THE CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL RESOURCES COMMISSION has designated four sites in the Bay Area as cultural resources worthy of listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
Mill Valley City Hall and Fire Station, Chautauqua Hall in Pacific Grove, Claremont Country Club in Oakland and a cube-shaped home in Sea Ranch were judged to be eligible for recognition.
The register is the federal government’s list of buildings, structures, objects, sites, and districts deemed worthy of preservation and recognition for historical significance. The designation came from the California Historical Resources Commission at its quarterly meeting Friday.
The Mill Valley City Hall and Fire Station were built during the Great Depression in the Tudor Revival style, a type of architecture popular during the interwar period that draws from English Tudor-era and medieval buildings.
Although the interiors of the buildings have been renovated extensively, the exterior has remained largely untouched, according to State Historian Amy Crain.
“Mill Valley City Hall is an architectural gem in the heart of our downtown where civic, cultural and commercial life come together within a walkable and vibrant setting,” said Patrick Kelly, Mill Valley’s director of planning and building.
Oakland club recognized for long community role
The Claremont Country Club in Oakland sprawls across 120 acres in the Rockridge neighborhood. It consists of a golf course, three buildings, a clubhouse manager’s cottage, tennis courts, a reservoir, and several parking structures.
The first nine holes on the golf course opened in 1904, and the Tudor style clubhouse was built in 1929. The golf course was redesigned in 1927 by golf course architect Alister MacKenzie.
“Claremont is undeniably a significant place that has continuously served its community since the early 20th century,” said historic preservationist Nika Faulkner. “We hope that, as it continues to do that, that it will be formally honored through the National Register as one of Alistair McKenzie’s great works and one of the predominant historic recreational sites in the Bay Area.”
Chautauqua Hall is located in Pacific Grove in Monterey County. It was built in 1881 with materials from local Redwood trees. It has been used as a church, a social gathering space, a schoolhouse, and a gymnasium, according to Crain.
The hall has been minimally altered and “retains all aspects of historical integrity,” Crain said.
Chautauqua Hall is already listed as a California Historical Landmark.
Iconic Sea Ranch home joins list
The Commission also nominated “Mini-Mod #3,” a cube-shaped cabin surrounded by Redwood trees in Sea Ranch, an unincorporated community along the Pacific Coast in Sonoma County.
Built in 1967, Mini-Mod #3 was one of several homes constructed in the first years after Sea Ranch was established. Sea Ranch is a planned community that was created in the 1960s with the goal of prioritizing environmental sustainability and embracing the area’s natural scenery.
“Mini-Mod #3 was designed by the architectural firm of Joseph Esherick and Associates, which was among the first generation of designers hired by oceanic properties to develop the environmental design concepts of the Sea Ranch,” Crain said.
The 684-square-foot residence is covered in unpainted plywood panels and features a steeply sloped roof.
“The property embodies the principles that informed the early phase of planning and design of residences and other facilities at the Sea Ranch during the mid to late 1960s,” Crain said.
In addition to the Bay Area sites, nominations for the National Register recognized other historical structures located in Southern California and other parts of the state.
“I was once again, to put it in common terms, blown away by what we saw today,” said Commissioner Rene Vellanoweth. “I think every Californian should take a glance and see these properties that are out there.”The post Four Bay Area landmarks deemed eligible for listing on National Register of Historic Places appeared first on Local News Matters.