CalendarHistoric Home Tourand Activities Planned

by Barbara Lazarony

Volume 9, Issue 7 September 2009

The Heritage Society of Pacifi c Grove

Dedicated to Maintaining the Beauty and Individuality of Pacifi c GroveNEWSLETTER

Pacific Grove gears up to showcase a collection of its f inest historic homes

during the 40th Annual Historic Home Tour on Sunday, October 4. Tours will be ongoing between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., with docents at each site. Tickets are

$20 per person, available from the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce, 800-656-6650 or (831) 373-3304, or visit the web-site at www.pacificgrove.org

Back by popular demand will be the Heritage Society’s Walking Tour of businesses and

buildings that mean so much to Pacific Grove’s history. Come and remember what it was like on local streets in the past.

Chautauqua Hall will again host two popular, crowd-pleasing events, “Artists in Chautauqua” (see related story

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Historic PG Business Block

SEPTEMBERPLEIN AIR PAINTING EXHIBIT

“HISTORIC HOMES OFPACIFIC GROVE”

Pacifi c Grove Art CenterSeptember 4 – October 15

12th ANNUAL BUNGALOW FAIRSeattle, Washington

September 26-27

OCTOBERHERITAGE SOCIETY

HISTORIC HOME TOURPacifi c Grove

October 4

ARTISTS IN CHAUTAUQUAHERITAGE BIRDHOUSES

AUCTIONPacifi c Grove Chautauqua Hall

October 4

NATIONAL PRESERVATION CONFERENCE

Nashville, TennesseeOctober 13-17

PASADENA HERITAGE 18th

ANNUAL CRAFTSMAN WEEKENDPasadena

October 16-18

in this issue), and “Heritage Houses for the Birds” where birdhouses designed and built by members of the community will be on display or up for auction.

Don’t miss this wonderful day of celebrating our heritage!

Historic Building

Code – What’s

That?by Ken Hinshaw

Most California cities have a handful of his-toric buildings on their

inventories. Pacific Grove has an amazing 1,300+. There is a little-used alternative historic build-ing code that has been in effect since the 1970s and was devel-oped because the Universal Building Code discouraged preservation in many cases. This alternative Historic Code can be used for any building on a local inventory. Architects are advised to go to the Historic Code first, rather than just using it as a supplement.

The Historic Code, for instance, exempts historic homes from the stringent energy conservation requirements (although any new appliances must meet current standards). Other areas where reasonable exceptions can be allowed have to do with fire standards, building heights, stair railing and porch banister heights, room sizes, and egress requirements. Archaic materials not considered in modern construction, such as adobe and single wall construction, can be used when the Historic Code is applied to a project.

Structural regulations are also much more flexible under this alternative code, the intent being to encourage preservation while providing a reasonable level of safety. These exceptions relate to the

Plein Air Artists Paint

Historic Homesby Christine Crozier

To celebrate the 40th anni-versary of the Heritage Society’s Historic Homes

Tour, the Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters Association (MBPAPA) is exhibiting 40 plein-air paintings of Pacific Grove’s unique and beautiful architectural treasures at the Pacific Grove Art Center in September.

Local painters founded MBPAPA four years ago. The dedicated and talented artists felt the need for a professional level plein-air organization in

an area that had been renowned for outdoor painting since the late 1800s.

The unique charm and beauty of Pacific Grove’s historic homes have enchanted the members of MBPAPA. Many hours were spent scouting which homes to paint and deciding which time of day offered the best lighting conditions for each home. The subject matter and location were particularly suited to setting up easels on streets and sidewalks to capture the best views of the historic buildings in watercolors, acrylics, oils or pastels.

Many of the artists gained a new appreciation for Pacific Grove architecture, while others were able to see the town in a new way by focusing on unusual views and architectural details. Painters worked on their own or met for organized painting dates, with many artists

scattered around town, stopping work only to meet for lunch and compare notes.

Each of the 70 members of MBPAPA may submit three paintings to be considered for the exhibition. Renowned California artist Kathleen Dunphy will jury the images. She will choose only 40 paintings to be shown in the Elmarie Dyke Gallery of the Pacific Grove Art Center.

The paintings will be on exhibit from September 4 through October 15. For more information, contact Pacific Grove Art Center at 831-375-2208.

3 Crozier Porch

Volunteers Sought to Help

Plan Photo Contest

by Donna Stewart

It seems like yesterday we were at the Pacific Grove Natural History Museum enjoying the

presentation of awards to the high school-aged photographers who took part in the Heritage Society’s 2009 Photo Contest. Now, here we are in the planning stages for the 2010 contest.

The Heritage Society is asking for volunteers to work on the 2010 Photo Contest. If you are interested in helping with the contest, or any other activities, send information to info@pacificgrove.org or call 372-2898.

Your volunteering to help will be very much appreciated, and will really make a difference.

old parts of buildings, not to new additions.

Since a great deal of subjectivity is involved, architects are advised to meet with building officials to go over proposed details. Adverse building official decisions can be appealed to a state level board.

This information was gleaned from a July workshop given by the California Preservation Foundation featuring expert speakers from around the state.

Save the Sherwood

Houseby Ken Hinshaw

In July, Ken urged the Historic Resources Committee to protect the Sherwood House Iprotect the Sherwood House I

at 176 Sloat from being torn down.

You won’t find many displays about the 50s in Pacific Grove, but isn’t it important to understand what went on here then? Stories about the Sherwood House give us a compelling glimpse of that era. There was a brief moment after the suicide of William Sherwood when the world’s attention focused on PG. Thus, the house meets local criterion A: it has significant character, interest or value as part of the city heritage.

Criterion D asks whether it exemplifies a style. With leaning front and rear walls, triangular windows and truss structural system, the Sherwood House is the only local example of its style.

Regarding criterion I, integrity, the standard should

be the upper tier within our local context. I can’t think of any first rank buildings that have not had serious modifications. Gosby House, Point Pinos Lighthouse, Trimmer Hill have all changed remarkably. The best comparison to the Sherwood House on our inventory is the Robert Stanton House at 830 Jewell. Built in the mid-30s, it has a compelling story and an unusual design but, like other upper tier buildings, has changed over time and recently received an addition.

It is argued that the Sherwood House would be a purer design if it had been left unpainted, but how pure should we be? The lighthouse was an unpainted stone structure when new, and many painted shingle Craftsman homes we value so highly were originally unpainted. We would not take them off the protected list, would we?

The setting of most concern locally is the streetscape, and it is true that development on Ocean View Boulevard has changed that. But we can’t eliminate buildings from the inventory just because neighboring structures were built. Nor is the argument persuasive that the setting has been dealt a fatal blow because the landscaping has matured. What other top tier building is held to such a high standard?

Despite changes over time, the Sherwood House has local historic importance and should be protected.

The final auction for birdhouses is on Sunday, October 4 at Elmarie Dyke Park, next to Chautauqua Hall (same day as the annual Historic Home Tour and Artists in Chautauqua).

All opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily refl ect the

offi cial positions of the Board of Directors, but are meant to stimulate interest in and

discussion of preservation issues.discussion of preservation issues.discussion of preservation issues

Birdhouses

MembershipMembership Count:

1179

THE Heritage Society

of Pacific Grove

P.O. Box 1007Pacifi c Grove, CA 93950

Nonprofi t Org.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPermit No. 30Pacifi c Grove,

CA 93950

Newsletter StaffEditor

Jean ProckTypesettingA Volunteer

Contributing EditorsJeanie Anton

Christine CrozierKen Hinshaw

Donna Stewart

Send your submissions to: Jean Prock

The Heritage Society of Pacifi c GroveP.O. Box 1007

Pacifi c Grove, CA 93950www.pacifi cgroveheritage.org

info@pacifi cgroveheritage.org

Upcoming Events

Elsewhere12th Annual Bungalow

Fair – The premiere event Fair – The premiere event Fairof its kind in the Pacific Northwest, this fair features 50 exhibitors and vendors of Arts and Crafts design materials. Lectures include “Glasgow Style Decorative Arts Circa 1900.” September 26-27 at Town Hall in Seattle, Washington. Admission $10. For information, visit historicseattle.org/events/bungalow.aspx

Support theHeritage Society

Thank You!Paul Finnegan

Bill Whitney

already have

Artists in Chautauqua

by Jeanie Anton

“Artists in Chautauqua” will be held on Sunday, October 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Chautauqua Hall, located on the corner of Forest and Central. There is no admission fee. Approximately 20 local artists will be in the hall selling their work, including photography, glasswork, jewelry, textile art, watercolors, gourd work, pine needle baskets, and more.

Be sure to stop by and enjoy this event, which is presented annually in conjunction with the Historic Home Tour.