by John Neiuber

One cannot travel far within Claremont without encountering historic buildings or places. From the Packing House and the Verbal Building in the Village, to Little Bridges and the Scripps campus at the Claremont Colleges, we encounter iconic buildings and settings at every turn.

Some are associated with events that made a significant contribution to our history; others are associated with the lives of significant people in our past. Some embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction, represent the work of a master architect, or are of artistic value. And still others may yet yield information important about our history.

The Padua Hills Theatre was designed by noted Pasadena architects Marston and Maybury. Photo/courtesy of Claremont Heritage

There are eight Claremont properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. That is more properties per capita than any surrounding city: approximately one for every 4,500 residents. Ontario, with a population of 187,000, has five properties on the register, one for every 37,500 citizens. Pomona has 12, one for every 12,750. Upland has four properties on the register, one for every 20,000 people. La Verne has two properties, one for every 15,000. Montclair has none.

The per capita information is shared to point out that Claremont has a commitment to preservation and celebrates its cultural heritage and resources. It also signifies something else: the unique combination of factors that contributed to the built environment of the city, including commerce, academia, and its citizens.

The eight Claremont properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places are highlighted for a variety of reasons and many times meet more than one criterion for listing. Soon there will be nine with the nomination of the Garner House by Claremont Heritage.

Claremont’s eight properties are:

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Station

Built in 1927, it was placed on the register in 1982. This Spanish Colonial Revival building known as “the Depot” is now home to the Claremont Lewis Museum of Art.

The Drucker House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because it is associated with the late author and father of modern management, Peter Drucker. Photo/courtesy of Claremont Heritage

Padua Hills Theatre

Designed by renowned architects Marston and Maybury and built in 1930, it achieved National Register designation in 1998.

Peter Drucker House

Built in 1963, this simple ranch house listed in 2017 was the home of the late author and father of modern management, Peter Drucker.

Pitzer House

Located at Towne Avenue and Base Line Road, it was built in 1912, and listed in 1986. Noted architectural historian Robert Winter called it the finest stone house in all of Southern California.

Ten buildings on the Scripps College campus designed by renowned architect Gordon Kaufman are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Photo/courtesy of Claremont Heritage

Russian Village District

Begun in 1923 and located on south Mills Avenue, the Russian Village consists of 15 “folk architecture” homes that achieved National Register status in 1978.

Scripps College Historic District

Built between 1926 and 1939, the 10 major academic and residential structures, designed by Gordon Kaufmann, were added to the list in 1984.

Intercultural Housing District

Built beginning in 1947, and added to the register in 2015, the cultural and historic significance of the district is derived from its role in Latino civil rights and anti-segregation movements in Claremont.

The Intercultural Council Housing District, built in the international style, is important for its role in Latino civil rights and the integration movement in Claremont. Photo/courtesy of Claremont Heritage

Helen Goodwin Renwick House

Constructed in 1900 and placed on the National Register in 2016, the home is significant because of the contributions of Helen Renwick to the greater community. Renwick donated the land for the library, post office, and most of what is now city hall.

What is eye-opening about the National Register list for Claremont is that it does not include some of the most iconic buildings and districts in the city: Sumner House? No. Bridges Auditorium? No. Little Bridges? No. College Avenue? No. Garrison Theater, Millard Sheets Studio, Pomona First Federal Bank (US Bank), Huntley Bookstore, Verbal Building, Packing House, and the U.S. Post Office? All no.

Why preserve buildings, places and neighborhoods? These places connect us to our past. They are part of our collective history, our experiences, and memories. They appeal to us, speak to us, if you will. They give us a visual record of the different and varied styles built over time and endow our neighborhoods and districts with variety, beauty, texture, and detail that make them unique.

Preservation is environmentally responsible. As is often stated, the greenest building is the one that is already built. The embodied energy in historic buildings cannot be replaced by new construction. It is lost and causes the use of even more natural resources to build new.

Preservation is also good for the local economy. Adaptive reuse creates more jobs and uses fewer materials. Tourists are attracted to preserved downtowns and neighborhoods, thereby benefiting residents by increasing the financial resources for businesses and the city.

The “folk architecture” houses on south Mills Avenue are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district. Photo/courtesy of Claremont Heritage

Preservation helps to showcase a common history and therefore, a common language that often transcends differing politics and thought. Preservation grounds us and provides context for our lives, and for our children, because it reminds us of where we have been and informs our future.