State of California — The Resources Agency
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION
PRIMARY RECORD
Primary#
HRI #
Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Pt. Other Identifier:
P2. Location: Not for Publication El Unrestricted
a. County Orange and ( P2c, P2e, and P2b or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.) D. USGS 7.5' Quad Date T ' R • of _ C of Sec —: B. M.
c. Address 1796 South Coast Highway City Laguna Beach Zia 92651- 3252 d. UTM: ( Give mare than one for large and/ orlinear resources) Zone mE/ mN e. Other Locational Data: ( e.g., parcel #, directions to resource, elevation, decimal degrees, etc., as appropriate) APN 644- 271- 07; Arch Beach Tract, Block 12, Lot 12
R3a. Description: ( Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, setting, and boundaries)
The subject property at 1796 South Coast Highway ( SCH) is a rectangular shaped lot measuring 7, 441 square feet at the north comer of SCH and Pearl Street. A one- story, wood - frame commercial building on a concrete slab foundation occupies the front southwest) half of the property. It was constructed in ca. 1926 with modest Spanish Colonial Revival -style details and housed two businesses, and it has been enlarged and altered since that time. It is clad in stucco and capped by a combination of flat and sawtooth roof forms covered with built- up roofing and composition shingles, respectively. A paved parking lot occupies the rear northeast) half of the property, and it is accessed by a driveway on Pearl Street. There is no formal landscaping on or immediately surrounding the subject property.
The primary ( southwest) fagade faces SCH and is composed of two storefronts, both of wh' ch have been altered and measure two structural bays in width. The north bay features a partially - glazed wood Dutch door with a large storefront window and two two - light, wood - sash hopper transom windows. The second -from - north bay features two fixed storefront ( continued on page 3) P3b. Resource Attributes: ( List attributes and codes) HP6. 1-3 story commercial building P4. Resources Present:
El Building O Structure O Object
Site O District O Element of District
Other ( Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo: ( view,
date, accession #) Primary ( southwest)
fagade. view facing northeast ESA.
2019.
P6. Date Constructed/ Age and
Source: El Historic O Prehistoric
C Both
Ca. 1926 ( 1926 Orange Co. Directory)
P7. Owner end Address:
John Kelly Ware, Trustee
Marguerite Katherine Seiler - Ware Trust
25094 Dana Laurel
Dana Point, CA 92629
P8. Recorded by: (Name,
affiliation, and address)_
Hanna Winzenried / ESA
626 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1100
Los Angeles. CA 90017
P9. Date Recorded: March 5. 2019
P10. Survey Type: Intensive
P11. Report Citation: None
Attachments: ONONE OLocation Map ® Continuation Sheet ® Building, Structure, and Object Record DArchaeological Record ODistrid Record OLinear Feature Record OMilling Station Record ORcok Art Record DArtifact Record OPhotograph Record DOther ( List):
DPR 523A ( 9/ 2013) ' Required information
Attachment 8
68 State of California — The Resources Agency Primary a
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRIB
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Resource Name or # ( Assigned by recorder) 1796 South Coast Highway * NRHP Statue Code 553
B1. Historic Name 1786-796 South Coast Highway
B2. Common Name: 1796 South Coast Highway
B3. Original Use: Commercial B4. Present Use: Commercial B5. Architectural Style: 20th -century commercial with modest Spanish Colonial Revival - style details B6. Construction History: ( Construction date, alterations, and date of alterations) See page 5.
B7. Moved? ® No Eves OUnknown Date: N/ A Original Location: N/ A B8. Related Features: None
Bea. Architect: Unknown b. Builder Unknown
B10. Significance: Theme N/ A Area Laguna Beach
Period of Significance N/ A Property Type Commercial Applicable Criteria N/ A Laguna Beach as a Tourist Destination
The subject property is located within a triangle of land that was outside the boundaries of any recorded Spanish and/ or Mexican land grant. The Acuna and Olivares families occupied the area but did not hold legal title to the land. Since there was no recognized owner of record and no grant when the Untied States took possession in 1848, this area became public land and was aceilable for purchase and/ or homesteading. In these early days, the area was occupied by a series of settlements along the coast that were eventually consolidated into the contemporary boundaries of the City of Laguna Beach. The earliest homestead in the area was established by George Fountain in 1875, but was later abandoned. In 1876, two brothers, William and Nathaniel Brooks, subdivided and provided water services to a 169. 24 acre plot of land they named Arch Beach. However, this was only one of many new homesteads established during the late 1870s and during the real estate boom of the 18800.' By the mid - 1880s, Laguna had become a popular camping spot occupied by a temporary tent village during the summer months.
Historic topographic maps show that permanent development was still sparse in the Laguna Beach area in 1885. By 1894, a small permanent settlement of about twenty- five structures had been established along what is now the South Coast Highway.' During this era, the future City of Laguna Beach consisted of little more than a series of cottages along the coast. Public services were scarce with no gas or electricity and only scant infrastructure and services. Daily needs often took residents to Santa Ma, 20 miles away. Mail was provided to the small community three times a week by a stagecoach from Santa Ana. Once a week a butcher would arrive with fresh meat, but there was no ice for refrigeration. Twice a month an itinerant barber would arrives ( Continued on page 9)
Charles Ferguson and Jeanette A. McKenna, A Phase! Cultural Resources lnvesdgation and Historic Property Survey for the Proposed Community/ Senior Center on and Street, City of Laguna Beach, Orange County California, on file in the South Central Coastal IMonnaSon Center, Cal State Fullerton, Fullerton, Califomia, pp. 73. From Rose Hollenbaugh Avina, " Spanish and Mexican Land Grans in California,' Masters Thesis, University of California, Berkeley, 1976, and Rob Kling, Spencer Olin and Mark Poster, Postsuburban California: The Transformation of Orange County Since World War I! (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1991). 1885 and 1894 topographic maps of the Laguna Beach area reproduced in Ferg son and McKenna, pp. 9- 10.
Merle and Mabel Ramsey, Pioneer Days of Laguna Beach ( Laguna Beach CA: Hastie Pnmars, 1967), 3133.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: None
B12. References: See page 21
B13. Remarks. None
B14. Evaluator: Johanna Kahn / ESA
Date of Evaluation: March 2019
This space reserved for official comments.)
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Source Orange County Assessor
DPR 523B ( 9/ 2013) Required information
69 State of California C Natural Resources Agency
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION
CONTINUATION SHEET
Property Name: 1796 South Coast Highway
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Primary -4
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Pia. Description ( continued):
windows, one of which was originally a doorway ( alteration constructed sometime between 1969 and 1985), and two two -light, wood - sash hopper transom windows. Canvas awnings ( alteration) are mounted to the facade above the transom windows. The second -from - south bay features an angled, wood - sash bay window with a base dad in brick alterations; bay constructed in 1948 with stone cladding). The bay window originally featured two casement windows flanking the center fixed window, and all windows are currently " sealed and fixed/ nonoperational" (alteration).° The bay window is capped by a painted copper roof. The south bay features a partially - glazed wood Dutch door flanked by fixed wood -frame windows with bases dad in brisk (alteration constructed in 1946). Two two -light, wood -sash hopper transom windows are located above the doorway, which is covered by a canvas awning ( alteration). The facade terminates in a shaped parapet with metal coping that peaks in the center.
The southeast ( side) facade fronts Pearl Street. The west end of the facade features a large fixed, wood - frame window with two two -light, wood -sash hopper transom windows below a canvas awning ( alteration). To the east is a hung wood - sash window with lugs ( alteration constructed in 1945). The unusual roof form is best viewed when facing the southeast facade. The west and center portions of the facade terminate in a stepped parapet obscuring the flat roof beyond, and the east portion of the facade ( which is an addition constructed in 1946) terminates in a sawtooth roof. The vertical southwest) face of the sawtooth roof features six pairs of vinyl -sash casement windows ( alteration) behind metal security grates.
The northeast ( rear) facade fronts a paved parking lot. A single pedestrian door is located near the south end of the facade, and it is covered by a canvas canopy. To the north of the covered entry are three roll - up metal vehicular doors. Two of the doors feature openings covered with a metal grate and plywood ( alteration). The facade terminates in the eave of the sawtooth roof. A paved walkway along the northwest property line leads to a recessed service entry that is comprised of a flush metal door.
David M. Parker, Architect. Architectural drawings for the Pearl Street General Store Project, December 14, 2018. Appended to City of Laguna Beach Community Development Staff Report, January 18, 2017.
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CONTINUATION SHEET
Property Name. 1796 South Coast Highway
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Northeast ( rear) facade, view facing southwest.
The northwest ( side) facade abuts the northwest property line and the adjacent building to the north. The west end of the facade features two single -hung, wood - sash windows. The east end of the facade features a partially -glazed paneled wood door and a pair of wood - sash casement windows.
West end of northwest facade, view facing east.
The neighboring property ( 1750 SCH) is visible at the left.
East end of northwest facade, view
facing southwest 1750 SCH is visible
at the right
Interior,
The two distinct commercial spaces that originally comprised the subject building were merged in the late 1970s or early 19805 ( alteration), and a retail area measuring 1, 223 square feet currently occupies the southwest end of the building. This front retail area features two freestanding wood posts, and the concrete slab floor and wood -frame ceiling are exposed. The walls are variously clad in wood panels, painted plaster, and wallpaper. The southeast portion of the building is occupied by a bar ( named The Sea Horse; note that the original The Sea Horse was not DPR 5231 ( Rev. 1/ 1995)( Word 9/ 2013)
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CONTINUATION SHEET
Property Name: 1796 South Coast Highway
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located in this part of the building) and seating for patrons. The northeast portion of the building is occupied by a kitchen and storage spaces.
B6. Construction History ( continued):
The subject property was constructed in ca. 1926 as a one- story, wood -frame commercial building with a composition roof on a concrete slab foundation. Aerial photographs taken in 1931 and 1938 show a building that is roughly square in plan, and an undated ( ca. late -19305) photograph shows the subject building' s original fenestration along 5CH and Pearl Street.
Undated ( calate- 1930s) photograph of the Arch Beach neighborhood, view facing northeast. The subject property s rdenitrled bythe red circle. Source: Laguna Beach mammal Society.
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In July 1945, a window measuring two feet by three feet was added to the Pearl Street facade ( Building Permit Application no. 8493, July 13, 1945). Later that year, a variance was issued to property owner David Curtis Ware " to permit the construction of a 20' x 45- 9" addition to the rear of the existing building and the use of the same for the manufacture and sale of handmade pottery art objects ( Resolution no. 324, adopted December 17, 1945). According to Ware, " The business of Ceramics [ Originals], owned and operated by [ Leidy and Freeman at 1796 SCH], is of an outstanding class and distinction, having occupied this building on a former variance grant since March 1944. They have altered and arranged their various departments within the interior of the building; also have additionally gone to the expense of landscaping and planting omamental plants and shrubbery etc. on the exterior, thus affording beauty and charm to the premises (Variance Application no. 338, November 2, 1945).
In 1946, a variance was issued to property owner Ware to permit the ' construction of [ a] bay window addition [ on the west facade] to replace the former] stationary display window" ( Resolution no. 389, adopted April 15, 1946). According to the sketch and undated photograph below, the base of the bay window was originally clad in stone; it was reeled in brick at an unknown date. Research did not confirm that proposed alterations to the parapets, as shown in the sketch, were ever realized.
SICYTCH
Showing desired alterations on building et
1996 South Coast Boulevard
COu8IC 0RI0IMIS"
6411:, to the i1 etty
a be winlonr h Bide windows fvr Son
alef oSbeautirr this particular frontagi no
The elteret000ne veettilmIt from the plumbing shop
Bee s poleliv 1n4evtiry It
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION
CONTINUATION SHEET
Property Name: 1796 South Coast Highway
Primary#
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Photograph of 1796 SCH, taken sometime after 1959 ( when the pole- mountaln sign In the center of the photo was installed). Source: Steve Kawaratani.
Undated ( after 1959) photograph of the subject property. A blade sign for " The Sea Horse" is visible at the left.
Source: Steve Kawaratani
A canvas awning was added in 1969 when Sand Castle Real Estate took over the lease 011786 SCH ( Building Permit Application no. 69- 486). The storefront for 1786 SCH historically featured two single doors, and one was converted to a fixed window sometime after 1969 ( Sign Permit Application No. S- 401, November 3, 1969) and before 1985.
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Sketch of 1786 SCH showing two doors. appended to Sign Permit Application No. S- 001, November 11, 1969. background. Source: Steve Kawaratani.
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Until the mid - 1970s, the neighboring property to the north of the subject property was undeveloped. In ca. 1975, a building was relocated to its current location at 1750 SCH, immediately to the north of subject property ( 1981 Laguna Beach Historic Resource Inventory for SCH). A 1959 photograph shows the northwest facade before it was obscured by the neighboring building.
1959 photograph of the subject property taken from the adjacent vacant property to the north, view facing northeast. The northwest facade of the subject building is visible at the right, and the residence at 260 Pearl Street is visible in the background. Source: Variance Application no. 1314, August 25, 1959.
The interior wall dividing 1788 and 1796 SCH was demolished at an unknown date after 1976 and before 1985, at which time LM& P Motor Parts expanded to occupy the entire building. An area of damaged plaster on the west facade of 1786 SCH was repaired in 1987 ( Building Permit Application no. 87- 591, July 29, 1987). The building was reroofed in 1987 Building Permit Application no. 87- 618) and again in 2015 ( Building Permit no. CBP- 2015- 1957, issued October 19, 2015).
B10. Significance ( continued):
During the 1910s, while the Automobile Club of Southern California recognized Laguna Beach on their roadmaps, there was still only a
rough road down the canyon. The 1926 expansion and paving of the Pacific Coast Highway through Laguna Beach with ' an ornamental lighting system" modern utilities ( e.g. fresh water, gas, telephone) were key catalysts that made the area more accessible to tourists and new residents who, in turn, fueled local growth and economic development.. The City of Laguna Beach was incorporated in June 1927. Over the next two decades, the local population grew from 1, 900 to 4, 500 residents. The Pacific Coast Highway contributed to local economic development, as new hotels, restaurants and retail stores were built along it. In Laguna Beach, the Pacific Coast Highway, with its diverse buildings, often designed in period revival styles, served as an important transmitter of local identity, as it advertised the citys many charms to leisure travelers. Ina 1928 progress report published in the Santa And Register, the citys' prevailing architectural motif' had been established as the Spanish type,' and this trend would continue.• For example, the Hotel Laguna, a prominent hotel that was constructed in 1888 along the segment of road named South Coast Highway, was rebuilt in 1930. The Hotel Laguna' s new design updated the formerly modest board - and - batten building to reflect the Spanish Colonial Revival style. Stucco cladding, arched openings, and a prominent tower transformed the building into an architectural landmark. nThe Hotel Laguna' s updates appear Famous Seashore Resort Accomplishes Plenty in First Year of Cityhood; Santa Ana Register, September 25, 1918, p. 52: 'Gas Service at Laguna Beach Starting Today," Los Angeles Omen, March 25, 1927, p. 5.
Famous Seashore Resort Accomplishes Plenty in First Year of Cityhood; Santa Ana Register, September 25, 1918, p. 52.
Properties designed in Mediterranean- themed revival styles include 1264 SCH ( 1930), 1500 SCH ( 1930), and 1828 SCH ( 1927).
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to have influenced other nearby businesses, including several on South Coast Highway, which followed suit and were either newly constructed or altered to reflect the Spanish Colonial Revival style during the 1930s. The embrace of Spanish Colonial Revival style architecture reflected an emerging regional " Mediterranean- architectural identity that was developing in Southem Califomia during this period
e
Laguna Beach had cultivated a long history as a tourist destination since the late 18000 however, during the 19305. visitors seeking relaxation and creative pursuits amidst a backdrop of beautiful beaches flocked to Laguna Beach, which was soon established as one of a string of destination beach towns running along the coast from Del Mar to Malibu. Laguna Beach was a seaside artist' s haven and popular resort in the 1930s. In addition to artists, a new wave of Hollywood glamour settled in Laguna Beach comprised of celebrities, Hollywood writers, and film production professionals who vacationed and/ or maintained residences there, including Bette Davis, Rudolph Valentino, Judy Garland, and Mary Pic kford. Already recognized as an art colony, these entertainment industry professionals firmly established the reputation of Laguna Beach as a creative community..
The influx of tourist travelers contributed to the development of local traditions during the 1930s, which both publicly celebrated the city and drew upon the local supply of creative talent. In 1932, the first Festival of the Arts was held and, in 1934, residents organized the first annual Pageant of the Masters, in which residents recreated living tableaux vivants of Old Masters' paintings. The tourism industry had an unprecedented boost in December 1933 with the repeal of the Prohibition Act, which created opportunities for entrepreneurs with leisure- themed businesses, tourism ventures, and restaurant/ bar establishments in resort areas.• Prior to 1941, tourists formed a substantial portion of Laguna Beach' svisitors. During World War II and into the postwar years, the city became known as a popular leisure destination for southern California servicemen, airiine pilots, sailors and soldiers, primarily Marines, from the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station and other nearby bases. By 1948, most of the parcels in Laguna Beach were occupied and residential development had increased substantially in density."
A description of Laguna Beach from Marshall Breeden' s book, The Romantic Southland of California ( 1928), provides a contemporary characterization of the seaside town during the late 1920s, which rings true today:
There are colorful houses dotting Temple Hills, high above the quaint little town, while hundreds of bright, if scantily clad, bathers throng the beaches, changing from street dress to bathing suit in the automobiles parked near the sands. Laguna [ Beach] has been the Mecca for artists who have been lured by the rugged bits of coast where strong cliffs stand with feet in beating surf.... Artists have publicized Laguna [ Beach] with their sketches and paintings, and city folks who longed fora peaceful stretch of beach find it a haven of rest for tired nerves.'.
Alternative Culture and Social History of Orange County and Laguna Beach, 19205-9705 Laguna Beach, from its beginnings, has always attracted a mix of bohemians and beatniks who were drawn to its natural beauty, picturesque topography and semi - seclusion. Just after South Coast Boulevard was paved to become a part of the Pacific Coast Highway in 1926, there was an increase in development, tourism, and permanent esidency in Laguna Beach. This was also about the time that Hollywood' s entertainment industry joined the already established artist colony and may have brought the first wave of homosexuals to Laguna Beach via film crews.'• Beachside hotels such as Hotel Firenze ( historically the Hotel Del Camino) and Hotel Laguna ( originally built in 1888), which fronted the highway, were said to be frequented by the entertainment industry as well as cater to a gay
Merle and Mabel Ramsey, Pioneer Days of Laguna Beach ( Laguna Beach: Hastie Printers, 1967), 31-3: "About Hotel Laguna, Hotel Laguna on the Beach, http:/ Avww. hotellaguna. ca/ about_ hotel history. himl. Accessed March 30, 2000 Andrea Adelson, The Coast Inn is Smith Clan' sLegacy and Old -Time Laguna Time Capsule, May 20, 2005.
Kevin Stan, The Dream Endures: California Enters the 1940s ( London: Oxford University Press, 1997). 1O Merle and Mabel Ramsey, Pioneer Days of Laguna Beach ( Laguna Beach: Hastie Press, 1967), 31-3.
Andrea Adelson, " The Coast Inn is Smith Clan' s Legacy and Old - Time Laguna Time Capsule," May 20, 2005: Sanborn Map Company, Fire Insurance Maps, Laguna Beach, California, 1948.
Marshall Breeden, The Romantic Southland of California ( Los Angeles: Kenmore Publishing Co., 1928), pp. 107-08.
Gay and Bisexual Men of Importance, Gay Influence, hilpJ/ gayinfluence. bbgspoLcan/ 2012_ 0_ archive. html, Accessed Novemberl9, 2013: Scotty Bowers, Full Service: My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Lives of the Stars ( New Volk, NY: Grove Press, 2012).
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clientele. 1° The seclusion and relaxing atmosphere of Laguna Beach attracted people like George Beranger, also known as Andre de Beranger, who built a grand Mission Revival - style home overlooking the ocean in the 1920s.
Beranger was a stage and Hollywood silent film actor and director from Australia who lived with his widowed neighbor under the pretense of a' lavender manage." Beranger eventually moved to a small cottage on the same block due to financial difficulty. l5 Also among the many entertainment eccentrics that took up residence in Laguna Beach was Richard Halliburton, famed adventurer and rumored homosexual who built the famous " Hangover House" in the hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the 19305, which became known as a gay haven. 18 Gay and gay -friendly bars in every corner of the nation attracted unconventional freethinkers like artists, writers, poets, musicians, and of course gays. Gays were just another bohemian lifestyle in the early bar scene. These bars were nsidered ' Beatnik bars" During prohibition, gay bars were similar to the heterosexual speakeasies; they were not highly regarded and gave patrons a secluded place to meet. In the United States, Prohibition transformed public drinking and social constructs in the gay bar scene as well, which had previously been male - dominated and role - biased even within lesbian circles; women had to choose either " butch" or "femme" roles. The barrier between men and women was broken during Prohibition, and more mixed - gender bars emerged. After Prohibition was repealed in 1933, tighter regulations were placed on liquor establishments in hopes to curb prostitution and homosexuality, and bars that catered to a gay clientele remained in seclusion.
It was not until organizations like the Homosexual Law Reform Scanty and the New York Chapter of Daughters of Bilitis were established in the late 19505, coupled with the free love campaign of the post -Vietnam War era, the 19605 youth counterculture, alternative publications like the Pride newsletter, pro -gay organizations like ONE Inc., and the widespread repeal of sodomy laws throughout the country, that homosexuality became slightly less taboo. The 1960s ushered in such a sense of freedom among the lesbian/ gy/ bisexualtransgender (LGBT) community that the gay bars that were once revealed only by word- of- mouth or happenstance, now openly advertised themselves as gay or gay -friendly. They even partnered with the American Civil Liberties Union after the organization reversed its stand on homosexuality because of the 1965 victory of Griswold v. Connecticut, a " right to privacy case that later extended to the intimate and personal rights of same - sex couples. in Despite the majority of its residents being ultraconservative, Laguna Beach was a gay -friendly town from its beginning. According to current and former residents and visitors, Laguna Beach and Garden Grove were the most gay -friendly places behind the " Orange Curtain." At one point there were mom gay bars in Garden Grove than in West Hollywood. in
In 1965 the concentration of gays that frequented establishments along South Coast Highway in Laguna Beach was so visible that well- known gay bars such as Dante' s Inferno and The Barefoot were in danger of having their licenses revoked because they were " the center of homosexual activity in the city." The gay presence was such a concern that hearings were held by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control ( ABC) to address the issue.• Continual harassment of gay bars caused owners to organize the Tavern Guild of Southern California that reported nightly raids that began on New Year' s Eve in 1967, they also charged police with brutality.• Dante' s was said to be the first bar in Laguna Beach to be a strictly gay bar, followed by the Little Shrimp.• The Happy Hour, which opened in 1964, was the first lesbian bar to obtain a
liquor license in Orange County. It was also one of the first of a string of 1" ONE research archives. Laguna Beach ( News, Clippings, Fliers) Laguna Beach - 1977 folder. 15 "
Accessed
George Beranger,
November,
Silent
20, 2013.
Cinema, htlp:// silenrcinema. can/ george_ berarger_ silent_ movie_ photograph. gay_ actor_ c.1920s. aspx. 18 " Halliburton, Richard ( 1900- 1939)." GLBTO Archives. Accessed November March 27, 2019, at httpJMww. glbigarchive. coMlderatureMalxliburton_ rL.pdf.
Ellen A. Andersen, Out of The Closet and into the Courts: Legal Opportunity Sbudure and Gay Rights Litigation ( Ann Arbor, MI:
University of Michigan Press, 2009), p. 22; Timeline of Important Reproductive Freedom Cases Derided by the Supreme Court; American Civil Liberties Union, hops:/ Avvnv. aclu. org' reprodudive- freedomftimeline- important- reproductive- freedomcasesdecided- supremecourt, Accessed January 2, 2014. Griswold dealt with the criminalization of private, consensual sexual activities between adults and ruled that the Constitution guarantees the " right to privacy. concerning intimate, personal matters. Once the case was won, it was basis for defending the rights of homosexuals as well. The ACLU became a powerful litigator for gay rights following this victory and the reverse of their stand on homosexuality. 18 Lod Weisberg, " History of Gay Bars Stormy: Most Survive Violence, Raids, Closures," The Register, September 25, 1979, p
1. 19 Len Evans, "Gay Chronicles," gayinsaaamento. com/ Chronl- Calif- page. him. Accessed November 6, 2013.
Len Evans, " Gay Chronicles," gayinsacramento. com/ Chronl- Calif- page. htm. Accessed November 6, 2013. 21 Orange County City Directory, Sherman Library and Gardens. The first city directory to list Dante' s Inferno was the 1962 Orange County City Directory, and for the Little Shrimp it was the 1965 directory.
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known gay bars to uncloak their establishment and their clientele. Those that followed included Rumour Hazzit, the Tiki Hut, the Mug, the Iron Spur, the Old Bavarian Inn, and the Knotty Keg to name a few..
Orange County became known as a " gay" locale by the 19705 to the satisfaction of some and the protest of others.
Despite, or because of, then popularity, the gay bars in Orange County were still harassed to the point that a group of bar owners and gay leaders appealed to the Human Relations Commission in Garden Grove. They brought personal testimonies and data concerning the events occurring in the bars. The Human Relations Commission agreed on a resolution that would adhere to the constitutional rights requested by Orange County citizens and elected officials because they involved concerns basic to the American ideals of faimess, tolerance, and equality.• The large presence of homosexuals taking over the Orange County bar scene, eventually transformed straight but gay -friendly bars like the South Seas Room ( nicknamed the Boom Boom Room) into gay establishments.
When Laguna Beach' s Main Beach and boardwalk were renovated in the 1970s, the popular gay and gay -friendly establishments along South Coast Highway were destroyed. Although gay patrons moved farther south to West Street Beach, many of the establishments, like Dante' swhich closed in the 1970s after the boardwalk renovation, never relocated. Instead, gay clientele found other establishments, gay or straight, to frequent. After Dante' sclosed, the Little Shrimp ( a known gay bar) maintained the older, more distinguished homosexual crowd while the Boom Boom Room at Coast Inn became popular with the mixed younger, beach - going crowd 2c About 1978, some gay clientele followed a bartender from the Little Shrimp, Sidney Bryan, who took a job at the South Seas Room/ Bom Boom Room, subsequently purchasing the bar in 1978. After a while, another gay bartender from the Lithe Shrimp came over to the Boom Boom Room, which catered to a mixed crowd for at least another four years before gradually becoming predominantly gay.
The LGBT community in Laguna Beach was no different than any other community in terms of the struggles they faced and where they sought refuge from persecution. Although it was not as safe or as welcoming behind the Orange Curtain" as first expected or advertised, the LGBT community experienced less harassment compared to other surrounding cities like Los Angeles. As a result, the LGBT community in its formative years in Orange County cultivated safe havens within the local bars. The bars subsequently became champions for gay pride and expression, as well as advocates for social change and humanitarian rights beginning with the gay civil rights movement in the 1950s. Those who remember Laguna Beach in its gay heyday have fond memories of a close- knit gay community centered on the local bars along South Coast Highway, and mourn the closing of its moat memorable one, the Boom Boom Room. Local bars like the Boom Boom Room that have strong social attachments to their community have been placed in the nostalgic category as homophile organizations, publications, parades, and tolerance have replaced them in the name of progress.
The presence of gays in the history of bar culture is of significance to the gay civil rights movement as well as to the development and popularity of Laguna Beach. The Coast Inn and its interior bar, the South Seas Room/ Bom Boom Room established by 1940, are architectural resources that are important to the remnant LGBT community of Laguna Beach and to the greater evolution of bars for their role in providing an important communal space and complete communication system, even if it was merely gay -friendly. While some longtime Laguna Beach residents maintain the South Seas Room/ Bom Boom Room was predominantly gay as early as the 1950s, at a lime when gays were closeted and the Boom Boon Room was a gay -friendly gathering place, it is safe to say that the bar always catered to a mixed crowd of gay and straight clientele.• However, it wasn' tuntil the late 19705 and into the early 1980s under Sidney Bryan' smanagement that it gradually became a predominantly and openly gay establishment. The Coast Inn is associated with a transitional phase in history for the LGBT community, from the 1950s through the 1980s, and a reminder of the various phases of Laguna Beach' s history, which includes the history of the LGBT community. a
Rich Kaner, " An Incomplete History of Gay & Lesbian 00; Orange County Weekly, August 12, 1999; Rich Kamer, " All Things Must Pass. Last call at the Happy Hour," Orange County Week/ P. September 25, 2003; Lori Weisberg, " History of Gay Bars Stormy: Most Survive violence, Raids, Closures," The Register, September 25, 1979, p 1. o "
Orange County Human Relations Commission: The Exchange. May, June 1970. 0014 ( 1). 3O South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach Historic Resources Inventory, May 1901; Mane Cartier, ' Baby, You Are My Religion: The Emergence of 'Theology' in Pre -Stonewall Butch -Femme / Gay Women' sBar Culture and Community' (Ph. D. diss., Claremont Graduate University, 2010).
a
Cindy Frazier, "Finding History on a Bar Stool; Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot, July 9, 2010; Lynn Mitchell Haines, "Sounding Off:
The Boom Over Room Was Not Only for the Gay Crowd; Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot, July 23, 2010.
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Spanish Colonial Revival Style, 1915-940
The beginnings of Spanish Colonial Revival style architecture date to 1915, when it was introduced at the Panama - California Exposition in San Diego. The period revival styles grew in popularity just after World War I, and were patterned after buildings of eadier historic periods. The most common style in the Southwest was the Spanish Colonial Revival. Inspired by the Panama - California Exposition, many architects found Southern California the ideal setting for this architectural style. Numerous publications argued in favor of this period revival style for the Mediterranean environment" of California, induding W. Sexton' s Spanish Influence on American Architecture and
Decoration ( 1926) and Rexford Newcomb' s The Spanish House for America Its Design, Furnishing, and Garden 1927).
Architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue s comprehensive set of Spanish Colonial Revival structures for the Panama - California Exposition catalyzed a
region -wide building trend whose Spanish and Moorish influences incorporated and even supplanted the previously popular Mission Revival style. The many Spanish Colonial Revival and Mediterranean Revival commercial, civic and residential structures became a key component in the forging of regional identity and quest for legitimacy, since the style helped perpetuate powerful myths about California' s origins tied to New Spain.
Decorative elements that were appropriated from indigenous American cultures ( Native American, Mayan, Aztec) were sometim incorporated into these eclectic designs to infuse exoticism, along with a certain brand of perceived cultural
sometimes
authenticity.
The Spanish Colonial Revival style and its variants were widely used throughout southern California for both commercial and residential properties. The unique features of the Spanish Colonial Revival style are ornate low -relief carvings highlighting arches, columns, window surrounds, cornices, and parapets. Other features that characterize the style include stuccoed exterior walls; low- pitched, multi - level clay tile roofs; arched window and door openings; and iron railings and window grilles. The facades of large buildings are enriched with curved and ornamented parapets and symbolic bell towers.? 8
Ownership History
The original owner of the subject property was Rose Camplin ( born Fannie Rose Boning), an English divorcee who emigrated to the United States in 1921 ( 1930 U. S. Federal Census). Along with numerous other property owners in Orange County, Camplin was identified as being delinquent in paying property taxes for fiscal year 1927- 28, and her property with the legal description ' Arch Beach, Vol 12, [ block] 12" (i.e., the subject property) was auctioned for the starting bid of $ 44. 96 in June 1928 ( Santa Ana Register, June 5, 1928, p. 9). The subject property was purchased by her business partner, George William Smith, who immediately sold interest in the property back to Camplin in July 1928 Santa Ana Register, July 3, 1928, p. 13). The couple wed in 1933. Although recearch did not determine when Smith and Camplin sold the subject property, it is possible that they sold it following their divorce in 1942.
In December 1943, David Curtis Ware purchased the subject property ( Resolution no. 389, adopted April 15, 1946), which he owned until his death in 1977. Ownership was transferred to his widow, Marguerite Katherine Seiler -Ware, who passed away in 1984. The Marguerite Katherine Seiler -Ware Trust has since been administered by multiple Ware family members, including daughter Marie Ware Mayer ( d. 1993), son John Curtis " Cactus" Ware ( d. 2011), and grandson John Kelly " Kelly" Ware, who is the trustee in 2019."
Occupancy History
More than a dozen businesses have operated at the subject property since its construction in ca. 1926. Over the years, the building has had several addresses: 1786, 1788, and 1796 SCH. Known occupants were determined using city and county directories, unless otherwise noted.
3B David Gebhard, " The Myth and Power of Place: in Canizaro, Vincent. ed., Architectural Regionalism: Collected Writings on Place, Identity, Modernity, and Tradition, ( Princeton, NJ: Princeton Architectural Press, 2007); Virginia & Lee McAlester. A Field Guide to American Houses, ( New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1990). n
Orange County Assessor data for 1796 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, California. ParcelQuest. Accessed March 19, 2019, at www. parcelqumt. cam.
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The earliest known business was a short- lived Hudson and Essex automobile dealership, which was operated by George W. Smith in 1926. From 1927 until at least 1933, 1796 SCH was occupied by the Arch Beach Realty Co., which was operated by Smith and Rose Camplin ( Santa Ana Register, September 2, 1927, p. 14). Both were former Hudson and Essex salespeople, and it likely that they met through this line of work. The two maned in 1933, and the real estate business appears to have closed the same year.
Another short- lived business, Campbell Electric Co., operated at 1796 SCH only in 1934, which was used as a polling place for Laguna Beach Precinct No. 6 the same year ( Santa Ana Register, October 12, 1934, p. 24).
Research did not identify any occupants of the subject building between 1935 and 1942. According to a Variance Application dated February 21, 1944, the commercial space was vacant Tor approximately the past two years" ( i.e., ca. 1942-944).
From 1944 until at least 1951 ( and possibly into the mid - 1950s), 1796 SCH was occupied by a pottery manufacturing
company known as Ceramic Originals and owned by Russell Leidy and Cloyd Leland Freeman ( Building Permit Application no. 8439, July 13, 1945).
Building owner David Curtis Ware operated the Laguna Surplus and Supply Co. from 1958 to 1959 at 1796 SCH. The business carried hardware, sporting goods, plumbing supplies, Old Colony paints, and government surplus Cams Variance Application no. 1314, September 14, 1959).
Ware leased 1796 SCH to LM& P Motor Parts beginning in 1959, and the business remained in this location until at least 1991 ( Los Angeles Times, 1991). The wall dividing 1786 and 1796 SCH was demolished at an unknown date after 1976 and before 1985, at which time LM& P Motor Parts expanded to occupy the entire building. In 2001, the business was renamed Laguna Beach Auto Supply.
1985 photo showing signage for LM& P Motor Parts across the entire facade, appended to Design Review Board Application ( no number), November 19, 1985.
Since 2013, the entire building has been occupied by the Pearl Street General Store. 1786- 88 South Coast Highway
A short- lived art goods store named The Wood Box occupied 1786 SCH in early 1930, and it relocated to a different building in May 1930 ( Santa Ma Register, 1930).
Nickolas C. Dawson' s plumbing shop operated them from at least 1936 until at least 1951 ( Santa Ana Register, 1936, 1940, 1942). Although records variously list 1788 and 1796 SCH as the address for this business, research confirmed that it occupied only 1786 SCH.
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The Sea Horse, a bar, occupied 1786 SCH as early as 1957, the same year that an application for an on - sale beer license at 1786 SCH was approved ( City Council meeting minutes, June 5, 1957). A 1959 sketch identifies the location of The Sea Horse in the northern half of the subject building. A supplemental beer and wine license was granted in 1960 City Council meeting minutes, September 21, 1960), and a transfer of the license was granted in 1961 ( City Council meeting minutes, March 15, 1961). An application was filed for the installation of a pool table by the bars owner, Yvonne Perry, in 1967 ( City Council meeting minutes, May 17, 1967). Ina letter from property owner 0. Curtis Ware to the Department of Building and Safety dated July 18, 1969, he states, "... formerly Yvonne Perry... has been a very cooperative punctual rent paying tenant for approximately 12 years during her operation of the ' Sea Horse Bar.'" According to Perrys son, Richard A. Perry, she " ran [ The Sea Horse] until 1969 when she was shut down by the ABC." m Sketch dated November 17, 1959, identifying the location of The Sea Horse in 1786 SCH.
Appended to Variance Application no. 753.
Entrance to The Sea Horse, ca. 1960. The mother of Yvonne Perry, the bar' s owner, stands in the foreground.
Source: Richard A. Perry ( Facebook post dated March 13, 2016).
Perry, Richard A. Public message posted to the " You' re aLaguna Native If..." Group' s page. Facebook, March 13, 2018. https:// mvw. facebook. com/ groups/ 256074631072348/. Accessed March 19, 2019.
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Interior view of The Sea Horse, May 1965. Note that the linoleum floor and dropped ceiling have been removed.
Source: Steve Kawaratanl.
The
Sea Horse
LAGUNA BEACH
14 4 44Wa4• : 4- i
LAGUNA BEACH
1766 1. Coast Hwy. 494- 9136
Advertisement for TheSeaHorse. Source: Los Angeles Advocate, October 1968; included In Richard A. Perry Facebook post dated March 13, 2016).
Jerry' s Used Furniture, which was operated by Jerome D. Fine, appears to have only been in business in 1969 ( Check List for Use and Occupancy dated March 28, 1969). By the end of 1969, Sand Castle Real Estate, operated by Helen Stuart, had moved in to 1786- 8B SCH ( Certificate of Use, January 27, 1970). Beginning in 1973, Clovanell . Coby Elisabeth Flynn operated Sand Castle Real Estate ( Certificate of Use, September 6, 1973), and Rita Myers' s eponymous real estate office moved in in 1978 ( Certificate of Use, 1978).
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The wall dividing 1786 and 1796 SCH was demolished at an unknown date after 1976 and before 1985, at which time LM& P Motor Parts expanded to occupy the entire building.
Since 2013, the entire building has been occupied by the Pearl Street General Store.
Significance Evaluation
The subject property has not been previously included in a City survey and was therefore evaluated for potential historic significance under federal, state, and local criteria.
National Register of Historic Places and California Register of Historical Resources Criterion All (Events)
Archival research indicates that the subject building was a part of the pattern of commercial development along South Coast Highway during the early 20. century. It was occupied by more than a dozen businesses during the 20th century, each of which became part of the commercial fabric of the area. Archival research indicates that the building originally functioned as a car dealership and real estate office. These early businesses contributed to the physical development of the area by furnishing the burgeoning population with housing and means of transportation, and also catered to car culture and the tourist trade, adding to the growth of Laguna Beach, which is attributed to the scenic beauty that attracted artists and nature lovers. At various times in its history, the subject building housed a plumber, an electrician, a ceramics manufacturer, a bar, several real estate agents, and suppliers of hardware, fumi ure, and auto parts.
The building' s association with the arts community began in 1930 with a short- lived art goods store named The Wood Box. Later, a notable ceramics manufacturer occupied the building from 1944 until at least 1951, known as Ceramic Originals owned by Russell Leidy and Cloyed Leland Freeman, who were creators of one -of -a -kind art pottery.
Substantial evidence shows that a portion of the subject building functioned as The Sea Home, a gay bar, from 1957 to 1969, documented in City Council meeting minutes, beer and wine licenses, and historic photographs. Yvonne Peny operated the establishment for approximately 12 years and was a well reputed bar owner according to a letter from the property owner, 0. Curtis Ware in 1969, opposing its shut down by the ABC. The subject building is associated with the LGBTQ community in Laguna Beach during this period, when Laguna Beach was a popular social destination and cultural haven. While archival research does not specifically identify The Sea Home as a prominent gay bar, local history research indicates that it functioned during the period of significance associated with gay culture in Laguna Beach and that it openly catered to the LGBTQ community. It is often difficult to find definitive information identifying bars as places of LGBTQ activity because this was typically not published or documented, and was only communicated only by word of mouth. We do know that other gay bars were operating in Laguna Beach, including Dante' s Inferno ( later renamed Breakers, 140 Laguna Avenue), The Barefoot ( later renamed Boardwalk, 111 Ocean Avenue), The Little Shrimp ( 1305 SCH), South Seas Room ( later renamed the Boom Boom Room) located in the Coast Inn ( 1401 SCH), The White House also known as The Whitehorse, 340 SCH), and The Cottage ( 300 North Coast Highway), and that several of these operated concurrently with The Sea Horse. m The Coast Inn, for example, served a significant supportive role in the history of gay rights in Laguna Beach as a safe haven and community gathering place where an atmosphere of tolerance helped to foster the social interaction and communication necessary to bring about progress in civil rights for the LGBT community in Laguna Beach, which, with the adoption of several progressive ordinances, became an example for other communities to follow. 30 The Sea Home was certainly one of many establishments in Laguna Beach that catered to gay clientele, as indicated by historic photographs and personal communications with local residents.
The existing building continues to convey its historical assodaticos with the early and mid - 20. century pattern of development along South Coast Highway. It is atypical vemacular Spanish Colonial Revival commercial building that underwent minor storefront modifications during the 1940s to accommodate tenant improvements associated with continued commercial activities, following the local patterns of development. Most notably, the building housed a pottery manufacthrer, Ceramic Originals, associated with the local arts cultural in Laguna Beach from 1944-951. In addition, it was occupied by The Sea Horse, a local " beatnik" bar from 1957-969 that was part of the local LGTBQ cultural scene.
Therefore, 1796 SCH appears to be individually eligible for listing under Criterion All for its strong association with the 3B ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at the University of Southern Califomia Archives. Accessed March 19, 2019, at hnps. lone. usc. edur.
PCR Services Corporation. Historic Resources Assessment Report for 1401 Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA, August 2014, p.
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historicel pattern of commercial development in Laguna Beach front the 1920s through the 1960s. The period of significance for the property is from its construction in ca. 1926 until 1969.
Cntenon B2 (People)
Archival research indicates that the subject building was not significantly associated with persons or businesses important to local, California, or national history. As discussed above under Ownership History and Occupancy History, many people and businesses have been associated with the subject building since ifs construction. At various times in its history, the subject building housed a plumber, an electrician, a ceramics manufacturer, a bar, several real estate agents, and suppliers of hardware, furniture, and auto parts. From 1957 to 1969, while the subject building was occupied by The Sea Horse, it was associated with the gay and lesbian community of Laguna Beach. However, research did not identify individuals associated with The Sea Horse who may have played important roles in the history of gay rights and social acceptance in Laguna Beach or beyond. Furthermore, research does not indicate that the subject properly is significantly associated with the productive public life of any person. For this reason, 1796 SCH does not appear to be individually eligible for listing under Criterion B/ 2.
Cdtenon C/ 3 (Architecture/ Design)
The subject property was originally developed in ca. 1926 with a two -business commercial building by an unknown architect and builder, and it does not appear to be the work of an unidentified master craftsman. Therefore, the subject building does not represent the work of a master. The subject building is simply and functionally designed, and the Spanish Colonial Revival - style details ( namely the shaped parapet and stucco cladding) are applied modestly to the building' s
exterior. The relative simplicity of this building is apparent when compared to the more architecturally distinctive commercial buildings of the same era on South Coast Highway that were designed with more elaborate Spanish Colonial Revival details, and it appears to be a commercial vemacular example of its style. Extant more high - style examples include 335 SCH ( previously determined individually eligible for listing in the National Register; Laguna Beach Historic Resources Inventory " E" rating), the former Hotel Laguna at 425 SCH ( previously determined individually eligible for listing in the National Register; Laguna Beach " E" rating), 976 SCH ( previously determined individually eligible for listing in the National Register; Laguna Beach Historic Resources Inventory ' E" rating), 1008 SCH ( Laguna Beach " K" rating), 1264 SCH ( Laguna Beach " IC rating), the historic Hotel del Camino at 1289 SCH previously determined individually eligible for listing in the National Register; Laguna Beach Historic Resources Inventory "E" rating), 1500 SCH Laguna Beach . K" rating), 1779- 93 SCH ( Laguna Beach " E" rating), 1626 SCH ( Laguna Beach " IC rating), and 2094 SCH ( Laguna Beach " IC rating). This is supported by the professional opinion of Jan Ostashay, Principal at Ostashay and Associates Consulting, who in 2013 reported to City of Laguna Beach planning staff that she " did a drive -by of the auto parts store [ at 1796] South Coast Highway... Yes, it should not be recognized as a historic resource [ under Criterion C/ 3]. There are only a few ' Laguna' architectural qualities on the facade, but otherwise it is a nondescript building that has been somewhat altered over the years. Actually, there are better extant buildings along South Coast Highway that better reflect the varied commercial development of the community ( like the one at 1802-810 SCH)." sr Therefore, the subject building does not embody distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, and it does not possess high artistic value. Nonetheless, it is a good example of a vemacular Spanish Colonial Revival Style as applied to a commercial building. For these reasons, 1796 SCH does not appear to be individually eligible for listing under Criterion C13.
Cdtenon D/ 4 (Information Potential)
The subject building has little to no potential to yield information important to the prehistory or history of Laguna Beach, California, or the nation. Therefore, 1796 SCH is not recommended individually eligible for listing under Criterion 014.
Jan Ostashay.' Laguna Auto Party Building," email to Monica Tuchscher and Nancy Balmer- Csia, City of Laguna Beach, April26, 2013. Included in Document IC* 202979. City of Laguna Beach Documents. accessed March 15, 2019, at http:/ene. lagunabeachcity. neVtltyhalUsearch_ city_ dacuments/ defaulLhim.
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Integrity
In addition to being eligible for listing under at least one of the four National Register and California Register criteria, a property must also retain sufficient integrity to convey its historical significance in order to be considered a historical resource. The California Register defines integrity as the authenticity of a historical resource' sphysical identity evidenced by the survival of characteristics that existed during the resource' s period of significance. 1796 SCH retains integrity of location because it remains where it was constructed, and it also retains integrity of setting, workmanship, materials, feeling, and association from its period of significance. As detailed above under Construction History, the subject building has been altered and enlarged since its construction in ca. 1926, and therefore, its original integrity of design has been partially eroded. However, 1796 SCH is individually eligible for listing under Criterion N1 for its strong association with the historical pattern of commercial development in Laguna Beach from the 1920s through the 1960s, and its period of significance' s
from its construction in ca. 1926 until 1969. It appears to retain its integrity from its period of significance because the alterations to the building are primarily associated with the 1940s - 1960s period and it still resembles its appearance during this time period. A large rear addition was constructed in 1945, and the primary southwest) facade was significantly altered in 1946, which are associated with its period of significance from 1944-969, when the building housed a pottery manufacturer, Ceramic Originals, which was part of the local arts scene in Laguna Beach from 19441951. In addition, it was occupied by The Sea Horse, a local " beatnik" bar from 1957-969 that was part of the local LGTBQ cultural scene. Since then minor alterations have occurred, primarily to the interior, which has been reconfigured for the Pearl Street General Store which has occupied the building since 2013. Nonetheless, the exterior of the building still largely reflects its late - 1940s - 1960s appearance from its period of significance when it was occupied by Ceramic Originals and The Sea Horse, although the signage has been removed.
SCH has remained a predominantly commercial thoroughfare across Laguna Beach since it was first paved in 1926, which was approximately the same time that the subject property was constructed. Until 1975, the neighboring property to the north of the subject property was undeveloped, and the adjacent building at 1750 SCH was relocated to its current location abutting the subject building that year, changing the historic setting of 1796 SCH. For this reason, integrity of setting is partially changed but the overall commercial character of SCH has not been diminished by these changes.
At various times in its history, the subject building housed a plumber, an elecincian, a ceramics manufacturer, a bar, several real estate agents, and suppliers of hardware, furniture, and auto parts. In its current use as a General Store R continues to preserve its exterior appearance associated with the 1940s - 1960s period and still conveys its association with the commercial patterns of development along SCH.
In summary, 1796 SCH retains enough degree of integrity to convey its significant associations under Criterion A/ 1, as discussed above. Therefore, the subject property is recommended eligible for listing in the National Register at the local level of significance and for listing in the Califomia Register with a period of significance of ca. 1926-969.
City of Laguna Beach Historic Preservation Ordinance•
Laguna Beach Criterion A: "Structures that most retain their original appearance and architectural integrity using the rating system of' E, "K" and ' C' as described in the historic resources element of the general plan." According to the City of Laguna Beach Historic Resources Element, "' E' [( Exceptional)] rated buildings are usually in excellent condition and unique; some are eligible for the National Register." Compared to other historic - age commercial buildings in Laguna Beach, the subject building is simply designed and a modest representation of the Spanish Colonial Revival style. However, it is still in excellent condition and is a unique and distinctive example of a 1920s commercial building that retains integrity to convey strong historical associations with its period of significance related to the early commercial development of Laguna Beach, its use as the Ceramic Originals workshop and showroom in 19441951, and its role in local LGTBQ culture as the Sea Horse in 1957-969. Furthermore, it is recommended individually eligible for listing in the National Register and California Register under Criterion N1, respectively, as discussed above. Therefore, 1796 SCH would meat an " E" rating.
Laguna Beach Municipal Code, 25. 45 Historic Preservation Ordinance. Accessed March 19, 2919, at http:// www. qcode. uslcodestagunabeachi.
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According to the Ci y of Laguna Beach Historic Resources Element, "Structures with a ' K' [(Key)] rating are buildings which strongly maintain their original integrity and demonstrate a particular architectural style or time period." As detailed above under Construction History, the subject building has been altered and enlarged since its construction in ce. 1926, but it still retains integrity as a good example of the commercial vernacular Spanish Colonial Revival style of the 1920s. In addition, through its various uses over the years it does demonstrate a particular time period. A large rear addition was constructed in 1945, and the primary ( southwest) facade was significantly altered in 1946. While it is an altered example of a modest Spanish Colonial Revival commercial building, the alterations correspond with tenant improvements associated with its period of significance under Criterion A/ 1 discussed above when the building was occupied by a pottery manufacturer, Ceramic Originals, which was part of the local arts scene in Laguna Beach from 1944-951. In addition, it was occupied by The Sea Horse, a local " beatnik" or gay bar from 1957-969 that was part of the local LGTBQ cultural scene. Not only does is the subject property associated with the general commercial pattern of development in Laguna Beach during the 1920s, it is also associated with the decorative arts and LGBTQ culture. The visible exterior alterations of the building occurred in 1945 when a large rear addition with the sawtooth roof was constructed for the ceramic studio, and in 1946, when the primary ( southwest) facade was altered for Ceramic Originals showroom. The appearance of the exterior was basically the same in 1957-969 when it was occupied by The Sea Horse, and its exterior has not changed much since then except for different awnings which are reversible. Since these alterations occurred during the period of significance and are representative of its use, they do not detract from its eligibility as a Key example of a commercial structure in Laguna Beach. Furthermore, the building still retains the essential Spanish Colonial Revival -style features that are identified with its style and type including its exterior stucco finish, 4 -bay facade, and distinctive parapet. 1796 SCH is a modesty designed building in the commercial vernacular Spanish Colonial Revival style that has maintained its integrity and housed a variety of commercial uses, several of which have been important in patterns of commercial development in Laguna Beach, including the early real estate company, the automotive shop, the Ceramic Originals art pottery manufacturer, and the Sea Horse bar. The subject property retains its integrity from its period of significance and is still identifiable as the building where the Ceramic Originals and the Sea Horse bar were located. Therefore, 1796 SCH appears to merit a IC rating.
According to the City of Laguna Beach Historic Resources Element, "'C' [(Contributive)] rated structures contribute to the overall historic character of the neighborhood, but are not unique or distinctive; however, these properties are still important to the streetscape of Laguna Beach." As a modest Spanish Colonia Revival - style commercial building that has contributed to the patterns of commercial development in Laguna Beach since its construction in ca. 1926 and housed businesses over the years that have contributed to the city' s cultural arts and LGBTQ identity from 1944-951 when it was occupied by a pottery manufacturer, Ceramic Originals, and from 1957-969 when it was occupied by The Sea Horse, a local " beatnik" or gay bar, the subject building certainly contributes to the commercial character of SCH.
Therefore, 1796 SCH does merit a " C" rating.
Laguna Beach Criterion B: "Structures that most represent character, interest or value as part of the heritage of the city."
The subject building was constructed at approximately the same time the South Coast Highway was paved and expanded through Laguna Beach in 1926, which made the previously isolated community accessible to travelers seeking relaxation and creative pursuits amid a backdrop of pristine coastal scenery. Its construction preceded the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, an event that created an unprecedented opportunity for the local tourist trade. It is therefore not associated with post -Prohibition developmentAs a modest Spanish Colonia Revival - style commercial building that has house a variety of uses including both real estate and automotive enterprises, it has housed activities that have contributed to the patterns of commercial development in Laguna Beach since its construction in ca. 1926. Furthermore, it has operated as the location for businesses that have contributed to the city' scultural arts and LGBTQ identity from 19441951 when it was occupied by a pottery manufacturer, Ceramic Originals, and from 1957-969 when it was occupied by The Sea Horse, a local " beatnik" or gay bar. The exterior of the building still retains integrity from its period of significance and is identifiable as the place where these businesses were located.
Therefore, the subject building is representative of the character, interest and value of cultural heritage of Laguna Beach. Therefore, the subject property is recommended eligible under Laguna Beach Criterion B.
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Laguna Beach Criterion C: The location as a site of significant historic event." Archival research does not indicate that the subject building was the site of a significant historic event. For this reason, the subject building is not recommended eligible under Criterion C.
Laguna Beach Criterion D: The identification with a person or persons or groups who significantly contributed to the culture and development of the city."
As discussed above under Ownership History and Occupancy History, many people and businesses have been associated with the subject building since ifs construction. However, research does not indicate that the subject property is significantly associated with the productive public life of any person. The Ware family, which has owned the subject property since 1943, has also owned other commercial and residential properties in Laguna Beach, and the subject property does not appear to be significantly associated with that family. Most of the various businesses that occupied the subject building operated there for less than 10 years with three exceptions: Nickolas C. Dawson' s plumbing shop ( 15 years), The Sea Horse ( 12 years), and LM& P Motor Parts ( later Laguna Beach Auto Supply, 54 years). Despite these lengthy leases, none of these businesses appear to be associated with the productive life of a person or persons who have significantly contributed to the culture and development of Laguna Beach. For these reasons, the subject building is not recommended eligible under Criterion D.
Laguna Beach Criterion E: The exemplification of a particular architectural style or way of life important to the city." Compared to other historic - age buildings along SCH that were designed in period revival styles, the subject building exhibits modest characteristics of the Spanish Colonial Revival style, namely the shaped parapet and stucco cladding. The subject building exemplifies a modest, vemacular version of this style. The building is a modestly - designed commercial building that has been occupied by more than a dozen businesses since its construction in ca. 1928. Furthermore, it is associated with several businesses that have reflected the patterns of commercial development in Laguna Beach over the years and that have contributed to the development of the city, including real estate and automotive businesses among others. In particular, its current appearance reflects alterations that were made to the building when it was converted to an art pottery manufacturing workshop and showroom, Ceramic Originals, when the rear addition with the sawtooth roof was added as a pottery studio and the storefront was altered for a ceramic show room. It was occupied by the Sea Home gay bar in 1957-969, and the exterior largely retains its integrity from its period of significance. Therefore, , 1796 SCH exemplifies a way of life important to the city. For these reasons, the subject building is recommended eligible under Criterion E.
Laguna Beach Criterion F: The embodiment of elements of outstanding attention to architectural design, detail, materials, or craftsmanship."
Compared to other historic - age buildings along SCH that were designed in period revival styles, the subject building exhibits modest characteristics of the Spanish Colonial Revival style, namely the shaped parapet and stucco cladding. While the subject building is a modest, commercial vernacular version of this style, it does not embody any elements of outstanding attention to architectural design, detail, materials, or craftsmanship. For these reasons, the subject building is not recommended eligible under Criterion F.
Conclusion
In conclusion, 1796 SCH is recommended eligible for the National Register under the local level of significance and the California Register under Criterion N1 for its strong association with the historical pattern of commercial development in Laguna Beach from the 1920s through the 1960s. Furthermore, 1796 SCH is also eligible for local historic designation under Laguna Beach Criterion A as a building that merits a " E rating as a unique and distinctive example of a 1920s
commercial building that retains integrity to convey strong historical associations with its period of significance related to the early commercial development of Laguna Beach when ti was occupied by various businesses that contributed to local settlement and development including real estate and automotive enterprises, its association with the arts culture in Laguna Beach for its use as the Ceramic Originals workshop and showroom in 1944-951, and its contributive role in local LGTBQ culture as the Sea Horse gay bar in 1957-969. In addition, it appears eligible for local designation under Laguna Beach Criterion K as a good example of the commercial vernacular Spanish Colonial Revival Style that retains integrity to convey its significant associations from its period of significance, ca. 1926- 1969, related to the early commercial development of Laguna Beach, its use as the Ceramic Originals workshop and showroom in 1944- 1951, and its role in local LGTBQ culture as the Sea Horse in 1957-969. As such, it is also eligible for local historic designation under Laguna Beach Criterion C. Therefore, it is assigned a status code of 3S, ' appears eligible for the National Register as an individual property through survey evaluation," and a status code of 3CS,' appears eligible for the California Register through survey evaluation," and a status code of 553, " appears to be individually eligible for local listing through survey evaluation."
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Property Name: 1796 South Coast Highway
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B12. References ( continued):
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DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION
CONTINUATION SHEET
Properly Name: 1796 South Coast Highway
Primary#
HRI #
Trinomial
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