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.) *b. USGS 7.5' Quad: La Mesa Date: 1994 T R ¼ of ¼ of Sec; M.D. B.M. c. Address: 4554 Norma Drive City: San Diego Zip: 92115 d. UTM: Zone: 11 ; 491116.1 mE/ 3624733.8 mN (G.P.S.) e. Other Locational Data: (e.g., parcel #, directions to resource, elevation, etc., as appropriate) APN: 465-480-01-00 ; Legal Description: Lot 599 of Talmadge Park Unit No. 3, in the City of San Diego, County of San Diego, State of California, according to map thereof No. 1900, filed in the office of the County Recorder of San Diego County, March 23, 1926. *P3a. Description: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, setting, and boundaries) The Charles M. and Elizabeth Henderson House is a two-story residence located at 4554 Norma Drive in the Talmadge Park neighborhood of San Diego. The house is stuccoed and roofed with metal imitation-wood shingles. The house was constructed in 1936 in the Tudor Revival style (continued on page 3). *P3b. Resource Attributes: HP2 – Single Family Property *P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.) P5a. Photo or Drawing (Photo required for buildings, structures, and objects.) P5b. Description of Photo: Main (east) elevation *P6. Date Constructed/Age and Sources: Historic Prehistoric Both 1936 *P7. Owner and Address: Michael and Robin Taylor 4554 Norma Drive San Diego, CA 92115 *P8. Recorded by: (Name, affiliation, and address) Rebecca McManus, MHP IS Architecture 5649 La Jolla Boulevard La Jolla, California 92037 *P9. Date Recorded: Aug. 2016 *P10. Survey Type: (Describe) Site visit; City of San Diego Historic Resource Nomination Report *P11. Report Citation: IS Architecture Historic Resources Nomination Report *Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List): Attachments A-F – Works Cited DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information State of California The Resources Agency Primary # DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI# BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD *Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder) *NRHP Status Code Page 2 of _53 . B1. Historic Name: N/A B2. Common Name: N/A B3. Original Use: Single Family Residence B4. Present Use: Single Family Residence *B5. Architectural Style: Tudor Revival *B6. Construction History: (Construction date, alterations, and date of alterations) The chain of title for the Charles M. and Elizabeth Henderson House indicates that the Union Trust Company of San Diego purchased a portion of Lot 23 of the Ranch Ex Mission in 1929. The subdivision was sold to Talmadge Park developer Guy C. Lichty in the late 1926. Lichty sold Lot 599 of the subdivision to the Henderson family in December of 1935 (continued page 4). *B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location: *B8. Related Features: None B9a. Architect: Unknown b. Builder: Unknown *B10. Significance: Theme: Residential Architecture Area: Talmadge Park Period of Significance: 1936 Property Type: Single Family Residence Applicable Criteria: C (Discuss importance in terms of historical or architectural context as defined by theme, period, and geographic scope. Also address integrity.) The historic residential neighborhood of Talmadge Park was established in 1925 and named after movie star sisters Norma, Natalie, and Constance Talmadge. Norma Talmadge’s husband, Joseph M. Schenck, was a major stockholder in the realty firm associated with the project.1 The neighborhood was constructed in three stages in the 1920s and early 1930s. Newspaper articles from the San Diego Union indicate that construction on the first unit of 25 homes was begun in 1923 but that work was not complete until 1925, when a dedication ceremony was held and the first spec homes were available for purchase.2 A second unit of homes followed closely behind the first, and a third was begun in 1926. Talmadge Park was intended to be a quality, designed community with “high-type homes” priced upwards of $150,000 (roughly equivalent to $2 million in today’s currency).3 Advertisements promised wide paved streets (continued page 4). (Sketch Map with north arrow required.) B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes) N/A *B12. References: See endnotes, attached. B13. Remarks: N/A *B14. Evaluator: Rebecca McManus, MHP (IS Architecture) *Date of Evaluation: Aug. 2016 (This space reserved for official comments.) DPR 523 (1/95) *Required information State of California Natural Resources Agency Primary# DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI # Trinomial CONTINUATION SHEET Property Name: __ Page __3__ of __53___ P3a. Description: Continued It is unclear if the stucco is original but the use and finish of the stucco is appropriate for a half-timbered Tudor house of the period. Generally speaking, the windows on the second story are framed with decorative half-timbering and the windows on the first story just have simple stuccoed returns with a wooden sill. EAST ELEVATION The main (east) elevation of the house faces Norma Drive. McAlester identifies the Front Facing Gable with Wing plan as a principle subtype of Tudor Revival houses; this elevation displays the elements of that subtype. A hipped roof with long eaves at the north and south ends dominates the façade and covers the main wing of the house. A front-facing gable is located at the south extent of the elevation. The gable connects to the entry porch, which is roughly centered on the façade. At the north extent of the elevation is a first-story, attached garage included within the main wing of the house. The front facing gable at the southern extent of the main elevation features simple wooden vergeboards; the vergeboards flare slightly at the end of the eaves, creating the illusion of a curve in the roof. There is an arched attic vent in the gable end and a Tudor-arched wood window centered on the first story wall. The gable protrudes from the face of the main wing by approximately two feet. The entry porch is roughly centered on the main elevation and sits at the same plane as the front facing gable. A Tudor arch leads into an entry alcove that contains a wood-paneled front door. The floor of the entry porch is paved with brick; an arched, brick step leads up to the porch and a second arched, brick step allows access to the front door. The entry alcove is flanked by small, vertically-oriented, rectangular, wood casement windows and metal light fixtures. The second story of the house’s main block overhangs the first. Decorative half-timbering surrounds the two sets of paired, wood casement windows of the main wing. These windows feature decorative flowerboxes that are integrated into the half-timbering. Three single casement windows are located in the second story over the attached garage; the plane of this wall is recessed from the rest of the wing and the overhang is located slightly lower. These windows are also surrounded by decorative half-timbering. The rightmost of these three windows has a shallower sill than the other two and is not set as deeply into the wall. The half-timbering pattern is also irregular around this window. However, the design of this window is consistent with single casement windows on the rear of the house and is therefore not likely an alteration. If this window is an alteration, the subtle differences are sufficient to distinguish it from the windows to its left. To the north of the entry porch is a grouping of three tall, narrow, wood casement windows with fixed transoms. The first story of the garage block features two wooden garage doors. These garage doors feature 6-lite windows and decorative paneling and are original to the house. SOUTH ELEVATION The south elevation is dominated by the sloping hip of the roof, which extends down into the first story. There are three tall, narrow casement windows in this wall. These windows are modern replacements (date unknown) but are the same casement type as the originals they replaced and feature the same mullion arrangement. These windows are not visible from the public right of way. WEST ELEVATION The rear (west) elevation faces a gorge and looks down on Aldine Drive. It features the west side of the house’s main block as well as a rear tower wing and concrete patio with fireplace. DPR 523 (1/95) *Required information State of California Natural Resources Agency Primary# DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI # Trinomial CONTINUATION SHEET Property Name: _Charles M. and Elizabeth Henderson House_ Page __4__ of _53__ The two-story, square wing is roughly centered on the rear façade. It has a hipped, roof and overhanging eaves are supported by carved rafter tails. The second story walls overhang the first story walls and feature simple, decorative half- timbering. The west wall features a pair of original, wood casement windows with six lites each. The south side of the wing features a pair of original, wood casement windows in the second story and a door in the first story. The north side of the wing features a shed roof over a first story storage area; this roof is clad in the same metal imitation shingle as the rest of the house.