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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: 1855 Verdugo Knolls Drive: Consideration of Glendale Register Nomination and Request for a Mills Act Historic Property Contract.
1. Resolution to designate the residential property at 1855 Verdugo Knolls Drive as a historic resource in the Glendale Register of Historic Resources and authorize the City Manager to enter into a Mills Act Historical Property Contract with the property owner.
2. Motion to deny the request of the property owner to designate the residential property at 1855 Verdugo Knolls Drive as a historic resource in the Glendale Register of Historic Resources.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Public Hearing
Approved for November 18, 2025 Calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The owner of 1855 Verdugo Knolls Drive requests that City Council list the property in the Glendale Register of Historic Resources and authorize a Mills Act historical property contract. The one-story, single-family residence was built in 1923 and is a distinctive and exemplary example of Tudor Revival style architecture.
On October 16, 2025, the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) reviewed the nomination and voted unanimously (4-0) to recommend to the City Council that the property at 1855 Verdugo Knolls Drive be listed in the Glendale Register of Historic Resources. In keeping with the City’s naming protocol, HPC recommends that the property at 1855 Verdugo Knolls Drive be referred as MacBride House. HPC also recommended that the City Manager be authorized to enter into a Mills Act historic property contract with the property owner, including the work conditions approved by the commission, under Section 15.20.070A of the Glendale Municipal Code. 210a
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RECOMMENDATION
That City Council list 1855 Verdugo Knolls Drive in the Glendale Register of Historic Resources under designation Criterion 3 and authorize the City Manager to enter into a Mills Act historic property contract, with the conditions approved by HPC, between the City and the property owner under Section 15.20.070A of the Glendale Municipal Code.
BACKGROUND
Historical Background
1855 Verdugo Knolls was built in 1923 for Ruth Kirker MacBride by contractor Henry Nash for a cost of $8,000. The land where the property sits was subdivided in 1922 by real estate broker Thomas B Nichols and Harry Silas Graul. The first sale of the northwest portion of the irregularly shaped lot was to Thomas Minford on April 11, 1923.
A May 1923 deed indicated that the remaining portion of the lot was transferred to a widow by the name of I.D. Cook. The sale must have fallen through, because Nichols and Graul transferred that portion of the lot to Ruth K. MacBride in November of 1923.
Ruth MacBride was born on April 11, 1880 in Jersey City, New Jersey as the second of four daughters and a son born to Irish-born Nathaniel and New York-born Jessie (Kirker) MacBride. Besides basic biographical information, there is not much information found about her. In 1922, she was issued a United States passport for a three month trip to China, Korea and Japan. Upon her return to the United States, she pulled permits for the construction of her residence in Glendale.
The builder of the house, Henry Edward Nash, Sr., was born in Middlesex, England, on June 18, 1878 as the fourth son of nine children born to William and Sarah Gale Nash.
By 1900, he was living in Philadelphia with his widowed mother. By 1910, Nash, his wife Elizabeth, and their son Henry, were living in Eagle Rock where he worked as a movie studio carpenter. Eventually he established his contracting business but also kept working in the film industry.
MacBride lost the house in a foreclosure during the Great Depression, and the property was deeded to Ernest LeRoy, a patent attorney, and his wife Mae S. Wallace on June 2, 1932. In 1936 Mae Wallace sold the house to Carroll and Nancy Collins who lived there until 1948, when they sold it to Vincent A. and Annette M. Murphy. The property was sold again and had multiple owners until it was eventually purchased by the current owner. Full biographical information about the owners is available in the application attached to this staff report as Exhibit 1.
Despite changing ownership so many times since its construction, the house has remained virtually unaltered. The MacBride residence is a significant example of a custom Tudor Revival style home that incorporates many whimsical, unique, and cottage-like features that sets it apart from other typical Tudor Revival properties of its time. Research does not indicate that any of the property owners were significant in the history of Glendale or the nation.
Additional information about the history of the property, owners and occupants can be found in the nomination attached to this report (Exhibit 1). Based on information 310a
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provided in the nomination and referred to in this staff report, HPC believes the property is eligible under Criterion 3 due to the quality of its architectural design, as detailed in the “Findings of Eligibility” section below.
Architectural Description
1855 Verdugo Knolls Drive is a Tudor Revival style single-story, single-family house built in 1923 in the Verdugo Woodlands neighborhood of North Glendale. The home sits atop a small hill above Verdugo Knolls Drive. The house has an irregular, crescent- shaped plan built in three sections that encircles the rear yard. The home has many unique, irregular, and whimsical features that give the appearance as if it was built over time, which further accentuates the storybook and cottage-like character.
Each section has rounded gabled ends with a smaller roof over the kitchen area and exposed rafter tails. When viewed from the rear, the roofline has a dramatic curved appearance. The house is clad in stucco with exposed brick details along the façade.
There are various stucco chimneys, but two chimneys are visible when viewed from the rear yard – one projecting on the outside wall at the rear, and one with a double flue poking through the roof.
The custom wood windows include a variety of casement, fixed, and double hung configurations. Some windows are angular shapes that follow the sloping down curves of the roofline, while others have a more typical rectangular shape. Window detailing includes divided lights, leaded glass, and stained glass. All windows have wood sills and are topped by heavy wooden lintels. The original plank wood door has large extended hinges and original hardware.
The detached garage shares a similar roof line, material and exposed brick detailing and is accessed off the street. A brick, concrete, and stone staircase off the south side of the garage leads up to the primary entrance of the residence. The original garage door was replaced sometime in the 1960s-1970s and was recently replaced again.
Notable character-defining features of 1855 Verdugo Knolls Drive include:
One-story massing
Crescent-shaped irregular plan
Curved gabled roof
Wood plank door with wrought iron details
Stucco cladding with exposed brick details
Stucco chimneys
Various window styles including casement, fixed, double hung, leaded and stained glass
Alterations and Integrity
Overall, 1855 Verdugo Knolls Drive has a high degree of historic integrity and remains virtually unaltered since its original construction in 1923. Due to the minimal level of 410a
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alterations, the property continues to retain its integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, and feeling.
HPC and staff recommend the following Mills Act conditions:
1. Replace the garage door with a more compatibly styled wood door as a condition of approval for a Mills Act contract.
2. Remove the portion of the gate at the top of the exterior stairway that does not match the original gate.
ANALYSIS
Finding of Eligibility
After reviewing the nomination submitted by the owner and its supporting documentation, as well as visiting the site, Planning Division staff conclude that the property appears to meet Criterion 3 of the eligibility criteria for listing on the Glendale Register of Historic Resources.
Architectural Significance [Criterion 3]
To meet Criterion 3, a property must “embody the distinctive and exemplary characteristics of an architectural style, architectural type, period, or method of construction; or represent a notable work of a master designer, builder or architect whose genius influenced his or her profession; or possess high artistic values.”
HPC found that 1855 Verdugo Knolls is eligible for designation under Criterion 3 as a distinctive and exemplary example of a storybook Tudor Revival style home.
The home features many unique characteristics that set it apart from other typical Tudor Revival style homes that gained popularity in the 1920s. The home has an irregular, somewhat crescent shaped plan and sits atop a hilltop overlooking Verdugo Knolls Drive. Each volume has rounded gabled ends and there is a smaller gabled roof over the kitchen area. It is clad in stucco and has brick detailing with stained wood posts at the corners of the house. A combination of casement, fixed, and double hung windows that have a variety of angular shapes and arrangements, some with divided lights, leaded glass or stained glass also emphasize the home’s charm as a whimsical Tudor Revival style. The property also retains high integrity of materials, design, workmanship, location, setting, and feeling.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
There are no stakeholders other than the property owner.
FISCAL IMPACT
Listing historic properties in the Glendale Register has no fiscal impact. However, future property tax savings to private owners of listed historic properties under Mills Act contracts will slightly reduce City property tax revenues from the general County tax levy received from each Mills Act property.
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ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
The project is exempt from CEQA as a Class 8 “Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment” exemption and a Class 31 “Historical Resource Restoration/Rehabilitation” exemption pursuant to Sections 15308 and 15331 of the State CEQA Guidelines because it involves the designation and restoration of a historic resource.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
The names and business addresses of the members of the board of directors, the chairperson, CEO, COO, CFO, Subcontractors and any person or entity with more than 10% interest in the company proposed for contract in this Agenda Item Report are attached in Exhibit 4, in accordance with the City Campaign Finance Ordinance No. 5744.
ALTERNATIVES
Alternative 1: Reject designation/listing of 1855 Verdugo Knolls Drive on the Glendale Register of Historic Resources, finding that the property does not meet Criterion 3 or any other criteria.
Alternative 2: Any other alternative chosen by City Council.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Prepared by:
Ani Mnatsakanyan, Planner
Reviewed by:
Bradley Calvert, Director of Community Development
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit 1: Glendale Register Nomination
Exhibit 2: Photographs
Exhibit 3: Mills Act Application
Exhibit 4: Campaign Disclosure