Historic Assessment Report
Date: April 7, 2023
For: Patrick Achis, Assistant Planner, Development Services Department, City of Costa Mesa Subject: 208 Magnolia Street, Costa Mesa
From: Audrey von Ahrens, Associate Architectural Historian , GPA Consulting
Introduction
The owner of 208 Magnolia Street (Assessor Parcel Number 425402 -02) is interested in applying for the Mills Act program and entering a Mills Act contract with t
he
City of Cost a Mesa (City). GPA Consulti ng (GPA), a
qualified historic preservation consultant
, was retained by the City to
assist with this process.
The Mills Act is a California state law
that was
enacted in 1972
, giving
participating local governments
the
authority to
enter
formal agreements , generally known as a Historical Property Contract,
with owners of
“qualified” historic properties
.
Under this contract agreement, the property owner agrees to protect, preserve, and maintain the property in accordance with specific historic preservation standards and other conditions
set
forth in the contract
in exchange for a property tax
reduction.
The California Government Code, Article 12,
Sections 50280
–
50290 and California Revenue and Taxation Code, Article 1.9, Sections 439 – 439.4 contain the relevant State regulations. A “qualified historical property” is one that is listed in the National Register of Historic Places or located in a registered district, or listed in any local official register (GOV, Article 12, Section 50280.1).
Figure 1: 208 Magnolia Street , view looking north . Source: GPA Consulting, February 202 3.
The property at 208 Magnolia Street is not currently listed on any federal, state, or local registers but was identified in the City of Costa Mesa Citywide Historic Resources Survey
prepared by PCR Services Corporation
in
1999 as eligible for local landmark designation. In order to be eligible for a Mills Act Historic Property Contract -1-
ATTACHMENT 3
Historic Assessment Report – 208 Magnolia Street , Costa Mesa, CA 2 as a “qualified historical property,” 208 Magnolia Street m ust be formally designated as a local landmark and placed on the City’s
Local Register of Historic Places ( Local Register). The purpose of this Historic Resource Assessment is to accompany the Mills Act Application Form and inform the City’s staff report to the Historic Preservation Committee, Planning Commission, and City Council for the proposed landmark designation of the property.
Audrey von Ahrens , Associate Architectural Hist orian, w as responsible for the preparation of this memo . She fulfills the qualifications of a historic preservation professional outlined in Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 61. Her résumé is included as Attachment A.
Methodology
In preparing this report, GPA performed the following tasks:
1. Reviewed existing information provided by the City, including the
1999 Department of Parks and
Recreation (DPR) form set, and building permit records
.
2. Conducted a
site
inspection of the property to ascertain the general condition and physical integrity of the property. Digital photographs were taken during this field inspection.
3. Conducted research into the history of the property. Sources referenced included building pe rmit records, city directories, newspaper archives, genealogical databases, and historic maps.
4. Reviewed the
1999
City-
Wide Historic Resources Survey
to identify the appropriate contexts for the
evaluation.
5. Reviewed and analyzed ordinances, statutes, regulations, bulletins, and technical materials relating to federal, state, and local historic preservation designations, and assessment processes and programs to evaluate the property for significance as a City of Costa Mesa
landmark.
Brief Description and History of the Property
Architectural Description
208 Magnolia Street is located on the north side of Magnolia Street between Orange and Westminster avenues in the city of Costa Mesa
. The property
comprises
a one-story single-family residence
facing Magnolia
Street
with a two
-
story rear addition and garage facing the rear alley.
The original one
-story portion of the residence is
L-shaped in plan and has a steeply sloping cross
-
gable roof with front gable projection on the southwest corner and has a combination of flush and enclosed, shallow eaves. The roof is clad in composition shingles and the exterior walls are clad in smooth stucco. The elevations are asymmetrically arranged and fenestration consists of a combination of multi -light and
single
-
light casement and double-hung sash
windows in various groupings
and sizes.
They are
mostly
dual-pane, wood windows. Within the gable peaks are attic vents, each with three circular openings
containing
red clay vent tubes
.
Rectangular foundation ven ts with wire mesh are unevenly spaced across the building base.
The primary (south) elevation is characterized by a slightly recessed main entrance porch located at the center of the elevation and sheltered by the overhanging eave of the roof
(see Figure 2). The main entrance is located
on the west wall within the porch and consists of a replacement wood Dutch door with multi-light upper leaf and single-panel lower leaf. At the center of the porch is a secondary entrance with narrow, partially glazed door and sidelights
. The door and sidelights each have
four divided lights
above a
single wood panel. Opposite the main
entrance door, on the
east
wall of t
he porch, is a single window opening with multi
-light wood casement. The
porch opening
is
articulated by a
full width
standing seam awning with decorative metal fascia
and two metal
spear supports
.
The brick porch is slightly elevated and accessed from the
east
end via brick
steps
and a walkway
leading from the street. A large, multi-light window with half
-
round, metal standing seam awning and decorative
fascia trim is centered beneath the projecting gable on
the
west end of the elevation. At the
east
end of the
elevation are two multi-light windows, each with similar half-round awnings. The primary elevation overlooks a manicured lawn enclosed by a low wood picket fence. Plant beds line the base of the elevation and a small area -2-
Historic Assessment Report – 208 Magnolia Street , Costa Mesa, CA 3 paved with scored concrete, remnants of a former driveway from Magnolia Street, is located within the east portion of the front yard.
The east elevation overlooks a side patio that is enclosed by a high wood fence and sheltered beneath a wood pergola that connects to the elevation (see Figure 3). A secondary entrance is on the south end of the elevation with a multi-light wood panel door sheltered by a rectangular, standing seam metal awning with decorative metal fascia and accessed by wood steps. Window openings are evenly spaced across the remainder of the elevation and include a high tripartite window with single -light casements, and a single -light wood sliding sash window.
The remainder of the elevation consists of the two
-
story addition, which projects from the main wall plane of the original residence.
The rear (north) elevation consists of the two
-
story addition on the east end and four window openings on the west end (see Figure 4). The two smaller window openings immediate ly adjacent the addition are non -original wood casement sash with leaded stained glass. The two larger window openings on the
west
have one-over-one
double-hung sash. The elevation overlooks a rear yard that is enclosed by fencing on north and west, and the two
-
story addition and garage on the east.
The west elevation has a shallow setback from the adjacent property and has no entrance openings (see Figure 5). Six windows are asymmetrically arranged a cross the elevation. Four single -light casement windows are on the south end of the elevation, organized into groups of two. Toward the
north
end is a smaller single
-
light
casement and a one-over-one double-hung sash window.
Figure 2. Primary ( south) elevation, view looking north.
Source: GPA, February 2023.
Figure 3: East elevation, view looking west. Source: GPA, February 2023.
Figure 4: North elevation, view looking south. Source: GPA, February 2023.
Figure 5: West elevation, view looking east. Source: GPA, February 2023.
Construction and Ownership History
The original building permit for the construction of the single -family residence could not be found in the City’s records
.
According to
the
Orange County Assessor ’s records, the single -family residence
was originally
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Historic Assessment Report – 208 Magnolia Street , Costa Mesa, CA 4 constructed in 1927 ;1 however, the property is not visible in historic aerials from August 1927,2 but may have been constructed after the photograph was taken. It is first depicted in a 1931 historic aerial photograph. 3 Therefore, the estimate date of construction is circa 1927-1931. The earliest known owners were
Maurice
and
Josephine Nash, owner of a live bait boat company , Prop Sunshine, who resided at the property from at least 1933 to 1934.4 In 1935, the property was owned by Everett T., an oil worker, and Florence M. Jones who resided there with tenants Ellard L. Jacka, a mechanic, and his wife
Eugenia M.5 In 1936, it was owned by retired U.S.
Army Master Sargent Joel W. Rowan and wife and Clara, who lived there with their son,
William S. Rowan
, and
tenanted by a student, William T. Brown.6 By October 193 6 , the property was purchased by Leroy P. Anderson, an attorney, and his wife, Lola F. Anderson, who worked as a secretary.7 The Andersons resided at the property until at least 1966.8
Figure 6. 1931 historic aerial photograph showing driveway and detached garage. Source: UCSB.
Figure 7: Circa 1950 historic photograph showing west
elevation. Source: Owner’s personal records.
No building permits exist for the property prior to the 1950s. A historic aerial photograph from 1931 depicts a long driveway to the south of the residence that leads from Magnolia Street to a
small, detached
garage to the
rear of the residence (see
Figure 6
). Also based on historic aerial photographs, b
etween 1938 and 1953
an alley
was constructed along the rear of lots fronting Magnolia Street
, including the subject property
, but driveway
acces
s remained at the front of the property from Magnolia Street
.9 The oldest building permit found dates to
1956 for re-roofing of the residence, still under the ownership of Anderson.10 Due to the lack of building permits available and other documentary evidence, such as historic photographs,
no
other alterations that
occurred
prior to 1956, if any, could be identified. However, it does not appear that many substantial changes were made to the exterior of the residence until the 1990s. In 1997, under the own
ership of
Christopher
Rigandi, a new
garage and two-story rear addition were constructed.11 It is unclear if the 1930s garage was demolished at this time or incorporated into the addition. In 2002, the residence was again re-roofed with composition shingles by new owner, Phil Dunn. 12 No other alterations are recorded in the building permit history. In 2022, the current owners replaced
all of the windows on the primary (
south) elevation
with new, dual
-pane wood windows as well
1 Orange County Assessor ’s Records , accessed via ParcelQuest. 2 Geospatial Collection, F light C -113 , Frame 1073 , Beginning Date August 1, 1927, UCSB Library, University of California, Santa Barbara
,
accessed via Frame Finder, https://mil.library.ucsb.edu/ap_indexes/FrameFinder/.
3 Geospatial Collection, F light C_159 0, Frame 32 , Beginning Date May 22, 1931 , UCSB Library, University of California, Santa Barbara
,
accessed via Frame Finder, https://mil.library.ucsb.edu/ap_indexes/FrameFinder/. 4 Anaheim City Directory, 1933 and 1934.
5 Anaheim City Directory, 1935.
6 Anaheim City Directory, 1936.
7 “Costa Mesa,” Santa Ana Register, October 9, 1936, 20 . 8 California, U.S., Voter Registrations, 1900 - 1968, Ancestry.com, accessed March 2023, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61066/images/orangecounty_57-00918
.
9 UCSB historic aerial photographs, 1938 and 1953.
10 City of Costa Mesa Building Permit No. 4119 , December 21, 1956. 11 Building Permit No. M083981 and B083979, July 30, 1997. 12 Building Permit No. B02 -00355, March 13, 2002.
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Historic Assessment Report – 208 Magnolia Street , Costa Mesa, CA 5 as all of the doors within original openings .13 Addition alterations, listed below, were identified by observations made during the site visit by GPA in February 2023. As such, the exact dates of these alterations are unknown. • Installation of wood bench a long west edge of main entrance porch and modification of metal spear supports for porch awning to anchor to the bench, rather than the porch floor. • Demolition of majority of original driveway and curb-cut along Magnolia Street.
• Erection of perimeter fencing along the front and rear of the property. • Construction of a pergola addition on the east elevation. • Installation of front brick walkway leading from Magnolia Street to the entrance porch. • Replacement of all original wood panel interior doors. • Replacement or original wood flooring with new.
• Kitchen and bathroom remodels.
Local Landmark Eligibility and Significance Summary
The City ’s Historic Preservation Ordinance is codified in Title 13, Chapter IX , Article 14 of the Municipal Code.
It establishes the City’s Local Register and designation criteria for local landmarks. The city council, upon recommendation of the planning commission, may designate any building, structure, site object, district, improvement, or natural feature that
is over fifty (50) years of age, or in special circumstances less than fifty (50) years of age, if it meets the criteria for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or one (1) or more of the criteria listed below:
a. Exemplifies or reflects special elements of the city’s cultural, social, economic, political, aesthetic, engineering, architectural, or nature history; or
b. Is identified with persons or events sig
nificant in local, state, or national history; or
c. Embodies distinctive characteristics of a style, type, period, or method of construction; or d. Is a valuable example of the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship; or e. Represents the work of a notable builder, designer, or architect; or f. Contributes to the significance of an historic area, being a geographically definable area possessing a concentration of historic or scenic properties or thematically related grouping of properties which contribute to each other and are unified aesthetically by plan or physical development; or g. Has a unique location or singular physical characteristics or is a view or vista representing an established and familiar visual feature of a neighborhood, community or of the city; or h. Embodies elements of architectural design, detail, materials, or craftmanship that represent a significant structural or architectural achievement or innovation; or i. Is similar to other distinctive properties, sites, areas, or objects based on a historic, cultural, or architectural motif; or
j. Reflects significant geographical patterns, including those associated with different eras of settlement and growth, particular transportation modes, or distinctive examples of park or community planning; or
k. Is a type of building or is associated with a business or use which was once common but is now rare; or
l. Yields, or may yield, information important in prehistory or history; and retains the integrity of those characteristics necessary to convey its significance.
13 2002 MLS photographs and current owner records.
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Historic Assessment Report – 208 Magnolia Street , Costa Mesa, CA 6 Previous Determinations and Evaluation Update
208 Magnolia Street was identified in the
City
of Costa Mesa Citywide Historic Resources Survey
prepared by
PCR Services Corporation in 1999. The property was recorded and evaluated on California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Forms and assigned a California Historical Resource Status Code 14 of 5S1, which the 1999 survey used to denote “Not eligible for the National Register but of local interest because the property is eligible for separate designation under an existing local ordinance.”15 The Status Codes have since been revised by the
California
Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) , and the most applicable current Status Code is 5S3, which denotes
“A
ppears to be individually eligible for local listing or designation through survey evaluation.”16 The 1999 evaluation found the property “locally significant for its architecture and its association with an early prominent local citizen, LeRoy Anderson …a prominent local attorney who was instrumental in the early development of Costa Mesa ,” and further explains that “the bungalow is one of only a dozen which reflect the Period Revival style in residentials design within the City of Costa Mesa… the dwelling reflects the size, scale, massing, plan, and architectural style of its generation in Costa Mesa
and is a good example of its property
type.”17 The period of significance was identified as 1927 , the date of construction. The 1999 DPR form set is included in Attachment B.
Evaluation Update
GPA reviewed the 1999 survey of the property and updated the evaluation to clarify the local criteria under which it is eligible for designation, to elaborate on the areas of significance, and to identify accurate periods of significance under each applicable criterion, as well as provide an analysis of integrity given the substantial length of time since the property was last surveyed and evaluated in 1999, over twenty years ago. Based on the findings from the 1999 survey and additional research conducted as part of this report, the property appears to be eligible for designation as a local landmark under local criteria a and b. The significance of the property under each of these criteria are discussed separately, below.
Criterion a
To be eligible under local criterion a, a property must e xemplif y or reflect special elements of the city’s cultural, social, economic, political, aesthetic, engineering, architectural, or natur al history. The context considered under local criterion a is early residential development in unincorporated Costa Mesa.
The present-day City of Costa Mesa generally formed from the early com munities of Fairview on the northwest
,
Paularino on the northeast
, and Harper
on the south
.18 208 Magnolia Street is located in the Newport Heights Tract within the vicinity of the early town of Harper, southeast of Newport Boulevard. The tract was recorded in 1906 as one of the earliest housing tracts
in the area
(see Figure 8). The early development of Harper and the Newport Heights tract is de
scribed in the below ex
cerpt from the Citywide Historic Resources Survey
:
In January 1906, the
Huntington Beach News
announced that 'one of the largest realty deals
ever made in Orange County was consummated last week when seventeen hundred acres of the San Joaquin Ranch (owned by James Irvine) were sold to an Investment Company and will immediately be cut up into 5 -acre tracts and placed on the market." Following this announcement, a water distribution system was installed in the mesa.
Parallel with the land development the area experienced its first oil boom which served to promote and expand population. Three oil wells went up in 1906 just south of the present
14 The evaluation instructions and classification system prescribed by the State California Office of Historic Preservation (SOHP)
in its
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources
(1995)
provide a Status Code for use in classifying potential
historical resources.
15 PCR Services Corporation, City of Costa Mesa Citywide Historic Resources Survey (City of Costa Mesa, July 1999), 29. 16 “California Historical Resources Status Codes, Current as of 3/1/2020,” accessed April 2023, https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/pages/1069/files/Resource-Status-Codes.pdf 17 PCR Services Corporation, “Department of Parks and Recreation Form Set, 208 Magnolia Street, ” June 1, 1999. 18 Costa Mesa Historical Society, Images of America: Early Costa Mesa (San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009), 2. -6-
Historic Assessment Report – 208 Magnolia Street , Costa Mesa, CA 7 Newport Beach Harbor High School location. In the latter pa rt of 1907, several more wells were installed on the northern end of the Newport Heights Tract. The oil boom was short -lived. The oil that had been found turned out to be a thick, sticky substance and thus, very difficult to pump. Within two or three years the old derricks were abandoned.
The growth and
development of Harper fell back upon land development.19 In April 1907, the Newport Mesa Tract was filed, just west of
the
Newport Heights Tract. Over 200 five-acre parcels were sold in the first year. 20 At this time, most of the population was centered between Newport Boulevard on the west and Orange Avenue on the east and Seventeenth on the south and Nineteenth Streets o
n
the north. The period from 1906 to 1912 continued to attract new settlers as well as establish potential business opportunities
.
In
1913, the Fairview Farms Tract was opened, just north of the Newport Heights Tract, and its publicity led to a further increase in population and development activity.
The farming community of
Harper was renamed in 1920 to Costa Mesa
and b
etween 1920
and 1940
,
the population of Costa Mesa grew from approximately
200 to 4,692
.21
Although the Newport Heights Tract was establish ed in 1906, a s depicted in historical aerial photographs, the
area
remained
relatively sparsely developed through
1927, when the residence at
208 Magnolia may have been constructed
(see Figure 9).
Following the Great Depression in 1929, minimal development of new housing
occurred in the vicinity of the
Newport Heights Tract (see Figure 10).22
Figure 9. 1927 historic aerial photograph showing the vicinity of the Newport Heights Tract. Source: UCSB.
Figure 10 : 1931 historic aerial photograph showing the vicinity of the Newport Heights Tract. Source: UCSB.
As with 208 Magnolia Street, the vast majority of early residences in Costa Mesa were not architect-designed or the work of a developer. Instead, they were vernacular buildings constructed by a local builder/contractor or the homeowner. Typically small, one-story wood frame buildings, they were either clad in
clapboard
or (later)
sheathed in stucco (like 208 Magnolia Street) and had hip or gable roofs and front porches with varying
configurations and designs
.
Though a common type of
single
-
family residence found throughout Southern
California from
the
1900
s
through 1940 , they s till posses sed
some individuality
and were the homes of
generations of working- and middle-class
citizens.23 In Costa Mesa, the earliest residences were constructed by
19 PCR Services Corporation, City of Costa Mesa Citywide Historic Resources Survey (City of Costa Mesa, July 1999), 10. 20 Ibid, 10.
21 Ibid ., 11.
22 Ibid., 12.
23 Ibid. , 17.
Figure 8. Present-day and early towns of Costa
Mesa. Source: Costa Mesa Historical Society .
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Historic Assessment Report – 208 Magnolia Street , Costa Mesa, CA 8 farmers on 5- to 10-acre lots, clad in wood and reflected earlier Victorian and Arts and Crafts styles. Residences constructed later in this period, when the farms and orchards began being subdivided to smaller lots for housing development, reflected Period Revival styles. 208 Magnolia Street was constructed as part of this early wave of development, just before the onset of the Great Depression.
The Great Depression continued unabated throughout 1933 and 1934, during which time the branch line of the Southern Pacific Railroad, which ran from Santa Ana to
Newport Beach along Newport Boulevard throughout
the heart of town, was abandoned. 24 Growth resumed in 1940 but Costa Mesa retained the atmosphere of a small town until World War II accelerated growth. 25 Construction of t he United States Air Corps Replacement Training Center
began in 1941 and opened in 1942
as
the Santa Ana Army Air Base (SAAAB)
, and
eventually
reached the size of 1,283 acres
west from Newport Boulevard to Harbor Boulevard, south from
Warehouse Road
to the present Vanguard University .26 SAAAB brought an incre ase in population in Costa Mesa and continued residential development in the Newport Heights Tract , which was largely built out by 1947 (see Figure 11). A few years later, with an area of 3.5 square miles and a population of 16,185, the City of Costa Mesa incorporated on June 29, 1953
.27 By the end of the 1950s, Newport Heights as well as the other oldest housing tracts were fully developed (see Figure 12); thus, the City expanded outward with new housing tracts developed throughout the postwar period.
Figure 11 : 1947 historic aerial photograph showing the vicinity of the Newport Heights Tract. Source: UCSB.
Figure 12 : 1958 historic aerial photograph showing the vicinity of the Newport Heights Tract. Source: UCSB.
208 Magnolia reflects the transitional period of early residential development which began in the 1920s as the former farming community of Harper evolved from an agricultural area developed with 5 - and 10-acre farmsteads to a more densely developed town of Costa Mesa. 208 Magnolia is one of the earliest residences constructed in the Newport Heights Tract from this period. At such, it is eligible for listing as a landmark under local criterion a.
Criterion b
To be eligible under local criterion b, a property must be identified with persons or events significant in local, state, or national history. 208 Magnolia Street underwent frequent changes in ownership in the first decade after it was constructed
with at least three different owners between 1933 and 1936 28 (see Construction and Ownership History starting on page 3 for more detail). However, the fourth known owners, Leroy P. and Lola F.
Anderson resided at the property for a substantial
period, during which time Leroy was a particularly influential member of the community.
24 Ibid., 13.
25 Ibid .
26 Ibid .
27 Ibid., 15.
28 Anaheim City Directory, various dates.
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Historic Assessment Report – 208 Magnolia Street , Costa Mesa, CA 9 Leroy Plummer Anderson (1989 - 1957) was born in 1898 to farmers Joseph and Mary J. and grew up working on the family farm in Richland, Kansas
.29 Anderson served in World War I in 1919 and in 1920 , at the age of 21, lived with his sister, Bessie, and her husband John Reed, in Portland
,
Oregon30 where he attended the University
of Oregon and received his
degree of
Bachelor of Law in 1922. 31 In 1926, he married Lola Fern Chenoweth (1898
-
1983) from Walla Walla, Washington.32 They relocated to the vicinity of Costa Mesa by 1927 when they purchased a homesite.33 Despite having purchased land, the Andersons rented a home at 859 Fairview Avenue in Newport Beach in 1930 while Anderson established his own law firm and
Lola worked as a stenographer at
City Hall. 34 They moved into the property at 208 Magnolia Street in 1936 where they resided together until Anderson passed away in August of 1957,35 after which Lola retained ownership of the property and lived there until at least 1966. 36 The Andersons, both Leroy and Lola, were active in the community of Costa Mesa as members of the Costa Mesa Lions Club throughout their
residency
. In addition,
Leroy Anderson
was an active
member of the board of the Newport Beach Exchange Club
.
He became director of the Costa Mesa Chamber of
Commerce
and harbor district attorney by 1930.37
Figure 13 . 1927 photograph showing the Lions Club members .
Source: Early Costa Mesa .
Figure 14 : 1928 Chamber of Commerce, Anderson at
bottom right . Source: Early Costa Mesa.
In his first few years in Costa Mesa, Anderson was a key leader of the Newport Beach and Costa Mesa communities in the
ir
fight to secede from the Santa Ana high school district.38 After losing the suit at the superior court in 1928, Anderson represented the chamber of commerce and Costa Mesa district, of which he was a part, at the higher court proceedings in Sacramento in the attempt gain state legislation to separate the elementary school districts from the city high school districts for Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. As a result of Anderson’s efforts, the Newport Harbor-Costa Mesa high school bill permit ted the organization of a
Harbor
high school
district, separate from the Santa Ana high school district in 1929
.39 By the e nd of that year, a site for the
29 1900 United States Federal Census , Ancestry.com, accessed March 2023, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4120145_00481. 30 1920 United States Federal Census , Ancestry.com, accessed March 2023, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4384923_00314. 31 The University of Oregon, Catalogue, 1922·1923, Announcements, 1923 - 1924, (Eugene, OR: The University Press, 1924), 207, accessed online March 2023,
file:///C:/Users/audrey/Down
loads/UOCAT_1923-24_Anno.pdf.
32 California, U.S., Death Index, 1940 - 1997, Place: Orange; Date: 13 Sep 1983; Social Security: 568244126 , Ancestry.com, accessed March 2023.
1930
United States Federal Census
.
33 “Realty Sales at Costa Mesa Total $50,000,” Sant a Ana Register, January 31, 1927, 15. 34 1930 United States Federal Census .
35 California, U.S., Death Index, 1940 - 1997 , Place: Orange; Date: 19 Aug 1957; Social Security: 571229151 , Ancestry.com, accessed March 2023.
36 “Costa Mesa,” Santa Ana Register, October 9, 1936, 20. California, U.S., Voter Registrations, 1900 - 1968 . 37 “Plan Meeting of Mesa, Beach Organizations,” Santa Ana Register, Jun e 11, 1930, 8. 38 “Newport Fails in Fight for High School,” Santa Ana Register, March 4, 1928 , 6 . 39 “Rural School Merger Bill Meets Defeat,” Santa Ana Register, March 21, 1929, 3. -9-
Historic Assessment Report – 208 Magnolia Street , Costa Mesa, CA 10 construction of the new Newport Harbor Union High School was identified and the need for a new high school board was established.40 Anderson was elected as the first president and chairman of the new high school board in 193
0.41 In January of 1931, he announced the completion of the Newport Harbor Union High School at the dedication ceremony as president of the high school board and trustees
.42 Anderson did not run for re-election
in 1932 but remained a charter member of the
school board. 43 In 1932, Anderson became president of the Harbor Service Club.44 He was also a member of American Legion Post No. 455 by 193745 and helped establish the Costa Mesa Improvement Association and served as charter member of the newly formed organization in 1938.46 He was appointed chairman of the advisory board of Newport Beach Selective Service Board 171 in 1941.47
As an unincorporate d community, Costa Mesa was governed by county supervisors, headquartered in Santa Ana. Much-needed local leadership emerged through special districts and organizations such as school boards, water boards, the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Club, and Lions Club. While organizations such as these were common across Southern California at the time, they were particularly important in the history of Costa Mesa, which was formed much later than other neighboring cities and remained unincorporated until the 1950s. As such, these organizations and the individuals, such as Leroy P. Anderson , that helped establish and lead them, where particularly influential in forming the identi ty of Costa Mesa , developing a tradition of local governance and ultimately
laying the gr
oundwork for home rule and future incorporation.48
For all of the reasons detailed above, Leroy P. Anderson would be considered a significant individual in the history of Costa Mesa and 208 Magnolia, as the long
-
term residence of the Anderson’s, is eligible for listing as a landmark under local criterion b.
Summary
208 Magnolia Street appears to be eligible for landmark designation under local criterion a because it reflects the transitional period of early residential development during which the former farming community of Harper evolved from an agricultural area to a more densely developed town of Costa Mesa
and is one of the earliest
residences constructed in the Newport Heights Tract during that period. The period of significance under criterion a is 1927, the date of construction. The property also appears to be eligible under criterion b as the long-term residence
of
Leroy P. Anderson , a prominent loc
al attorney who was instrumental in the early
development of Costa Mesa.
The period of significance under criterion b is 1936 to 1957, encompassing the period of time during which Anderson resided at the property.
Character-Defining Features
Character-def ining features are the architectural components that contribute to a building's sense of time and place. Character-defining features can be generally grouped into three categories: the overall visual character of a building, the exterior materials and craftsmanship, and the interior spaces, features, and finishes. The relative importance of character-defining features depends on the level of craftsmanship, visibility, and integrity.
In addition, some character -defining features are more important than other s in conveying the significance of the building. The character -defining features identified below are considered the most important elements contributing to the significance of the property, and generally include features that date from the period of significance, directly relate to the original use, type, and style, display craftmanship, are highly visible, and retain integrity.
40 “Exchange Club Wants Large School Plant,” Santa Ana Register, September 26, 1929 , 16. 41 “Plan Meeting of Mesa, Beach Organizations,” Santa Ana Register, Jun e 11, 1930, 8. 42 “J.P. Greeley is Chairman of Ceremony,” Santa Ana Register, January 11, 1931, 3. 43 “5 Candidates File in Mesa School Race,” Santa Ana Register, Mar 17 , 1932, 9 . 44 “Attorn ey Talks on Olympic Games,” Santa Ana Register, June 23, 1932, 15. 45 “Post No. 455 Installs Offices,” Santa Ana Register, Jul 17, 1937, 7 . 46 “100 Sign Up for New Costa Mesa Improvement Association,” Santa Ana Journal , v ol. 4, no. 165, November 9 , 1938, 4. 47 “Daily Happenings,” Santa Ana Register, August 29, 1941 , 3. 48 Costa Mesa Historical Society , 8.
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Historic Assessment Report – 208 Magnolia Street , Costa Mesa, CA 11 Overall Visual Character Materials and Craftsmanship
• Location within the Newport Heights Tract
• Front yard (south) setback from Magnolia Street
• One-story building height
• L-shape floor plan
• Cross
-
gabled roof
• Flush eaves
• Asymmetrically arranged elevations
• Trabeated (flat-headed) window and door openings
• Recessed main entrance
porch centered
on
primary (west) elevation
• S tucco cladding with smooth texture finish
• Terracotta attic tube vents
• Multi-light wood windows and doors
• Metal standing seam window awnings with
decorative fascia
• Metal standing seam awning with decorative
fascia and spear supports over main entrance
porch
• Plaster interior walls and ceilings
• Interior arched openings
• Coved ceilings
• Brick fireplace mantel and hearth
Integrity Analysis
It is standard practice to assess a property’s integrity as part of a historic evaluation. Integrity is a property’s ability to convey its historic significance through its physical features. National Register Bulletin #15 defines seven aspects of integrity: Location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. In order to convey significance, a property must retain some combination of these aspects of integrity from its period of significance. The aspects of integrity that are essential vary depending on the significance of the resource.
Location: The place where the historic property was constructed or the place where the historic event occurred.
The property retains integrity of location as the property has not been moved since it was constructed in 19
27 .
Design: The combination of elements that create the form, plan, space, structure, and style of the property.
The property retains integrity of design. Despite the demolition of the original detached garage and construction of the two
-
story rear addition, the design of the original portion of the residence remains evident. Design features of the building, including its original
roof
form, scale, horizontal massing, and
L-shaped plan are all intact, such as the cross
-
gabled roof, asymmetrical elevations, flush eaves smooth stucco cladding with red clay tube vents at the gable peaks. Although many of the original windows and doors have been replaced, the ori ginal openings remain and the replacement doors and windows are generally compatible wood replacements. Thus, the property retains sufficient integrity of design overall. It is likely that the metal awnings on the primary elevation were added in the 1950s
within the
period of significance identified under criterion b, when Leroy P. Anderson resided at the property.
Thus, this design alteration has gained significance in its own right under criterion b and contributes to its integrity of design.
Setting: The physical environment of a historic property.
The integrity of setting has been retained. Although few of the surrounding lots were developed with single-family residences when the 208 Magnolia Street was initially constructed in 1927, subsequent development has not diminished its integrity of setting, particular because the property is significant as an early example of the transition from an agricultural area to the densely developed residential neighborhood that exists today. The surrounding properties are mostly one and two
-
story single-family
residences constructed in the 1930s to 1940s. Some contemporary infill development has occurred along the street but it is compatible in scale and does not negatively affect the integrity of broad setting.
The immediate setting has been diminished by the loss of the detached garage and driveway entrance from Magnolia Street, and construction of the rear addition , but retains sufficient integrity overall to convey its significance.
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Historic Assessment Report – 208 Magnolia Street , Costa Mesa, CA 12 Materials: The physical elements that were combined or deposited during a particular period of time and in a particular pattern or configuration to form a historic property.
Integrity of materials has been diminished by the replacement of original materials over time, such as original woo
d windows and doors and roof cladding.
As a simple, vernacular residence, integrity of
materials is not particularly important in conveying its significance as it was not identified as significant for its architecture.
Workmanship: The physical evidence o r the crafts of a particular culture or people during any given period in history or prehistory.
Similar to the analysis of integrity of materials, above,
as a simple, vernacular residence, the property
does not
possess
examples of fine craftmanship and t hus integrity of workmanship is not particularly important in conveying its significance.
Feeling: A property’s expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular period of time.
The property retains integrity of feeling through the combination of its intact location, design, setting, and materials that evoke the sense of a late 1920s, vernacular single-family residence.
Association: The direct link between an important historic event or person and a historic property.
The integrity of association is intact, as the property retains sufficient physical integrity to convey its significance under criteria a and b.
Conclusions
208 Magnolia Street appears to be eligible for l andmark designation under local criteria a and b for its ability to reflect the historical trend of
early
residential development in Costa Mesa and for its association with a locally significant individual,
Leroy P.
Anderson
. The period of significance under
c
riterion a is 1927, the date of
construction. Under criterion b, the period of significance is 1936 to 1957, encompassing the period of time during which Anderson resided at the property. 208 Magnolia retains int egrity of location, design, setting, feeling, and association, and therefore has sufficient physical integrity to convey its historical significance.
As
such, 208 Magnolia Street is eligible for inclusion in the Costa Mesa Register as local landmark as it is over 50 years of age, meets
c
riteria a and b, and retains integrity to convey its significance.
Sources
“100 Sign Up for New Costa Mesa Improvement Association.” Santa Ana Journal . V ol. 4 . No. 165. November 9, 1938.
Anaheim City Directory. Various Dates
.
Ancestry.com. Various Digital Collections.
California State Office of Historic Preservation, Department of Parks & Recreation. “Technical Assistance Bulletin #8: User’s Guide to the California Historical Resource Status Codes & Historic Resources Inventory Directory.” Accessed March 2023. http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/pages/1069/files/tab8.pdf.
City of Costa Mesa. Building Permits. Various Dates.
Costa Mesa Historical Society. Images of America: Early Costa Mesa. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
“National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation.” National Park Service, Cultural Resources. Edited by Patrick Andrus and Rebecca Shrimpton. Accessed March 2023. https://www.nps.gov/nr/publications/bulletins/nrb15/.
Orange County Assessor’s Records.
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Historic Assessment Report – 208 Magnolia Street , Costa Mesa, CA 13 PCR Services Corporation. City of Costa Mesa Citywide Historic Resources Survey . City of Costa Mesa, July 1999.
PCR Services Corporation. “Department of Parks and Recreation Form Set, 208 Magnolia Street
.
” June 1,
1999.
Santa Ana Register. Various Dates.
The University of Oregon, Catalogue, 1922·1923, Announcements, 1923
-
1924
.
Eugene, OR: The University
Press, 1924. Accessed Online March 2023
.
file:///C:/Users/audrey/Downloads/UOCAT_1923-
24_Anno.pdf
.
Attachments
Attachment A: Résumés
Attachment B: DPR Form Set
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Historic Assessment Report – 208 Magnolia Street , Costa Mesa, CA Attachment A
Attachment A: Résumés
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Historic Assessment Report – 208 Magnolia Street , Costa Mesa, CA Attachment A
AUDREY VON AHRENS
Audrey von Ahrens is an Associate Architectural Historian at GPA. She has been involved in the field of historic preservation since 2013.
Audrey graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Master of Science in Historic Preservation and City Planning where she focused on preservation planning and community economic development. She has since worked in private historic preservation consulting in California. Audrey joined GPA in 2017 and her experience has included the preparation of environmental compliance documents in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act; historic context statements; Secretary of the Interior’s Standards analysis; large -scale historic resources surveys; and evaluations of eligibility for a wide variety of projects and property types throughout Southern California.
Audrey is also experienced in coordinating with property owners and local governments in the preparation and review of Mills Act Property Contract applications and the inspection and reporting of properties applying for or with existing contracts.
Educational Background: Selected Projects:
• M.S., Historic Preservation, University of
Pennsylvania, 2016
• Master of City Planning, University of
Pennsylvania, 2016
• B.A., Architectural Studies and B.A., Urban
Studies University of Pittsburgh, 2013
• 328 N. Oakhurst Drive, Beverly Hills, CEQA
Historical Resources Report, 2020
• 1360 Vine Street, City of Los Angeles, CEQA
Historical Resources Technical Report, 2020-2021
• 1475 E. El Segundo Boulevard, El Segundo, CEQA
Historical Resources Report, 2020
• 4080 Lafayette Place, Culver City, CEQA Historical
Resources Technical Report, 2020
• Architecture & Engineering Context, Los Angeles
Citywide Historic Context Statement, 2019
• Casa de Rosas, Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit,
2017
-
2022
• CF Braun & Company Plant, Alhambra, CEQA
Historical Resource Report, 2018
• Los Angeles Mills Act Program, Pre-contract
Services and Periodic Inspections, 2017-2023
• Laguna Beach Mills Act Program, Application
Reports, 2017-2022
• North Beach Historic District, San Clemente,
National Register Nomination, 2021
• WM Keck Science Center, Scripps College,
Claremont, Secretary of the Interior's Standards
Compliance, 2018
-
2020
• West Covina Historic Resources Survey and
Context Statement Update, 2018-2019
• Whittier Public Library, Construction Monitoring,
2021
-
2023
Professional Experience:
• GPA Consulting, Associate Architectural
Historian, 2017-Present
• Heritage Consulting, Inc., Intern, 2015 - 2016
• Tacony Community Development Corp., Intern,
2014
• Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation,
Intern, 2013
• University of Pittsburgh, Teaching Assistant,
2012
-
2013
• Pittsburgh Planning Department, Intern, 2012
• Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, Intern,
2011
Qualifications:
• Meets the Secretary of the Interior’s
Professional Qualification Standards for history
and architectural history pursuant to the Code
of Federal Regulations, 36 CFR Part 61,
Appendix A.
Professional Activities:
• Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council,
Planning and Land Use Committee, 2018-
present
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Historic Assessment Report – 208 Magnolia Street , Costa Mesa, CA Attachment B
Attachment B: DPR Form Set
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State of California — The Resources Agency Primary # '
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD
1 Trinomial
NRHP Status Code 5S1
Other Listings
Review Code _ Reviewer Date
Page of Resource Name or #: ( Assigned by recorder) 208 Magnolia Street , Pi. Other Identifier. Leroy Anderson' s House
P2. Location: — Not for Publication Unrestricted a. County Orange County ' and ( P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.) b. USGS 7. 5' Ouad Date T ; R 114 of 114 of Sec
c. Address: 208 Magnolia Street City Costa Mesa Zip '
d. UTM: ( Give more than one for large and/ linear resources) mEl mN e.:; ther Location, Data (Enter Parcel #, leg -1description directions to resource. elevation, etc., as appropr__ie) Parcel No. 425- 402- 02 '
P3. Description( Desoberem" arid tsmajcrdarritstrridedesgki.em is mrtiturlalEratiorsSize. seeing, and bardaes) A steep, cross - gable roof and stuccoedexterior identify the PeriodRevival (English) influence in thedesignof this ' one- storybungalow. The residencehas a L-shapedplan with a frontfacinggable wing projectingout fromthe westside of theprimary (south) elevation. Beneath the frontgableare a pairof large, multi - pane casementwindows and threecircular vent openings. Smaller, mufti - pane windowspunctuatethe easthalf of theprimaryelevation. Canvas awnings hang over all thewindowopenings. the propertylot is lushlylandscapedand is enclosedby a whitepicketfence. ' I P3b.
ResourceAttributes: ( List attributesand codes) HP2 - Single Family Property ' P4.
ResourcesPresent ! Budding _ Structure _ Object _ Site _ District _ Element of District - Other ( Isolates, etc.) PSa.
Photographor Priming (Photographrepu` led for b0dngs. structures. and objects) --- PSb. DesaipCotdptcb:(Vilw, d&-- atnessiorit)' view towardnorth). Photo No: 10. 8. 7/ M P11.
ReportCitation: (Crte surveyreport and othersources, or enter -none) Attachments NONE Continuation Sheet Location
tdap '.: Building, Structure, and OtreRecord Sketch
Map ArcriaeobgzalRecord District
Record Linear
Feature Record Milling
StationRecord 50
P6.
DateConstructed/Age and Sources:' Prehistoric
Historic Both 7927
P7.
Ownerand AddressPrivate
1 P8.
Recordedbv- tName,at5iiatiortardaddess) PCR
ServicesCorporation. 233 Wilshire8tvd . S 130.
Santattonica. CA P9.
Date Recorded: 7/ 1/ 99P10.
SurveyType: ( Describe) Orr -
wideSurveyRock
An RecordOther: ( List) ' Artifact
Record Photograph
Record ' I. -. __..__.
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State of California — The Resources Agency Primary # DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECRE1, 7ION BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD HRI #
Page of NRHP SStatus Code 5S1
Resource Name or #: ( Assigned by recorder) 208 Magnolia Street t
B1. Historic Name: Leroy Anderson's House
B2. Common Name: Leroy Anderson's House
B3. Original Use: Residential B4. Present Use: Residential B5. Architectural Style: Period Revival ( English)
B6. Construction History: ( Construction date, alterations, and date of alterations) Built: 1927
B7. Moved? No Yes = Unknown Date : Original Location:
B8. Related Features:
B9a. Architect: Unknown b. Builder: Unknown
B10. Significance: Theme: Residential Development Area: Costa Mesa Period of Significance: 1927 Property Type: Residential Applicable Criteria: N/ A I
I
1 Discuss importance in terms of historical or architectural context as defined by theme, period and geographic scope. Also address integrity.) This property appears ineligible for the National Register. The bungalow is one of only a dozen which reflect the Period Revival style in residentials design within the City of Costa Mesa. The building is locally significant for its architecture and its association with an early prominent local citizen, LeRoy Anderson. The dwelling reflects the size, scale, massing, plan, and architectural style of its generation in Costa Mesa and is a good example of its property type. This house was built in 1927, for LeRoy Anderson, a prominent local attorney who was instrumental in the early development of Costa Mesa, B11. Additional Resource Attributes( List attributes and codes) HP2 - B12. References:
A Slice of Orange: Costa Mesa City Directories; Sanborn Maps,' Orange County Assessor's Records: Costa Mesa Historical Society, Los Angeles Public Library
B13. Remarks:
t
I
B14. Evaluator: Jan Ostashay
Date of Evaluation: 711199
This space reserved for official comments.)
Single Family Property
Sketch Map with north arrow required.)
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