Who Built the San Gabriel Valley?

Who designed the houses in the San Gabriel Valley?

Mostly local architects. Every one of the 1,069 houses on these pages names its architect, 474 architects in all, and once the nationally known names are set aside, the names that come up most are local: Guy S. Bliss (architect, 20, 19 attributed), Charles W. Buchanan (architect, 17), Harold J. Bissner (architect, 14), Austin & Grable (architect and builder, 13, design attributed on 8) and Henry C. Deming (architect, 11, 10 attributed). Guy S. Bliss is credited, mostly by attribution, with 20 houses on North Michigan and North Chester Avenues in Bungalow Heaven, and Austin & Grable with houses along the Lower Arroyo, as architect and builder.

The nationally known names are here too, and the library's own architects have their own pages there. Together they are credited on 311 of the 1,069 houses here. The rest belong to the valley's lesser-known architects, and this record is built to tie each of them to as many of the valley's houses as the documents allow.

Why is my house not on these pages?

Usually because no document behind this record names its architect yet. A house is shown here only when one does, stated outright or attributed; a house the documents reach without an architect stays in the research record, off these pages, whatever else is known about it. That is common: many surviving building notices name the contractor or the owner but no architect. The building notices of 1917 to 1930 add 243 houses that no other document records, and each of them names its architect. A notice without an architect tells you only that the notice did not print one, not that no one drew the house.

Some architects' names come from plan companies and drafting firms: this record shows houses drawn by the Architectural Designing Co. and a Pasadena bungalow court drawn by the Angelus Drafting Co. If you know who drew your house, the document that says so is what puts it on these pages.

What does attributed mean on a house record?

It means the document that names the architect hedges, calling the credit attributed, likely or probable rather than stating it outright. This record marks a credit attributed when the documents behind it hedge it, and shows it without the mark when another document states it outright. Each house row also links to the documents behind it and is tagged by the kind of document: a National Register record, a landmark record, a survey or a planning document, a preservation group's list or tour, which is a secondary source, or a building notice, with its year. 81 of the architect credits on these pages are marked attributed.

A house that looks like an architect's work is not proof that he designed it. I keep that line clear on these pages.

Is a house historic if its architect is not famous?

Yes, and the valley's historic districts show it. Bungalow Heaven, Orange Heights in Pasadena and Lincoln Park in Pomona were recognized for whole neighborhoods of houses, not for one famous name. A survey rates a house on its age, its history and design, and how much of it is original, and many surveys cite a house's architect, well known or little known, as part of why it counts.

Who sells houses with a documented architect in the San Gabriel Valley?

I do. I'm Greg Anderson, and Arroyo Casa is my practice for the valley's architectural and character homes. When I list one of these houses, the credit goes into the listing in the words the record supports, attributed when it says attributed. If you want to know what the record says about your house, ask me or call (310) 402-8430.