www.pastheritage.org Open in urlscan Pro
209.237.23.41  Public Scan

URL: https://www.pastheritage.org/
Submission: On October 15 via api from CA — Scanned from CA

Form analysis 0 forms found in the DOM

Text Content

  Palo Alto Stanford Heritage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOME Architects & Builders  Holiday House Tour Newsletters Walking Tours
About PAST Centennial Houses Inventory Preservation Awards Contact PAST Advocacy
History and Architecture Articles   Master Index to Houses Resources   Join /
Donate

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's October — a great time for a walking tour! Join us on morning walks along
Homer Avenue, through Professorville, and exploring Lower College Terrace!
See the schedule here!

Next year PAST will be honoring homes built in 1924.

If you think your home was built in 1924 please contact us so we can complete
the necessary research. As more and more homes were built since the early
1920's, we are faced with an expanding pool of homes every year. Identifying
centennial homes becomes more complicated as it was not unusual to move houses
from one location to another. This was easily done before the post–WWII housing
boom of tract housing featuring slab foundations.





The Spring 2024 PAST News in available here.




28th Centennial Plaque & Historic Preservation Awards were presented, on Sunday,
May 5.
Palo Alto Stanford Heritage (PAST), in cooperation with the Palo Alto Historical
Association (PAHA), held its 28th announcement of centennial homes* to owners of
circa 1923 buildings. In 1994, the City of Palo Alto honored owners of buildings
built in or before 1894 at an outdoor morning event at the Squire House, 900
University Avenue. In 1996, PAST decided to carry on the tradition by
recognizing buildings built in 1895 and 1896. In 1998, we presented the first
preservation awards to recognize preservation projects that renovate,
rehabilitate, or restore local historic buildings.
A popular feature of our annual program is devoted to significant parts of Palo
Alto’s architectural history. This year Steven Eichler, grandson of developer
Joseph Eichler, spoke about Eichler homes and the 70th Anniversary of
Greenmeadow in south Palo Alto. Designed by the firm of A. Quincy Jones and
Frederick Emmons, the 243–house tract featured a central recreation area with a
park and swimming pool. The street design allowed for many cul–de–sacs to
provide privacy and a family–friendly atmosphere.
This year's Preservation Award honored the recent work done at Palo Alto High
School. Additionally, Amy French and Michael Makinen received Lifetime
Achievement Awards for their contributions to preserving the history of Palo
Alto.
PAST's mission is to promote the importance of preserving the historic
architecture, neighborhoods, and character of greater Palo Alto and Stanford
areas. This event is celebrated every May during the National Trust for Historic
Preservation's Preservation Month. The theme for 2024 is "People Saving Places."

The presentation is now available for viewing on Vimeo: 28th Preservation Month
Celebration

* If you think your house was built in 1923 and you would like a centennial
plaque, please let us know! and we will order one for you. Act fast, because the
order deadline for plaques is May 30. The cost is $145 each. PAST will deliver
and install the plaque for you.



Watch Bo Crane's public service announcement video about PAST that he made at
MidPen Media!

Find past PAST Newsletters here!



Please consider becoming a member of PAST or making a donation. Here's a FORM
you can complete and send us with a check! Thanks so much!




The Master Index to Houses continues to grow! Mid–Century Modern has arrived!
 
   



27th Centennial Houses / Historic Preservation Program

PAST and the Palo Alto Historic Association celebrated Birge Clark on the 100th
anniversary of the founding of his architectural practice on May 7, 2023.

Our featured speaker was Architect Daniel Garber, FAIA, partner at Fergus Garber
Architects. Dan's topic was Birge Clark ; The Early Years, His Time and
Influences; 1922 to 1933.

Birge Clark's long career was almost solely conducted in Palo Alto. It was
varied enough to include single and multiple family residences, commercial
structures, and prominent institutional buildings.
This program is part of PAST Heritage's mission to promote the importance of
preserving the historic architecture, neighborhoods, and character of the
greater Palo Alto and Stanford areas.

Preservation awards were presented to the Graduate Palo Alto Hotel and the Birge
Clark designed home at 242 Coleridge Avenue.

Have you seen our latest book? Birge Clark Selected Projects, celebrates the
100th anniversary of the opening of local architect Birge Clark's first office
in 1922. Our fall walking tour schedule focused on his architecture and we were
pleased to offer four walks that highlighted some of his most memorable
projects. Books can be purchased for $20 at the Palo Alto Historical Association
Archive in Room K7 at the Cubberley Community Center at 4000 Middlefield Road on
Tuesdays between 4 and 8 p.m. and on Thursdays between 1 and 5 p.m. Books can
also be purchased at Bells Book Store, 536 Emerson Avenue in Palo Alto. 

26th Centennial Houses / Historic Preservation Program 2022

Here is the link to the video of our webinar featuring 1921 centennial houses,
and a presentation on Preserving the Roth Building. Speakers were Rich Green,
Palo Alto Museum President, and Michael Garavaglia of Garavaglia Architecture.
The October 2 in-person program of the Palo Alto Historical Association tied in
nicely with its presentation of the History of the Palo Alto Medical Clinic
which was established at the Birge Clark designed Roth Building.



Attention researchers! The History Desk and Archives manned by historians Steve
Staiger and Darla Secor is located in room K–7 at Cubberley, 4000 Middlefield
Road. Either Steve or Darla is available on Tuesdays from 4 to 8 p.m. and
Thursdays from 1 to 5 p.m. Most of the old photos used by PAST are from the Palo
Alto Historical Association's archives. If you ave an old photo you would like
to share, please contact us at webmaster@pastheritage.org

Looking for something? Explore these links:

 * Architects & Builders
 * Architectural Styles
 * Centennial Houses
 * Juana Briones
 * Demolitions
 * Heritage TV
 * Mayfield
 * Newsletters
 * Then and Now
 * Find It Fast
 * More Links

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Architectural Styles

Palo Alto homes and commercial buildings feature a rich variety of architectural
styles.

This Medieval Revival house at 1566 Cowper Street was designed by Pedro de
Lemos.

Discover more Palo Alto styles and see more sketches.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Links to videos from the Palo Alto Historical Association's Exploring the
Archives . . . National Register Properties in Palo Alto . . . Places to Visit .
. . and more are on our Resources page.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


WAS YOUR HOUSE BUILT IN 1923 OR EARLIER?

There was a building boom in 1923! Maybe your house was one of them.
Construction dates are difficult to determine. In December, The Palo Alto Times
used to publish a list of building permits issued that year, but the actual
construction date might have actually been in next year. Another situation is
that perhaps a house was built on spec, and was not occupied for still another
year. Therefore, our centennial plaques say "circa". So, if your house is circa
1923 oe earlier, let us know so we can explore it's origin! Next year, we will
honor houses built in 1924, so if that sounds like your house, please tell us
now!
Circa 1920:  

Circa 1919:  



 

Did you know that buildings on the Historic Inventory are selected because of
their importance in one of the following areas: 
Architecture, Arts & Leisure, Economic/Industrial, Exploration/Settlement,
Government, Military, Religion, or Social/Education?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


MAYFIELD

A sampling of homes from Evergreen Park, (otherwise know as the California
Avenue area.)

2053 Park Boulevard

2065 Park Boulevard
2110 Park Boulevard

423 Oxford Avenue

390 Oxford Avenue

304 Oxford Avenue

Have you checked these links?
Read about architectural styles found in Palo Alto and where examples can be
found.

A newly discovered listing of important local people from the Palo Alto
Historical Association's files which also provides an outline of Palo Alto's
early history and links to many historic photographs!

Margaret Feuer's articles that first appeared in the Palo Alto Daily News.

Residents of the Los Arboles Eichler neighborhood gathered together to restore
their sign and the clean up the overgrowth at Middlefield and Ames Avenue. See
how the work progressed!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Then and Now... the windows on the tower are the clue to the identity of this
1895 house at 446 Forest Avenue.



Sunday, April 28, 2019 was when the contents of the first time capsule from 1994
were displayed. The capsule was stored in an unused elevator shaft in the City
Hall Basement along with 3 more capsules scheduled for opening on the 150th,
175th, and 200th anniversaries of Palo Alto's founding. Viewers were asked to
suggest what might be put into the emplied capsule before it is re-sealed for
opening 75 years from now on the 200th anniversary!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Demolitions. . . Always a concern. . . .

Homes by prominent Palo Alto architects are being demolished, but remember, "the
greenest house is almost always the one already built". (Spring 2012,
Preservation Magazine)


HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MAN?  


He was locked in the University Arts store on Hamilton Avenue.
Is he still there now that the restored building is open again?

 

NO...he escaped!

(Photo taken May 8, 2016 before renovation.)

Take a look... at the master index of houses on this Website! There are links to
houses all over town. If you have a photo of your house to add, please contact
us! It could be an older photo, a more recent one, or even better, historic!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Continuing local tid-bits not to be missed!  Even though the Palo Alto Daily
News is no longer publishing history articles in the Friday real estate section,
you can find most of them right here!

 

Palo Alto Remembered: Stories from a City's Past published by the Palo Alto
Historical Association. Find out more...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Palo Alto native and Stanford graduate Bo Crane's newest book, Ticket to Rock,
is available now! The book chronicles many remarkable musicians who either had
their start or performed in our community during the 60s and 70s. The focus is
on their homes and neighborhoods and the backdrop to a counter culture than
began musically right here!

Bo's other books of local interest include Birge Clark: Selected Projects, Palo
Alto Glory, The Life and Times of Dennis Martin and The Streets of Menlo Park.

Books are available at Bells Books, 536 Emerson Street, Palo Alto.

Do you recognize anything in these photos? Do you know where they were taken?


University Avenue, 1941
Nortree Hall, not rebuilt after 1906 earthquake
318 Middlefield
Byxbee Real Estate Office
Dr. Russell Lee and Birge Clark
Stanford cottage. Do you know who lived here?
Board of Directors of the Bank of Palo Alto




Do you have an old photo to share?
Please contact us!


   



Find it fast

Architects and builders who worked in Palo Alto into the 1960's.
Preservation Awards by Year
Birge Clark
Early Palo Altans
Photos of houses by address
Daily News Articles
Demolitions
Edgewood Plaza
Greenmeadow
Hangar One
History Links
Charles Hodges
Juana Briones
Los Arboles
National Register Properties at Stanford and Palo Alto
Membership Blank JOIN NOW!




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More easy links:

 * Photos of Mayfield School, including class pictures from the 1930s
 * Links to short videos on the Cardinal Hotel and the Roth Building on the
   Resources page
 * Details about all past Holiday House Tours.
 * PAST board list
 * Photos of the future History Museum building on Homer Avenue. See pictures of
   the future home of the Palo Alto History Museum on our Advocacy page and read
   about progress towards converting the Roth Building to the Palo Alto History
   Museum!
 * The Inventory page comments now identifies homes and properties that have won
   Preservation Awards and/or have been on a Holiday House Tour. This
   information is also found in the Master Index of Houses.
 * The latest Preservation award winners are on the Preservation Awards page as
   are pictures of winners from 2007 to 2017.
 * Hangar One: It's saved, but you can read about it at the Save Hangar One
   website.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not that far from home. . .

Nevada City residents are struggling with the realities of maintaining two art
deco treasures. Read the National Trust for Historic Preservation's story about
this historic Gold Rush town.

 * Architects & Builders
 * Architectural Styles
 * Centennial Houses
 * Demolitions
 * Find It Fast
 * Juana Briones
 * Mayfield
 * Then and Now
 * More Links

Top

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



E-mail us at either webmaster@pastheritage.org or president@pastheritage.org.

Palo Alto Stanford Heritage—Dedicated to the preservation of Palo Alto's
historic buildings.

Copyright © 2015 / 2024 Palo Alto Stanford Heritage. All rights reserved.

Last updated on 10/14/2024 08:37:01