Item 18 2023-01114 African American Experience History Project Final Draft Historic Context and the Historic Building Survey Findings (M23-003) — Sacramento City Council, September 19, 2023 (part 3 of 4)

Photograph 4: Photo of north side of building with limited visibility. Camera facing southeast.

Page 8 of 11 ends

*Recorded by Michelle Laguna and Ella Cross *Date April 30, 2023  Continuation  Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required Information
State of California – The Resources Agency Primary # _____________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI # ________________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial ____________________________________________ Photograph 5: Kensington Heights suburb in San Diego, California, pictured in 1926 shortly after development. The Spanish Colonial Revival stucco clad houses with arched entryway porches are similar in style to the Crawford home and reflect the popularity of the 1920’s Small House movement.

Photograph 7: Curtis Park is located south of Downtown Sacramento and was one of the first Sacramento Suburbs.

Page 9 of 11 ends

*Recorded by Michelle Laguna and Ella Cross *Date April 30, 2023  Continuation  Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required Information
State of California – The Resources Agency Primary # _____________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI # ________________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial ____________________________________________ Photograph 8: This advertisement for Heilbron Oaks in 1923 demonstrates that the Crawford building was later built just outside the exclusionary housing covenants so prevalent with Heilbronn Oaks.

Photograph 9: HOLC maps display that Crawford’s property fell within a yellow portion of maps, indicating the inclusion of some non-whites. The circle indicates the 2685 26th street location that falls only one block above the “blue” restrictive Heilbron Oaks development.

Page 10 of 11 ends

*Recorded by Michelle Laguna and Ella Cross *Date April 30, 2023  Continuation  Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required Information
State of California – The Resources Agency Primary # _____________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI # ________________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial ____________________________________________ Photograph 10: Lewis Crawford and Frances Crawford (middle) with his wife Frances (second from left) and others outside their home at 2685 26th Street. The recessed front porch, windows, entryway column, and side garden are consistent with the current building.

Photograph 11: Lewis N. Crawford is buried at Odd Fellows Lawn in Sacramento, California. His three wives are buried separately.

Page 11 of 11 ends

*Recorded by Michelle Laguna and Ella Cross *Date April 30, 2023  Continuation  Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required Information
State of California – The Resources Agency Primary # _____________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI # ________________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial ____________________________________________ Photograph 12: This 1952 Sanborn map image does not indicate any alterations in the general layout of the property when compared to present day aerial view images.

Page 1 ends

Headquarters
P1. Other Identifier:

DPR 523A (9/2013) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
*P2. Location:  Not for Publication X Unrestricted
*a. County Sacramento and (P2c, P2e, and P2b or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.) *b. USGS 7.5' Quad Sacramento East Date 1967 T 8N ; R 5E;  of  of Sec ; B.M. c. Address 2941 35th Street City Sacramento Zip 95817
e. Other Locational Data: (e.g., parcel #, directions to resource, elevation, decimal degrees, etc., as appropriate) APN# 013-0142-038-0000 formerly APN# 013-0143-029-0000
*P3a. Description: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, setting, and boundaries)
Site of the Sacramento Black Panther’s Office
The former site of 1920’s era commercial storefront which served as the headquarters of the Sacramento Chapter of the Black Panther Party from 1968-1971. The site, along with all the other parcels southwest of 4th street alley were aquired by the Sacramento Redevelopment Agency and demolished in 1978. Today the site is a public housing complex called Oak Park Duplexes. *P3b. Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes) Attribute: AAHP36 Code: 5N *P4.Resources Present:  Building  Structure  Object X Site  District  Element of District  Other (Isolates, etc.) P5b. Description of Photo: (view, date, accession #) 1968 Aerial with current housing complex parcel indicated in yellow and Black Panther
Office indicated in Red.
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Source: X Historic  Prehistoric
 Both
*P7. Owner and Address:

City of Sacramento
Redevelopment Agency. P.O.

Box 1834, Sacramento, CA 95809

*P8. Recorded by: (Name, affiliation,
and address)Ella Cross, CSUS,
City of Sacramento
Preservation Dept. African
American Experience Project
Intern.

*P9. Date Recorded:
1 May, 2023
*P10. Survey Type: (Describe)
Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: (Cite survey
report and other sources, or enter "none.")
None.
_
*Attachments: NONE Location
Map X Continuation Sheet X
Building, Structure, and Object
P5a. Photograph or Drawing

Page 1 ends

Headquarters
P1. Other Identifier:

DPR 523A (9/2013) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record Artifact Record Photograph Record  Other (List):
*Resource Name or # Sacramento Chapter of the Black Panther Party *NRHP Status Code

Page 2 ends

DPR 523B (9/2013) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#

BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
(This space reserved for official comments.)
(Sketch Map with north arrow required.)
B1. Historic Name: Sacramento Chapter of the Black Panther Party B2. Common Name: 2941 35th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817.

B3. Original Use: Commercial
B4. Present Use: Public Housing
*B5. Architectural Style: None, Demolished
*B6. Construction History: (Construction date, alterations, and date of alterations) Constructed in the late 1900s or early 1920’s. No original permit found. 1927 permit for reroofing is earliest found.
*B7. Moved? X No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: None
B9a. Architect: Unknown b. Builder: Unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme African American Civil Rights Area Oak Park Period of Significance 1968-1971 Property Type Site Applicable Criteria B10. Significance
The building was rented in 1968 by Black Panther Charles Leonard Brunson II(1943-2020), a postal worker. The Sacramento Chapter of the Black Panther Party quickly began community service programs such as the Liberation School for children, sickle cell testing, and a political education program for adults. They also ran a successful free breakfast program for schoolchildren. On Father’s day, June 16th, 1969, there was a six hour long altercation with the Sacramento Police, which is known as the Oak Park Riot. The Sacramento Police believed that they had been fired on by assailants within the Black Panther building. They then fired shotguns and tear gas containers inside. Black Panthers, and other members of the community who had sought shelter in the building, fled through the rear exit. Nearly 20 people were injured although there were no fatalites. (See Continuation Sheet) B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes) *B12. References: (See Continuation Sheet)
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator:
*Date of Evaluation: 05/01/2023
age of *Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder)
*Recorded by: *Date Continuation
Update
DPR 523L (9/2013
State of California - The Resources Agency Primary#
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
Trinomial

CONTINUATION SHEET
Property Name: Sacramento Chapter of the Black Panther Party,

Page 11 ends

B10. Significance (continued)
The office was searched, evidence seized, and school breakfast supplies were destroyed. No ballistic evidence was found that indicated the Sacramento Police had been fired upon from the Black Panther Party office. The following year on May 9th, 1970, Sacramento Police officer Bernard Bennett was shot and fatally wounded in his patrol car on 35th street shortly after trying to arrest a young man with a pistol at McClatchy Park. The Police believed that the bullet that killed Officer Bennett was fired from the roof of the Sacramento Chapter of the Black Panthers. This was never proven to be true.

In the ensuing manhunt, seven young African American men were arrested. Three were released. The four remaining suspects were all students of Sacramento City College and two of them were also Black Panthers. If convicted, these young men would have faced the death penalty. The Oak Park Four, as they were called, were: 19 year old Jack Stivers; a football player, 23 year old Mark Teemer, today known as Akinsanya Kambon; Vietnam Veteran, artist and illustrator of the Black Panther Coloring Book, 23 year old Ceariaco Cabrallis; a father of two and volunteer mentor with the Big Brothers program, and 20 year old Booker T.

Cooke Jr.; former president of the Sacramento City College Black Student Union and one of the founders of the BSU Schoolchildren’s free breakfast program.

This program was founded after the 1969 Oak Park Riot and raid on the Black Panther’s building. Following the raid, the BSU stepped in and took over the free breakfast program. The Oak Park community worked tirelessly to raise funds for the defence of the Oak Park 4 through dances, auctions and door to door fundraising. Eventually all four young men were aquitted.

The goals of the Black Panthers were primarily to end police brutality and to create social reforms that would help improve the lives of Black Americans.

These same needs are still compelling today. The sight of armed black young people who were politically active and intent on change was not welcomed by the white majority or the political system.
age of *Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder)
*Recorded by: *Date Continuation
Update
DPR 523L (9/2013
State of California - The Resources Agency Primary#
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
Trinomial

CONTINUATION SHEET
Property Name: Sacramento Chapter of the Black Panther Party,

Page 11 ends

Although the Black Panthers were not known for commiting violent acts, they were seen as a serious threat and were labeled a hate group by the F.B.I. Today we know that the F.B.I.’s illegal and unconstitutional COINTELPRO program worked to “expose, disrupt, misdirect, discredit, or otherwise neutralize the activites of black nationalist, hate-type organizations and groupings, their leadership, spokesmen, membership, and supporters, and to counter their propensity for violence and civil disorder. Efforts of the various groups to consolidate their forces or to recruit new or youthful adherents must be frustrated. When an opoortunity is apparent to disrupt or neutralize black nationalist, hate-type organizations through the cooperation of established local news media contacts or through such contact with sources available to the Seat of Government, in every instance careful attention must be given to the proposal to insure the targeted group is disrupted, ridiculed, or discredited through the publicity and not merely publicized.” In 1969, the Chicago Police Department, in association with the F.B.I. carried out the assasinations of Fred Hampton and Mark Clark, two Black Panther leaders.

Conclusion
By 1973, the City of Sacramento Redevolpment Agency had purchased most of the commercial district along 35th street, between 4th and 5th, including the Black Panther’s building. The buildings were demolished and public housing was built in their place. Today it is difficult to envision 35th street as it was in the early 1970’s. With the destruction of Sacramento’s West End and the demise of restrictive land covenants, the ethnic makeup of Oak Park was no longer predominately white. 35th street was a commercial district, with aging early 20th century structures. It was also undergoing a change as longstanding businesses left the area. The many vacant shops were intermixed with countercultural enterprises, such as the Black Panthers. A few doors to the southwest of the Black Panther’s building was the Latino owned Belmonte Gallery, a coffee house and art gallery. Beyond the Belmonte Gallery was the Seabron Realty, owned by Black realtor George Seabron. A politically and civically active man, Seabron and a group of other investors bought a vacant grocery store across the street from his office with the hopes of aleveiating the food desert created by the closure of so many businesses in Oak Park.

Although the Black Panthers were militaristic in their approach to societal change, their goals were the goals of their community.
age of *Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder)
*Recorded by: *Date Continuation
Update
DPR 523L (9/2013
State of California - The Resources Agency Primary#
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
Trinomial

CONTINUATION SHEET
Property Name: Sacramento Chapter of the Black Panther Party,

Page 11 ends

The Black Panthers of Sacramento were local young men and women with a commitment to helping their community. To this day, they are remembered and respected for their activism and social service. Many members of the Black Panthers went on to spend their lives in public service, such as Akinsanya Kambon, one of the Oak Park Four, who taught at CSU Long Beach for 26 years.

In light of what we now know of the government’s attempts to neutralize the Black Panthers, and the struggles of the Oak Park community to achieve equality, the commemoration of the Sacramento chapter of the Black Panther Party site would be a positive step towards truth and justice. age of *Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder)
*Recorded by: *Date Continuation
Update
DPR 523L (9/2013
State of California - The Resources Agency Primary#
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
Trinomial

CONTINUATION SHEET
Property Name: Sacramento Chapter of the Black Panther Party,

Page 11 ends

Images
Image: Black Panthers from Sacramento, Free Huey Rally, Bobby Hutton Memorial Park, Oakland, CA, 1968. From left: Mary Ann Carlton, Delores Henderson, Joyce Lee, Joyce Means and Paula Hill. Photo by Pirkle Jones. Data Source:

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. age of *Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder)
*Recorded by: *Date Continuation
Update
DPR 523L (9/2013
State of California - The Resources Agency Primary#
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
Trinomial

CONTINUATION SHEET
Property Name: Sacramento Chapter of the Black Panther Party,

Page 11 ends

Image: Signage of the Black Panther Party Sacramento Chapter, June 17th, 1969.

Screenshot from KCRA News footage. Data Source: The Center for Sacramento History.
age of *Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder)
*Recorded by: *Date Continuation
Update
DPR 523L (9/2013
State of California - The Resources Agency Primary#
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
Trinomial

CONTINUATION SHEET
Property Name: Sacramento Chapter of the Black Panther Party,

Page 11 ends

Image: Sacramento Bee Photo, June 17th, 1969. Black Panther Party Sacramento Chapter, destruction of the free breakfast for schoolchildren supplies, following the Oak Park Riot. Data Source: The Center for Sacramento History. age of *Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder)
*Recorded by: *Date Continuation
Update
DPR 523L (9/2013
State of California - The Resources Agency Primary#
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
Trinomial

CONTINUATION SHEET
Property Name: Sacramento Chapter of the Black Panther Party,

Page 11 ends

Image: 1969 Black Panther Party pinback. Data Source: Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Image: 48th Anniversary of the founding of the Black Panther Party in Oak Park, 2016.
age of *Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder)
*Recorded by: *Date Continuation
Update
DPR 523L (9/2013
State of California - The Resources Agency Primary#
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
Trinomial

CONTINUATION SHEET
Property Name: Sacramento Chapter of the Black Panther Party,

Page 11 ends

Image: From The Black Panther Coloring Book, 1969. Akinsanya Kambon. age of *Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder)
*Recorded by: *Date Continuation
Update
DPR 523L (9/2013
State of California - The Resources Agency Primary#
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
Trinomial

CONTINUATION SHEET
Property Name: Sacramento Chapter of the Black Panther Party,

Page 11 ends

B12.References
Bloom, Joshua and Waldo E. Martin. Black Against Empire: The History and Politics of the Black Panther Party.

Berkeley: Univeristy of California Press, 2012.

Center for Sacramento History, “Sacramento Black Panther Party Headquarters June 17th 1969,” KCRA News footage.

Center for Sacramento History, Robin Datel, “Central Oak Park Walking Tour,” brochure, 2010.

Center for Sacramento History, Sacramento Observer archives.

Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Records: The Vault; COINTELPRO Black Extremist Part 01 of 23, 3-4.

Images of America, Sacramento; Special Collections of the Sacramento Public Library. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2019.

Sacramento City Building Permits
Sacramento County Assessor Data
Sacramento News and Review, 02/06/2020. Patrick Hyun Wilson. “A Sacred Art, See Sacramento Artist and Former Black Panther Akinsanya Kambon’s Terracotta Sculptures at Crocker Art Museum.” Smithsonian National Museum of Aftican American History and Culture.

NFS Form 10-900
(Rev. 8-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

REGISTRATION FORM
OMB No. 1024-0010

1. Name of Property
historic name: Dunlap's Dining Room
other name/site number: Dunlap House

2. Location
street & number: 4322 Fourth Avenue
not for publication: NA
city/town: Sacramento vicinity:NA
state: CA county: Sacramento code: 067 zip code: 95817

3. Classification
Ownership of Property: private
Category of Property: building
Number of Resources within Property:

Contributing Noncontributing
_1_ _1_ buildings
____ ____ sites
____ ____ structures
____ ____ objects
_1_ _1_ Total
Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register: _0_
Name of related multiple property listing: NA
USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form Dunlap's Dining Room Page 2

4. State/Federal Agency Certification
As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1986, as amended, I hereby certify that this x nomination ___ request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property x meets ___ does^not meet the National Register Criteria. __ See continuation sheet.

Signature of certifying (o£t icial Date '
California Office of Historic Preservation
State or Federal agency and bureau
In my opinion, the property ___ meets ___ does not meet the National Register criteria. __ See continuation sheet.

SI ^cjrvature~of ""commenting or other official Date
S^tate or FederaTl agency and bureau

5. National Park Service Certification
I, hereby certify that this property is:

Is entered in the National Register /]^\
__ See continuation sheet.
____ determined eligible for the __
National Register
__ See continuation sheet.
__ determined not eligible for the __
National Register
___ removed from the National Register __
_ other (explain): ______________
Z^p'ignature of Keeper Date
f\ of Action

6. Function or Use
Historic: Commerce/Trade: Sub: Restaurant
Domestic Single Dwelling
Current : Domestic Sub: Single Dwelling
USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form Dunlap's Dining Room Page 3

7. Description
Architectural Classification:
»
Colonial Revival
Other Description:

Materials: foundation: Brick roof: Asphalt
walls: Weatherboard other
Describe present and historic physical appearance. _X_ See continuation sheet.

8. Statement of Significance
Certifying official has considered the significance of this property in relation to other properties: locally__________.

Applicable National Register Criteria: A, B
Criteria Considerations (Exceptions) : NA_________
Areas of Significance: Ethnic Heritage: Black
Social History
Period(s) of Significance: 1917-1942
Significant Dates : ___ ___
Significant Person(s): Dunlap, George T
Cultural Affiliation:

Architect/Builder: unknown
State significance of property, and justify criteria, criteria considerations, and areas and periods of significance noted above X See continuation sheet.

USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form Dunlap's Dining Room Page 4

9. Major Bibliographical References
X__ See continuation sheet.
*
Previous documentation on file (NPS):
__ preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested.
previously listed in the National Register
J previously determined eligible by the National Register designated a National Historic Landmark
recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey # ________ " recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # _______ Primary Location of Additional Data:

State historic preservation office
~ Other state agency
Federal agency
~ Local government
University
_2 Other — Specify Repository: ___________________________

10. Geographical Data
Acreage of Property: Less than one acre
UTM References: Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing A 10 634630 4267530 B
C __ ______ _______ D
See continuation sheet.

Verbal Boundary Description: __ See continuation sheet.

Assessor's Parcel Number 014-0162-003-0000, Sacramento County Boundary Justification: __ See continuation sheet.

This is the land historically associated with the property.

11. Form Prepared By
Name/Title: Raymond J. Pitts, with SHPO assistance
Organization: Date:November 20, 1991
Street & Number:1136 Westlynn Way Telephone: (916) 422-9933_ City or Town: Sacramento State:CA ZIP: 95831
NFS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
(86-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES »

CONTINUATION SHEET
Section number 7 Dunlap's Dining Room Page 5
Dunlap's Dining Room is a one-story Colonial Revival house with twostory rear addition. Constructed in 1907, it sits on a residential lot in the Oak Park section of Sacramento. Although added to over the years, the building retains a high degree of integrity since all of the additions were made during the period of significance. Various mature shrubs and trees, such as palms and redwoods, remain at the rear of the house. The nicely landscaped grounds provided a place for restaurant guests to wait in comfort before being seated in the dining room.

The building is rectangular in plan, with hipped roofs over both the main section and rear addition. Siding is weatherboard, with narrow boards covering the original portion of the house. Elsewhere there are various sections of wide and narrow boards. The main elevation features a porch, supported by classical columns, running across the entire width of the building. A hipped roof dormer and Chicago window are the other notable features of the facade. The windows on this elevation are not the originals, but were added when the house was enlarged in the 1920s.

The original windows were smaller and did not admit as much light into the dining room area.

To accommodate George Dunlap's growing family and business, a major addition to the rear was made in the 1920s. This section was two stories in height, with the second story providing living space for the family after the dining room opened in 1930.

Interior features remaining include hardwood floors, decorative classical columns in the dining room area, French doors and a metal lamp with cupid motif on the balustrade.

At the rear of the property is a garage and storage building built in 1907 but altered severely in more recent years. This building is considered to be a non-contributing element.

NFS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
(86-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES *

CONTINUATION SHEET
Section number 8 Dunlap's Dining Room Page 6
Dunlap's Dining Room is significant for its association with a pioneer Sacramento African-American family whose principal member, George T.

Dunlap, made a distinct contribution to local and regional history as a successful entrepeneur in the food service industry. In addition, for 38 years the building was the home of a restaurant that was "the place" to eat for Sacramento area families, social clubs, business organizations, religious groups and prominent individuals seeking a place to dine and socialize in a unique atmosphere. For many older Sacramentans and Northern Californians the building stands as an icon of pleasure in their memories of delightful evenings in Sacramento. Dunlap patrons, generally middle-class whites, local and state government officials and professionals, recall vividly dining at Dunlap's with distinct pleasure.

George T. Dunlap's story is one of romance, determination and accomplishment. Born in Sacramento in February, 1884, George related often how he worked at odd jobs during "tough times to help make ends meet for the family...." By the turn of the century this young employee of the Southern Pacific Railway had worked his way up to the position of "chef" on private cars used by SP Area superintendents. On one of his many trips to Oakland he met and fell in love with Annie Louise Butler. At some point he told his mother, "I am going to build a house and bring my bride here to live." In 1906, he purchased lot #4501 of Goethe Subdivision K in Oak Park. In 1907 he built a four-room cottage; his was one of the first African-American families to build in Oak Park.

George and Annie Louise were married in Oakland that same year and began life in Sacramento as a family.

The first child, Audrey, was born in 1908 and a second daughter, Doris, in 1912. Two of Annie Louise's nieces came from Oakland to live with the Dunlaps during World War I. By 1920, two daughters and two nieces lived at the house on Fourth Avenue with the Dunlap couple. Additions were made to the house to accommodate a family of growing young ladies.

The evolution of the residence from the four-room one level structure to the eight-room two level structure was accomplished within twenty years after the original construction. This was home for the George Dunlap family. And, except for minor interior changes, the expanded California bungalow stands today exactly as it was in 1930, when by his decision and Annie Louise's design, it was open to the public.

As his family grew, the career of George as a food service entrepeneur developed and expanded as well. Serving as chef for Southern Pacific superintendents, he learned fast, performed well, made many contacts and, seemingly, impressed his employers. When the superintendents' cars were not running, George worked as a red cap. One superintendent and friend, Mr. J.D. Brennan, seeing his industry and competence, said to him, "George, you ought to get out of just being a chef and move out on your own. You've been in this long enough."
NFS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
(86-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Section number 8 Dunlap's Dining Room Page 7
Taking this as a challenge and as timely advice, records show that he began a private catering venture and operated restaurants in downtown Sacramento; one at 621 J Street and another, the Capitol Hotel Restaurant. Mrs. Dunlap worked in the latter along with George and helped with catering out of their home.

Going back to his first love, George began contracting with railways for delivery of food service. He obtained a contract to manage food service for the Sacramento Northern Railway on its run from San Francisco to Chico. His first contract for the food service concession at the California State Fair began in 1917 and his service there was operated for 41 years. Dunlap contracted to operate a restaurant and snack bar on the ferry boat Ramon for the San Francisco-Sacramento Railway. This contract was for five years beginning September 1, 1925, but was terminated two years early. In 1927, when the Sacramento Northern was taken over by the Western Pacific, his food sercice contract was in jeopardy. Sensing this as an opportunity, and with a suggestion from wife Annie Louise, the idea of a family business at home was born.

Early in their marriage, Mrs. Dunlap had traveled the SP routes with George into some of the southern states. During one such visit she was shown several "tea rooms" in the area and was quite impressed. The idea of inviting guests into one's home for a special dinner, and for pay, appealed to her; and she dreamed of doing this at her home some day with her family as hosts. The opportunity came with the career crisis of husband George. On March 29, 1930, the most successful of the Dunlap ventures was launched. Dunlap's Dining Room opened its doors that year.

For the next 38 years, friends, associates and a well deserved group of patrons from Dunlap's long standing food service ventures, enjoyed lunches, dinners and special occasion meals with the Dunlap family as hosts.

By the time George Dunlap reached his late 60s, he received a number of awards and honors in recognition of his long, successful career. In 1949 he received a coveted award for "Outstanding Performance, Food Service" at the California State Fair. In 1952 he was appointed to the.

California State Agricultural Society. His membership included serving as advisor in the development of food service displays and operations as a representative of the Society. Upon retirement from participation in the California State Fair and Exposition, 1958, Dunlap was given an award for 41 years of successful food service at this statewide event.

He and Audrey were special guests at the dedication and opening of the California State Railroad Museum, at various affairs honoring AfricanAmericans for contributions to the civic and social life in Sacramento, and were special guests at an affair honoring Black judges.

NFS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
(86-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES *

CONTINUATION SHEET
Section number 8 Dunlap's Dining Room Page 8
By far, Dunlap's most cherished and rewarding life experience was the family-owned and family-operated jewel, Dunlap's Dining Room. The entire first floor of the pink colored residence at 4322 Fourth Avenue was the site of a well organized and smoothly operated business. More precisely, it reflected an unusual type of cultural cooperation on the part of Dunlap family members to be shared with fellow Sacramentans.

Demanding conditions of the Depression thirties and changes of the WWII years gave the family a type of survival strength and a sense of pride in sharing their home while operating a family business for the public.

This survival strength and sense of pride was a common social characteristic of African-American Sacramentans during this period. Their small numbers (1,485 persons out of a county-wide population of 141,999 in 1930) made them virtually invisible as a social and economic entity in the growth and development of the city and county. This did not, however, stifle the drive among many to strike out and succeed in the business arena. Realizing that the white majority was a market of necessity for survival, many local African-American businesspeople geared their product toward the satisfaction of that community.

In businesses that relied on high customer visibility, Blacks in many cases were welcome, but only if they did not affect the number of white customers who patronized the establishment. Many Black businesspersons operated on this level due to the incredible odds against surviving in a depressed economy with an extremely small African-American population.

This policy would change only after the arrival of thousands of new Black emigrants to Sacramento during the Second World War. The traditional customer base of Dunlap's Dining room would remain much the same despite these changes however.

Most diners had reservations as they walked up the six front porch steps and through the front door. They had been assured an entree from one of the three Dunlap classics: chicken, fried or smothered; baked ham; or T-bone steak. On entering they were met and seated by gracious daughter, Audrey. After being seated at one of the linen covered tables, one of the "Dunlap Girls" appeared to begin the specially learned treatment for patrons. Many diners' personal recollections recount a waitress's eye-catching way of filling the water glasses, tea served in fine China cups, the special soup — now known as "soup of the day" — for which there was no recipe, and the ease and grace with which these waitresses made each evening a special occasion.

Goerge Dunlap had imaginative arrangements for food on main course plates. A dinner served was admired both for its attractiveness and for its taste. The dinner finished, one of Annie Louise's creative delights took over for dessert. Bavarian creme, lemon ice-box cake and angel NFS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
(86-86)
United States Department of the Interior
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NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES *

CONTINUATION SHEET
Section number 8 Dunlap's Dining Room Page 9
food supreme still linger long in the memory and taste buds of most Dunlap dining patrons.

And who were these patrons? George Dunlap was a native Sacramentan.

Through local boyhood enterprises he earned money at many odd jobs and made business friends. Jobs with the fast growing Southern Pacific Railway broadened both his vision of entrepeneurship as well as patron contacts. Patrons from his earlier business ventures migrated to the Dining Room. First by formal invitation, then by word of mouth based on its growing popularity, and finally by selective business advertising the patron list grew. Several hundred Sacramento area residents as well as visitors to Sacramento dined with the Dunlaps during the period of a year.

Available records found in the Dunlap home comprise a unique collection of documents and memorabilia that are significant for genealogical studies, for a case study in business operations in the Sacramento area and for research in some aspects of local African-American history.

Handwritten reservation books, carefully indexed with notes, cover 38 years of Sacramento's patronage with Dunlap's. These list individuals, families and organized groups by name, date and service received with occasional business and personal notes. This is Audrey Dunlap's principal contribution to one area of Sacramento's written local history. She likes to state that, "Earl Warren and his family ate their first meal here as a family when he became Governor of California." She can name others, locally and nationally known.

Today, Audrey Dunlap Wilcox, lone direct survivor of George T. Dunlap, is the primary resource and narrator for an oral history project on the subject of Dunlap's Dining Room. This project is on-going and supplies eye-witnessed factual information as well as key informational leads for use in the broader study of the Dunlap Family and its history.

The restaurant continued to function as an important eating establishment in Sacramento into the 1960s. However, because significance has not been shown to be exceptional, the period of significance has arbitrarily been ended at 1942, fifty years ago.

NFS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018
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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES f

CONTINUATION SHEET
Section number 9 Dunlap's Dining Room Page 10
Bibliography
Arranged chronologically in terms of Dunlap's involvement with the property which became known as
Dunlap's Dining Room.

1. _Re,e.q_JiQoK. gf tlie SacrajiejitQ^C^jLmty R.eQor,der_^ p 363.

Scicramento, California. 1906.

Purchase of lot #4501 by George T. Dunlap. .
2 . Assessment Book <?f Property of Sacramento City (Annexed Territory for the Year 1912) , page 1075.

Property assessment for, George T. Dunlap. City of Sacramento. 3 . HAP BOOK, CITY OF SACRAMENTO,. 1914 - 1915. A - K,. Goethe Subdivision, Addition K, p 3.

Lot H 4501 shown as located on Cypress Street.

4. City. Qf Sacramento Building Permits, 1905 -1919. page 438.

No building permits found for the homes built in Oak Park prior to 1912 the year the area was annexed to the city.

September 18, 1917. 1-story frame shed. (Rear Structure?)

5. Map Book, City of Sacramento, 1920 ..- 1921. Goethe Subdivision K, ptige 96.
^ Street name change; Cypress Street changed to Fourth Ave.

City Records of Plumbers Certificates, 192.1 - 1925. page 148.

July 9, 1924. Bath-room construction.

Assessment Book; City of Sacramentc-, 1930 - 31. page , Property assessment at 4322 Fourth Avenue.

PJLary ..of a Dining Room. Unpublished Manuscript. Ray Pitts 1990.

Notes and documents researched include significant information. A formal invitation announced the opening of "...an NFS Form 10-900-a 0MB Approval No. 1024-0018
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CONTINUATION SHEET
Section number 9 Dunlap's Dining Room Page 11
exclusive Dining Room" by Mrs. George Dunlap, March 29, 1930 at her home, 4322 Fourth Avenue, "....where Southern Dinners will be served ...Reservations Preferred".
9 Sacramento Bee, (Exact da^te pot known.) Approximate date, February, 1931.

A note on the upcoming, "....first anniversary of the opening of his Southern Dinner establishment...." and a brief review of the career of George T. Dunlap.

10. ReservatiQn Books and Ledgers, Dunlap* s Dining Room, Audrey Wilcox Dunlap. 1931 - 1968. Volumes for 1934 - 1947 not yet located.

Entries and notes by Mrs. Audrey Dunlap Wilcox, receptionist, manager and official Dunlap's hostess for the 38 year operation of the establishment.

Lists all reservations by persons, number in party, type of party, menu served, special requests and notes by Audrey. Many personal and family notes are included..

11. £QlQ£QrjlijaJ-JI&^ Vol 1, (4). 1948 (?)
"Dunlap's Dining Room Serves Exclusive Cliental In Sacramento".

Description and staff photos of interior of Dunlap's with notes on the State Fair food service operations of George T. Dunlap. 1 2 . Adventure.!^ .in_G..orQd Eating, A Duncan Hines Book, Good Eating PIlLaej^Jjmgi^^ (Vol. date & page being
determined. Approximate date 195-.)
This references was cited by five narrators in oral interviews as praising "....ambiance, food and service as both excellent and unique.". A search is underway to locate the exact date for this reference.

13. California Death Index. July 1 1905 - 1988. p ___ . . March 1 _ , 1969. p __ .

The oft-mentioned Dunlap's Bavarian Creme, lemon ice-box cake, Angel Food Supreme and all salads were the creation of Annie Louise Butler Dunlap. When she became ill in 1968, the Dining Room closed. One year later, 1969, Mrs. Dunlap, wife, mother and creator of these well remeunbered delights died.

14. SACXamejltCLJ QJbS£ry.er«. ., "Special Edition, A Long Look.", Nov. 1973. p LL-72.

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Section number 9 Dunlap's Dining Room Page 12
"Success Was No Stranger". Notes, quotes and photos from an interview with Goerge T. Dunlap by Observer Special Edition writers citing progress of many Black Sacramentans.

15. Sacramento Observer. February 15 - 21, 1979. p A-3. "Distinguished Guest". At a special dinner honoring two Black Judges, both of Sacramento, Mr. Dunlap was cited for his special cotribution in the food service bus-iness.

16. Sun Reporter. San Francisco, February 16, 1974. p 6. "90 Years Young" by Thomas C. Fleming.

Thomas Fleming, now Editor of the San Francisco Sun Reporter, was a longtime friend and co-worker with George T. Dunlap .

The front-page picture and half-page story cites Mr. Dunlap's 90th birthday. (Some in-accuracies are noted in this article)

17. Sacramento Bee. December 29, 1979. p CL 8.
"Southern hospitality dished up at Dunlap's." by Claudia Buck.

Full page article with photos base on an exclusive interview with Mr. Dunlap. Biographical notes, photos and comments on the Dining Room by daughter Audrey.

18. Sacramento Bee. March 5, 1980. p __.

Obituary: George T. Dunlap. A brief review of Mr. Dunlap's Career.

The residence at 4322 Fourth Avenue was home for George Dunlap for the 12 years after his wife's death. Mrs. Audrey Dunlap Wilcox, lone surviving daughter and present owner, has been caretaker and preserver of the property for the past 11 years.

19. CQm^Jfc.Q,gkis: The .Sacramento. Ex,e.cjutly^_JjQjitJily_a. Vol. 3 (1).

January, 1991. pp 61-62.

Reminiscences of a client's childhood visits to the Dining Room with photo of Audrey and notes on the Dunlap food, service, and ambiance for which it was became famous.

20. senior Spectrum^ Vol 19 (13), March 27 1991.
"Stan's Sacramento", Stan Gilliam.

Stan's recollection about Dunlap's and an appeal to former Dunlap clients for recollection through oral interviews.

NFS Form 10-900-a 0MB Approval No. 1024-0018
(86-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES *

CONTINUATION SHEET
Dunlap's Dining Room Page 13
Photo Log
All photos except historic photos taken by Ray Pitts, 1136 Westlynn Way, Sacramento, CA 95831. All negatives are in the possession of Mr. Pitts at his home address. All photos (except historic) taken in 1990-91.

Photo 1: View from north
Photo 2: View from east
Photo 3: View from north, rear storage building
Photo 4: Circa 1909, view from north
Photo 5: Circa 1945, view from north
Photo 6: Circa 1950, inside view facing east
Photo 7: Circa 1948, inside view facing west. Copy from Colofornia: The California Magazine, vol. 1, (4), 1948.

Item #2
Attachment 2: Nomination Forms
7 NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012)

United States Department of the Interior National
Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Registration Form
This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in National Register Bulletin, How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and su bcategories from the instructions.

Place additional certification comments, entries, and narrative items on continuation sheets if needed (NPS Form 10 -900a).

2. Location
street & number 3552 7th Avenue (note: property is accessed from 3565 9th Avenue) city or town Sacramento
not for publication
vicinity

state California code CA county Sacramento code 067 zip code 95817 As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this nomination _ request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60.

In my opinion, the property _ meets _ does not meet the National Register Criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant at the following level(s) of significance:
national statewide local

Signature of certifying official/Title Date
State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government
In my opinion, the property meets does not meet the National Register criteria.

Signature of commenting official Date

Title State or Federal agenc y/bureau or Tribal Government

4. National Park Service Certification

1. Name of Property
historic name Shiloh Baptist Church
other names/site number Siloam Baptist Church (1856-1891)

3. State/Federal Agency Certification
Landmark Nomination (M12-001) April 4, 2012
Item #2
I hereby certify that this property is:
entered in the National Register determined eligible for the National Register

determined not eligible for the National Register removed from the National Register

other (explain:) _________________

Signature of the Keeper Date of Action
1 United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012)
Shiloh Baptist Church Sacramento, California
Name of Property County and State
Item #2 2

5. Classification
Ownership of Property Category of Property Number of Resources within Property (Check as many boxes as apply.) (Check only one box.) (Do not include previously listed resources in the count.) Contributing Noncontributing private building(s) 1 2
buildings
public - Local district sites
public - State Site structures
public - Federal structure objects object Total
Name of related multiple property listing Number of contributing resources previously (Enter "N/A" if property is not part of a multiple property listing) listed in the National Register

N/A N/A

6. Function or Use
Historic Functions Current Functions

7. Description
Architectural Classification Materials
(Enter categories from instructions.) (Enter categories from instructions.) Modern Movement: Mid-century Modernism foundation:

X X
(Enter categories from instructions.) (Enter categories from instructions.) Religion/Religious Facility = Church Religion/Religious Facility = Church

1 2
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012)
Shiloh Baptist Church Sacramento, California
Name of Property County and State
Item #2 3
Narrative Description
(Describe the historic and current physical appearance of the property. Explain contributing and noncontributing resources if necessary. Begin with a summary paragraph that briefly describes the general characteristics of the property, such as its location, setting, size, and significant features.) Summary Paragraph
The Shiloh Baptist Church was built beginning in 1958 and completed in 1963. The church, designed by James C. Dodd, FAIA, is an early example of Mid-century Modern architecture in Sacramento, incorporating a clear yet dramatic geometric form, up-angled roof lines that are reflected in the entryway and sanctuary spaces, horizontal bands of glass, an open interior, and minimal adornment inside and out. The asymmetrical placement of the building on the site emphasizes the geometry of the building and enhances the drama of the angled roof lines. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Narrative Description
The main sanctuary plan is square, but oriented at a 45-degree angle to the street to appear diamond-shaped. The triangular roof rises to one-and-a-half stories on an angle above the sanctuary. This section of roof is placed on a diagonal which, with the clerestory and entrance assembly, distinguishes it from the rest of the building. The roof and portico provide planar lines to an otherwise conventional building. Square in plan, the building has two wings on the northeast and southeast elevations. The roof is covered with composition shingles, and the walls are a uniform stucco finish with redwood fascia and louver accents. Stained glass windows and an elevated cross define the front of the building.

Main Entrance
The entrance assembly includes a portico with a flat roof and steel support posts set into an elevated concrete landing.

Iron rails divide the continuous landing, emphasizing the dramatic angular roof line. The entrance is composed of multisized divided glass lites with two pair of solid doors on either side. The angled sanctuary roof is set back approximately 18’ and is glazed with two multi-lite red and white glazed windows that extend from the portico roof to the sanctuary roof. The steel support posts extend above the portico to support a structural tower that reaches skyward culminating with a lighted cross. An additional steel beam ties the cross the sanctuary roof. This assembly—the angled roof, elevated cross and steel supports—reaches towards the skyward while still remaining grounded and connected to the Church, symbolizing the spiritual purpose of the building.

Left (southeast) elevation
The one-story reception hall, extending from the southeast elevation, is defined by a wooden louver window with a white cross integrated into it on the east elevation. The reception hall is also flanked by two unique patterned custom windows glazed with opaque stained glass. The north-facing side of the reception hall has a group of three one-lite windows topped with transoms, and a solid door. One of the windows has been infilled.

Right (southwest) elevation
walls: Concrete/Stucco
roof: Other: Composition shingles
other:

Northeast elevation
The northeast elevation is comprised of several one-story boxes housing the kitchen, library and several restrooms. Apart from the geometry of the boxes, this elevation is fairly spare. Several pairs of opaque single-lite windows allow light into the kitchen storage room and the library. A solid recessed exit door between the kitchen storage and library discharges onto a concrete pathway. A small addition with a shed roof was added on to the east side of the classroom wing. Five small windows punctuate the addition just below the eave, and several pieces of mechanical equipment can be seen on the roof and both sides. The northwest side of the classroom wing has three sets of three two-lite aluminum sliding windows just below the eave. The diamond-shaped sanctuary roof descends to a point above the storage room.

Northwest elevation
A one-story office wing runs the length of the northwest elevation, punctuated by individual two-lite aluminum sliding windows covered with metal security grates. Three solid doors—one facing northeast, and two facing northwest (one at the north end and one at the south)—exit the building. A second-story room, used as a dressing room for baptismal ceremonies, is located at the northwest end of this elevation. The room has a hipped roof and two pairs of aluminum sliding windows facing northwest; a smaller set are located on the northeast elevation.

Interior
The sanctuary is the focal point of the interior. It is a simple diamond-shaped, two-story open space with an angular ceiling that reflects the dramatic roof line, and pendant light fixtures. The painted walls are sheathed with a prefabricated wood panel wainscot. Floor-to-ceiling stained glass windows flank the wood entry doors, carrying a Wrightian influence to the interior. The floor is carpeted, and honey-colored wood pews furnish the space. The pulpit is raised four steps and is surrounded by a wood-paneled wall that matches the pews. The lectern is also wood, placed at the center of the pulpit.

The pulpit contains seats for the choir, and is entered through a wood door in the rear. On a balcony above the pulpit is the baptismal. The ritual of baptism is intended to be witnessed by the entire congregation, “a ceremony reserved for adults only, since they alone are capable of comprehending its significance: a symbol of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and of the death and resurrection of the sinner into a new Christian life. 1The ceremony takes place within a pool on the balcony that is hidden by curtains when not in use.

Secondary spaces are arranged around the perimeter of the diamond-plan sanctuary, primarily on the northeast and northwest sides of the building. The sanctuary is flanked by corridors on these sides of the building, and classrooms, offices, a library and restrooms open off the corridor. At the southeast elevation, the reception hall is entered from the lobby, as does an additional classroom. A kitchen, which appears to retain its original finishes, is located off the reception hall. A nursery and additional restrooms are located on the southwest side. These spaces are simple and have changed little since the construction of the Church. It appears from a comparison of the original drawings and current floor plan that the nursery on the southwest elevation was converted to additional seating circa 1979.

Landscape Features and Garage
1 Albert Christ-Janner and Mary Mix Foley, Modern Church Architecture, A Guide to the Form and Spirit of 20th Century Religious Building.(New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1962) p.239.

Several mature trees dot the east side of the parking lot. The original concrete walks, set at an angle, to the portico are intact, as is the slightly curving driveway shown on Dodd’s plans. Varied foundation plantings are found at the front of the building. The west driveway is gated with an automatic gate. The parking lot to the west along 9thAvenue is shielded by a planting bed, and an isolated tree is located in the northwest corner of the lot, south of Anderson Hall. The garage is a non-contributor due to its later date of construction, and was not designed by James C. Dodd.

Outbuildings
Anderson Hall, built circa 1971 and located in the northwest corner of the lot, is a one-story concrete block building with a flat roof. It has aluminum sliding windows, and a set of double doors on the east elevation, sheltered by a flat porch roof supported with wood posts. It is a non-contributor due to its later date of construction.

Integrity Assessment
Shiloh Baptist Church retains many important aspects of its historic integrity. The building is in its original location and retains many of its original features of design, setting, materials, workmanship and association. The Church building has not undergone any significant changes to the exterior or interior since its construction, other than changes in function to auxiliary rooms. The overall setting has changed somewhat due to expansions in parking and the addition of outbuildings; however the overall character of the building and property has not been adversely affected by these changes.

8. Statement of Significance
Applicable National Register Criteria
(Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Register listing.)
AProperty is associated with events that have made a
significant contribution to the broad patterns of our
history.

BProperty is associated with the lives of persons
significant in our past.

CProperty embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents
the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity
whose components lack
individual distinction.

DProperty has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

Criteria Considerations
(Mark "x" in all the boxes that apply.)
Property is:

A Owned by a religious institution or used for religious purposes.

B removed from its original location.

C a birthplace or grave.

D a cemetery.

E a reconstructed building, object, or structure.

F a commemorative property.

G less than 50 years old or achieving significance
within the past 50 years.

Areas of Significance
Period of Significance
1958-1963
Significant Dates
April 13, 1958: Groundbreaking ceremony
October 13, 1963: Official dedication of new
church building
Significant Person
(Complete only if Criterion B is marked above.)
Cultural Affiliation N/A
Architect/Builder
Dodd, James C., Architect
Cooke, Reverend Willie P., Builder
Warner, Joseph, Contractor/Builder
Period of Significance (justification)
The church was built starting in 1958 and completed in 1963. Because the construction of the resource began more than 50 years ago but construction overlaps the fifty year period by less than two years, the period of significance does not require exceptional significance consideration under Criteria Consideration G.

X
X
X
(Enter categories from instructions.)
Ethnic Heritage, Black
Architecture
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012)
Shiloh Baptist Church Sacramento, California
Name of Property County and State
Item #2
Criteria Considerations (explanation, if necessary)
This church is a religious property and meets the requirements of Criteria Consideration A, deriving primary significance from its association with historic events (the relocation of Sacramento’s African American community during t he redevelopment era) and its architectural distinction (as the first major work of master architect James C. Dodd.) SECTION 8 Statement of Significance Summary Paragraph (Provide a summary paragraph that includes level of significance and applicable criteria.)
Shiloh Baptist Church is eligible for the National Register under Criteria A and C at the local level of significance for its role in the history of Sacramento’s African-American community during the redevelopment era and for its Mid-century Modern architecture as designed by master architect James C. Dodd. The property’s period of significance is from 1958 until 1963, the period from groundbreaking until the completion of its construction. The property meets the requirements of Criteria Consideration A due to deriving primary significance from historical importance other than its religious role, and its architectural distinction.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Narrative Statement of Significance (Provide at least one paragraph for each area of significance.) Shiloh Baptist Church is historically significant for its association with Sacramento’s African-American community during the redevelopment era of the 1950s and 1960s, and the work of James C. Dodd, Sacramento’s first African-American licensed architect. It served as the focal point for the African-American community of Sacramento’s Oak Park neighborhood, and was constructed by the congregation in accordance with Dodd’s plans. A vast majority of the construction was completed by Reverend Willie P. Cooke, pastor of Shiloh, with the assistance of congregation members.

The Church and its construction by Reverend Cooke and his congregation is a monument to the motivation, dedication and determination of the Shiloh community that continues today.

Under Criterion A, Shiloh Baptist Church is significant because of its important association with the patterns of Sacramento’s history. As the second-oldest African-American congregation in Sacramento, the Shiloh Baptist Church is a symbol of the determination of the congregation and Sacramento’s larger African-American community, and the Church’s evolution from a 40-member organization to one of the largest African-American congregations in the region. The formation of Shiloh Baptist Church “was a further symbol of the sense of permanence that blacks were beginning to feel for Sacramento.” It was also a symbol of the developing diversity in the growing African-American population in California.2 The Shiloh Congregation has been associated with a number of influential individuals as well, including Reverend Willie Cooke and Netta Sparks, who were recognized for their contributions to many civic organizations and the larger community. In short, Shiloh Baptist Church is a symbol of the enduring African-American community in Sacramento and in California. The relocation of Shiloh Baptist Church and its congregation from downtown Sacramento to the neighborhood of Oak Park during Sacramento’s redevelopment era showed the continuing resilience of this community.

Under Criterion C, Shiloh Baptist Church is an early but defining example of Mid-century Modern architecture by Sacramento’s first licensed African-American architect, James C. Dodd, FAIA. Dodd’s office worked on a wide variety of community project, including schools, military chapels, churches and low-income housing projects. Dodd was an active and well-respected member of the community, as well as the recipient of numerous awards. He was elected an FAIA 2 Clarence Caesar, An Historical Overview of the Development of Sacramento’s Black Community, 1850-1983 (Thesis, California State University, Sacramento, 1985) pp. 59-61.

Criterion A: Shiloh Baptist Church
Shiloh Baptist Church was organized in Sacramento in 1856. Originally called Siloam Baptist Church, it was founded and organized by the Reverend Charles Satchell, who also served as the first pastor. The congregation first met at a Chinese Chapel located on Sixth and H streets, currently the location of the Federal Building. The congregation raised funds through 1859 and 1860, and used the money to purchase a synagogue located on Fifth Street between N and O Streets, replaced in approximately 1960 by the “Pioneer Tower” superblock apartment complex 5 In 1891, the name of the church was officially changed from Siloam Baptist Church to Shiloh Baptist Church6 In 1905, under the pastorate of Reverend J. Gordon McPherson, the Church purchased property on the corner of Sixth and P Street. On June 18, 1905, the cornerstone was laid for a new church. In August 1934, Reverend J.T. Muse became the pastor of Shiloh. Under his pastorship (1934-1947), the membership of Shiloh had increased to approximately 800 and was the largest Black Baptist Church in Sacramento7 In 1952, Willie Phillip Cooke joined Shiloh and acknowledged his call to the ministry. Reverend Williams licensed Reverend Cooke on December 16, 1953, and he was ordained by the Church on November 11, 1956.

In 1954, the Church purchased three lots located at Ninth Avenue and 36th Street at a cost of $7,500.00. The city of Sacramento was undertaking several urban redevelopment programs in the downtown area and the board of Shiloh realized they would eventually have to relocate from Sixth and P Streets. At the time, the neighborhood of Oak Park was unrestricted, allowing African-Americans to purchase property in Oak Park for a new church8 After ten years of service, Reverend Williams tended his resignation as pastor of Shiloh on January 1, 1957. In February, Reverend Cooke became Pastor of Shiloh. As a result of the City’s redevelopment activities, the new pastor arranged to have the church moved to the property at 9th Avenue and 36th Street. 9 Construction History
3 Central Valley Chapter, the American Institute of Architects, Press Release, April 6, 1981, provided by the Central Valley Chapter of the AIA.
4 Biography provided by the Central Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. 5 Clarence Caesar, An Historical Overview of the Development of Sacramento’s Black Community, 1850-1983 (Thesis, California State University, Sacramento, 1985) p. 59. 6 Church history.
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid.
9 Ibid.

Cooke to complete the Church with the assistance of the congregation11 Much of the construction on the Church was done by Rev. Cooke, an electrician by trade. The congregation was fundamental in constructing the new Church. Members re-mortgaged their homes and others assisted in the construction.

The congregation as a whole gave building materials and held fundraisers to help complete the building. On October 12, 1958, the second Sunday, the Shiloh congregation moved into the incomplete building and held the first service at the new location. This service and many services during the next five years were held under adverse conditions due to the incomplete construction. The years of hard work by Rev. Cooke and the members of Shiloh resulted in completion of the building in 1963 at a final cost of $207,000.00.14
On October 13, 1963, the official dedication of the new Shiloh Baptist Church was held. Rev. F.D. Haynes, Pastor of Third Baptist Church, San Francisco, California, delivered the dedication sermon. Since Shiloh’s dedication, additional properties have been purchased on the east and west sides of the church for parking and additional educational facilities.12
Shiloh Baptist Church in Oak Park: 1963-present
Reverend Cooke was actively involved in the betterment of the larger community, establishing the Political and Social Action Committee in 1975 because he wanted the Church membership to become more politically active. Several members of the congregation were actively involved in the NAACP, including Eugene Covington, once president of the local chapter, and Netta Sparks, a pioneering member of that organization. In 1971, Shiloh sponsored the government subsidized housing project of Shiloh Arms. This housing development, in which James C. Dodd was also involved, provided reasonably priced housing for persons who were in need of low cost decent housing. 13 10 Ibid. 11
Ibid. 12
Ibid.
11 Ibid.
12 Ibid.
13 Ibid.
17 Ibid.

Sacramento’s African-American Community
Sacramento’s African-American community began to establish itself around 1850, after finding some success as miners or servicing the mining industry. Many in the community found employment as laundrymen, cooks, porters, mule drivers and miners, as well as owners of eating houses, coffee houses, boarding houses and blacksmiths. The African-American 14 Ibid.
population in Sacramento in the early 1850s was relatively small, at 191 persons, and had settled primarily on or around Third Street.16
Once economically established, the African-American community began to establish social and religious institutions. 17 “The development of black community institutions in Sacramento were in many ways a response to a society that refused to treat blacks as equals. The churches, benevolent societies, schools, and social organizations created during the 1850’s 14 Netta Sparks Obituary. Art Campos, Sacramento Bee, November 24, 1993, Page B1. 19 Church history.
15 Ibid.
16 Clarence Caesar, An Historical Overview of the Development of Sacramento’s Black Community, 1850-1983 (Thesis, California State University, Sacramento, 1985) pp. 22-25. 17 Ibid, p. 26.

Real estate developer Edwin K Alsip bought Doyle’s land in 1887, with the idea to divide the land into small lots that would be affordable to the working class. Sacramento had a large working-class population, including many who worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad Shops in downtown Sacramento. 20 A streetcar company, Central Street Railway, was formed in 1887 in order to serve Oak Park and the adjoining suburb of Highland Park. This company, owned by real estate developers Edwin K. Alsip and Leonidas Lee Lewis, was intended to carry commuters from downtown Sacramento to their new residential suburbs, Highland Park and Oak Park. Originally planned as a cable car line, Central Street Railway briefly experimented with battery-powered streetcars but abandoned them in favor of horse-drawn streetcars. In 1890, Central Street Railway converted to electric power generated by a steam engine at their car barn at 28th and M Street. In 1891, they purchased control of R.S. Carey’s City Street Railway and consolidated both lines, renaming the combined company the Central Electric Railway. 21 In 1892, H.P. Livermore and Albert Gallatin applied for their own streetcar franchise under the name “Sacramento Electric Power and Light Company.” They purchased the existing Sacramento streetcar lines and expanded them. In 1895, electric power generated at Gallatin and Livermore’s new hydroelectric generator 22 miles away in Folsom, CA, was connected to Sacramento. This generator provided enough electricity to power the streetcar system with surplus to sell to residential customers in neighborhoods adjacent to the streetcar lines. By 1895, the streetcar and power company had reorganized as the Sacramento Electric, Gas and Railway Company. In 1906, SEG&R became part of a larger, regional company, called Pacific Gas & Electric, or PG&E. By 1910, the park originally named Oak Park was renamed Joyland, an electric amusement park including the “Giant Racer” rollercoaster.

The newly established community of Oak Park grew rapidly in the first decade of the twentieth century. The first two churches, the Oak Park Baptist Church and the Oak Park Methodist Church, were established by 1901. The interurban railroad company Central California Traction built an interurban passenger, freight and streetcar line from Stockton Boulevard and up 2nd Avenue to Broadway in 1909, providing an additional streetcar link to downtown Sacramento as well 18 Ibid, p. 37.
19 Ibid, p.59-61.
20 Historic Environment Consultants, “Oak Park Survey, 2005” (Prepared for the City of Sacramento Preservation Office, June 2005) pp.A 1-2.
21 Guido, Francis A., “Street Railways of Sacramento”, Western Railroader Vol. 19 No. 12 (October 1956) p. 3..

Oak Park underwent frequent ethnic change during the first half of the 20th century. Early African American residents of Oak Park included George Dunlap, restaurant owner, whose residence in Oak Park began prior to annexation to the city of Sacramento. The family of labor activist Ernesto Galarza moved to Oak Park briefly after annexation, indicating the presence of Mexican immigrants in the neighborhood in the 1910s.25 Previous research of city directories indicates that while the neighborhood began with generally northern European origins, it had evolved by the 1920s to a southern European, predominantly Italian, neighborhood. While non-white residents were present in Oak Park since the early 1900s, African-Americans began to move into the neighborhood in large numbers in the 1950s, and became the predominant demographic in the 1960s.26 This movement was due in large part to the demolition of the West End, an earlier African-American neighborhood in downtown Sacramento that was demolished in urban renewal projects of that era. As indicated in discussion of church history, Sacramento’s African American population was primarily locat ed in downtown Sacramento near Shiloh’s original location, and this community saw significant growth during World War II, when Japanese Americans sent to internment camps were removed from the neighborhood and thousands of African Americans moved into the former Japantown seeking employment in Sacramento’s waterfront industries. After the war, more African American servicemen came to Sacramento with their families, sometimes settling in the crowded West End but when possible moving to unrestricted neighborhoods in Sacramento’s suburbs, including Oak Park. Oak Park thus represented an alternative location for Shiloh’s congregants in the face of redevelopment: when the church relocated to Oak Park, the neighborhood followed.27
Criterion C: Architecture
Under Criterion C, Shiloh Baptist Church embodies the distinctive characteristic of a type and period of construction as envisioned by master architect James C. Dodd. Shiloh Baptist Church’s design was an early and prominent example of 22 Historic Environment Consultants, pp. A 5-7 and William Burg, Sacramento’s Streetcars, (Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2006) p. 89.
23 Historic Environment Consultants, pp. A 5-7.
24 McGuire, Pamela, “Historic Overview for the Oak Park Redevelopment Area and Determination of Eligibility for Inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places for the Oak Park Land Development Areas (1) and (2),” (Survey prepared for City of Sacramento, April 1980).
25 Galarza, Ernesto. Barrio Boy (University of Notre Dame: Notre Dame, 1971) p. 247-261. 26 Lawrence Adams, “A Place Called Home,” in Sacramento’s Oak Park, Lee M.A. Simpson, editor. (San Francisco:

Arcadia Publishing, 2004) p. 17 and Historic Environment Consultants, “Oak Park Survey, 2005” (Prepared for the City of Sacramento Preservation Office, June 2005) pp.A-13.
27 Caesar, p. 160-164.

Shiloh Baptist Church’s design was an early and prominent example of Mid-century Modern architecture in Sacramento.

Mid-century Modern architecture, “was the result of further development of the International style and Frank Lloyd Wright’s principles of organic architecture…and [proved] to be a popular style for civic and commercial buildings.”33 Post-World War II technological innovations “resulted in new applications for materials and cost-effective techniques incorporating steel, glass, plastics, aluminum, and reinforced concrete.”28
With the development of the suburbs, “there was conscious effort on the part of most denominations to building a new type of church in which traditional ecclesiastic reference were being replaced with new and more abstract forms, and the use of more common surface materials, such as pre-cast concrete, came into wider use.”29 Since the Church was under pressure to move due to redevelopment projects, the congregation likely saw this as an opportunity to make a contemporary statement about their faith.

It is possible that Dodd took inspiration from Wright’s First Unitarian Society Meeting House (1947), a well-known early example of Modern ecclesiastical architecture. Wright’s geometric theme is based on the diamond, and the Meeting House’s signature feature is “the prominent blue-green copper roof with an angled glass “prow,”30 which rises out of the hillside toward the sky. Wright also made wide use of horizontally-placed glass on the main elevation. Dodd played with geometric form in his design of Shiloh, pulling the diamond shape apart at the roof to create a dramatic roofline, drawing the eye up towards the cross that explicitly reveals the building’s purpose.

The First Baptist Church in Bloomington, Indiana (1956, E.A. Sovik, architect) is another influential Modern ecclesiastical building that Dodd could have drawn inspiration from. The central idea of Baptist faith is that of universality, and therefore “any derivative, historic style in architecture, expressing as it does a restricted version of the Christian religion, is inappropriate. Even an attempt to emphasize unique Baptist characteristics could only defeat its purpose.”31 Like many evangelical denominations, the Baptist faith has been preached where space was available: in tents, public meeting halls, and after-hours in stores. As such, little consideration was given to expression of Baptist religious attitudes in architecture until the construction of The First Baptist Church.32 Shiloh’s previous church on 6th and P Streets was a traditional church structure, and was indistinguishable from any other Christian denomination. The configuration of Shiloh Baptist is similar to that of The First Baptist, consisting of a predominantly one-story building with a two-story sanctuary and cross atop a tower “boldly proclaiming the Christian position and beckoning all to come…” while appearing “as a symbolic guardian to the low-lying buildings that house the earthly activities of the church.”39 28 City of San Francisco Modern Architecture and Landscape Design 1935-1970, Historic Context Statement, 91. 29 First Unitarian Society Meeting House National Historic Landmark Nomination Form, p. 18. 30 First Unitarian Society Meeting House National Historic Landmark Nomination Form, p. 4. 31 Modern Church Architecture, A Guide to the Form and Spirit of 20th Century Religious Building. Albert Christ-Janner and Mary Mix Foley (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1962) p.239. 32 Modern Church Architecture, A Guide to the Form and Spirit of 20th Century Religious Building.

Albert Christ-Janner and Mary Mix Foley (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1962) p.239-241. 39 Modern Church Architecture, A Guide to the Form and Spirit of 20th Century Religious Building.

Albert Christ-Janner and Mary Mix Foley (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1962) p.239-241.

Dodd created a strong new statement for the Shiloh Baptist Church congregation with the design of the new building.

Taking his cues from the growing Modern trend in religious architecture, Dodd created a diamond-shaped building with a bold roof line, minimal adornment and a simple, clear form. Dodd played with the geometry of the building—skewing the placement to emphasize the diamond shape and pulling it apart at the roof to create the bold roofline and draw the eye— creating an overall visually dramatic interior and exterior which, up until that point, had only been done by Frank Lloyd Wright.

James C. Dodd
33 City of Fresno Mid-century Modernism Historic Context, 54.

James C. Dodd Sr., accepted as Sacramento’s first licensed African-American architect, was born on January 17, 1923 in Texarkana, Texas. He served in the Army as a first lieutenant, and then entered the University of California, Berkeley, earning a bachelor’s degree in architecture. He arrived in Sacramento in 1952 following graduation, at which time he was employed by the State of California. He also worked for the firm of Barovetto and Thomas (now Carissimi Rohrer McMullen) before starting his own firm.41 Dodd was licensed to practice architecture in California, Nevada, Utah and Mississippi.34
According to John Petrucelli, who worked for Dodd’s office from 1976-1978, Dodd was involved in a variety of business ventures, including developing a pre-fabricated panelized housing system from recycled materials, and real estate development.35 His housing system, called the Urfab System, was a factory built house that used a “big plank” system with wall and roof panels ranging in size up to 12’ x 16’ 6” thick. The Urfab System was approved by the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development in 1976. Two prototypes had been constructed by 1980, and over 100 had been ordered for 1981. Dodd also became a licensed contractor, to complete the construction of multifamily housing project in a low-income urban renewal area.36
Dodd’s office undertook an assortment of projects, including Federal Housing Administration projects in California and Mississippi; schools, as part of the Sacramento Associated School Architects collaborative; the Castle Air Force Base Chapel Center, as a member of the Western Military Architects; the preservation and restoration of Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park; the construction administration for the rehabilitation of Sacramento High School; and a number of projects for religious institutions under the name Dodd Witt Associates, with architect Wesley Witt. Dodd also participated in the construction of Shiloh Arms, the housing development project undertaken by Shiloh Baptist Church, in 1971. 45 33 First Unitarian Society Meeting House National Historic Landmark Nomination Form, p. 9. 34 Biography provided by the Central Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. 35 John Petrucelli, personal communication with the author, 11/28/06. 36 Biography provided by the Central Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Architects 45 John Petrucelli, personal communication with the author, 11/28/06.

United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012)
Shiloh Baptist Church Sacramento, California
Name of Property County and State
1 Item #2
James C. Dodd was an active member of the local chapter of the AIA, serving on the Board of Directors, as director and all the officer positions. He served state-wide as the director of the CCAIA Board of Directors, and at the national level as a Regional Director on the AIA Board. In 1979, he was one of the first two African-American architects directly elected to the Board by members in his Region. Dodd was elected as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 1981. 37 According to an April 6, 1981, press release, Dodd was also involved in the NAACP, Methodist Hospital Board of Directors, and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, appointed by Governor Ronald Reagan as a charter member in 1968. He was also nominated for Vice President of the AIA for 1982. 38 Dodd was also a charter member of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) in 1970.39 Dodd was the recipient of numerous awards for his work and public service, including:
▪ Masonry Institute Honor Award, Colley & McGhee Building, 1971 ▪ Central Valley Chapter AIA Merit Award, Sacramento Community Center, 1974 ▪ Golden Trowel Award, Flintoke Co./Calaveras Cement Division, Sacramento Community Center, 1974 ▪ Certificate of Recognition, CCAIA, 1974
▪ NOMA, Onyx Award, 1975
▪ Central Valley Chapter AIA Merit Award, Sacramento High School, 1978 ▪ Certificate of Recognition, CCAIA, 1979
▪ Certificate of Appreciation, United Crusade, 1966
▪ Certificate of Appreciation, Sacramento City Unified School District, 1966 ▪ Outstanding Service Award, California Community College Board of Directors, 1973 41 James C. Dodd Obituary. Yvonne Chiu, Sacramento Bee, February 10, 1999. ▪ NAACP Citizens Award, Outstanding in the Field of Architecture, 1974 ▪ Certificate of Recognition, Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievements (MESA) Program, 1980 49 James C. Dodd Sr. died on February 3, 1999. Dodd’s body of work encompasses both private and public buildings, including several churches:
▪ Shiloh Baptist Church, 3565 9th Avenue, Sacramento (1958) ▪ C & A Office Building, 1810 S Street, Sacramento (1965) ▪ Shiloh Arms, 4009 23rd Avenue, Sacramento (1971)
▪ Vista Arms, FHA Project Buildings 1-6, location unknown (1972) ▪ Kyle’s Temple A.M.E. Zion Church, 2940 42nd Street, Sacramento (1984) ▪ Netta Sparks Senior Center, Women’s Civic Improvement Club addition, 3555 3rd Avenue, Sacramento (1989) ▪ The Hill House, 35th and Broadway, Sacramento (1992)
▪ Dodd Building, 2710 X Street, Sacramento
▪ Sacramento High School rehabilitation, now known as Saint Hope Academy, 4104 Martin Luther King Blvd., Sacramento
37 Central Valley Chapter, the American Institute of Architects, Press Release, April 6, 1981, provided by the Central Valley Chapter of the AIA; and African-American AIA Fellows Listing, http://www.noma.net/forum/printable.asp?m=161, 12/16/2006.
38 Central Valley Chapter, the American Institute of Architects, Press Release, April 6, 1981, provided by the Central Valley Chapter of the AIA.
39 Biography provided by the Central Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

9. Major Bibliographical References
Bibliography (Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form.) Adams, Lawrence, “A Place Called Home,” in Sacramento’s Oak Park, Lee M.A. Simpson, editor. (San Francisco: Arcadia Publishing, 2004).

Caesar, Clarence, An Historical Overview of the Development of Sacramento’s Black Community, 1850-1983 (Thesis, California State University, Sacramento, 1985).

Christ-Janner, Albert and Mary Mix Foley , Modern Church Architecture, A Guide to the Form and Spirit of 20th Century Religious Building. (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1962).

Center for Sacramento History, James C. Dodd Collection.

City of Fresno Mid-century Modernism Historic Context Statement The Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, California. Historic Structure Report (Draft). Page & Turnbull (San Francisco, 2003).

Galarza, Ernesto. Barrio Boy (University of Notre Dame: Notre Dame, 1971).

Guido, Francis A., “Street Railways of Sacramento”, Western Railroader Vol. 19 No. 12 (October 1956).

McGuire, Pamela, “Historic Overview for the Oak Park Redevelopment Area and Determination of Eligibility for Inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places for the Oak Park Land Development Areas (1) and (2),” (Survey prepared for City of Sacramento, April 1980).

San Francisco Modern Architecture and Landscape Design 1935-1970 – Historic Context Statement 49 Biography provided by the Central Valley Chapter of
the American Institute of Architects.

Newspaper articles and interviews as indicated in footnotes. 40 Ibid and Center for Sacramento History, James C. Dodd Collection. 41 The Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, California. Historic Structure Report (Draft). Page & Turnbull (San Francisco, 2003) p. II-15.

10. Geographical Data
Acreage of Property
(Do not include previously listed resource acreage.)
UTM References
(Place additional UTM references on a continuation sheet.) 1 3
Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing
2 4
Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing
Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property.) Parcel # 013-0341-083
Property is located in the middle of the block, on the north side of 9th Avenue, between 33rd Street on the west and 37th Street on the east. As per the assessor’s office, the property’s address is: 3552 7thAvenue, but the property is accessed at 3565 9th Avenue. 3565 9th Avenue is also the mailing address, according to the assessor’s office.

Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected.) This is the parcel on which structure is located.

11. Form Prepared By

3.08 United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012)
Shiloh Baptist Church Sacramento, California
Name of Property County and State
1 Item #2
name/title Kathleen Forrest, Associate Planner and Genevieve Entezari, Graduate Student Intern organization City of Sacramento, Preservation Office date 1-25-2012 street & number 300 Richards Blvd., 3rd Floor telephone 916 808-8259 city or town Sacramento state CA zip code 95811 e-mail
Contact: [email protected]
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012)
Shiloh Baptist Church Sacramento, California
Name of Property County and State
1 Item #2
Additional Documentation
Submit the following items with the completed form:
• Maps: A USGS map (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's location.

A Sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources. Key all photographs to this map.
• Continuation Sheets
• Additional items: (Check with the SHPO or FPO for any additional items.) Photographs:

Submit clear and descriptive photographs. The size of each image must be 1600x1200 pixels at 300 ppi (pixels per inch) or larger. Key all photographs to the sketch map.

Name of Property: Shiloh Baptist Church
City or Vicinity: Sacramento
County: Sacramento State:California
Photographer: Roberta Deering
Date Photographed: January 25, 2012
Description of Photograph(s) and number: (see continuation sheets) Property Owner:
(Complete this item at the request of the SHPO or FPO.) name Monica Brown, Shiloh Baptist Church Board of Trustees United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012)
Shiloh Baptist Church Sacramento, California
Name of Property County and State
2 Item #2
street & number 3565 9th Avenue telephone (916) 452-5052 city or town Sacramento state CA zip code 95817
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C.460 et seq.).

Estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 18 hours per response including time for rev iewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden e stimate or any aspect of this form to the Office of Planning and Performance Management. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 1849 C. Street, NW, Washington, DC.

Joseph Williams pictured holding shovel.

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USGS map submitted to OHP.

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Aerial View of Shiloh Baptist Church
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Shiloh Baptist Church, Sacramento, California
Additional Documentation (attached):

Sacramento Bee Newspaper Articles:
• Articles about Shiloh Baptist Church (3): October 16, 1966; September 26, 1994; May 18, 1997 • Article about Pastor and church builder Willie C. Cooke: July 7, 2003 • James C. Dodd Obituary: February 10, 1999
• Article about James Dodd: March 30, 1969
• Netta Sparks Obituary: November 24, 1993
• Netta Sparks articles (2): December 31, 1999; May 20, 2007 Section number 11 Page 5
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B.

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C.

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State of California  The Resources Agency Primary #_________________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #_____________________________________________ PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial_________________________________________ NRHP Status Code________________________________
Other Listings____________________________________________________________ Review Code________Reviewer________________________ Date_______________ DPR 523A-Test (8/94) *These items consist of required information.

Page 1 of 10 ends

P1. Other Identifier: 1860 60th Avenue
*P2. Location: *a. County: Sacramento
b. Address: 1860 60th Avenue City: Sacramento Zip: 95822 *c. USGS 7.5' Quad Sacramento West Date: 1961
*e. Other Locational Data: APN#: 035-0314-002-0000
*P3a. Description:
1860 60th Avenue is a Mid Century Modern Ranch style residence located in the Golf Course Terrace neighborhood in Sacramento. The building is a one-story wood frame post-and-beam structure with wide overhanging eaves. The building has an irregular plan and a very low-pitched roof with a slight gable facing toward the street. An attached flat-roof two-car garage is set forward from the plane of the house facing 60th Avenue. The main entryway is in the center of the house, set back from the street and tucked in the corner between the garage extension and a set of curtain wall windows that face the street. The curtain wall includes a set of four trapezoidal and/or triangular transom windows extending below the gable-front roof eaves. There is a second curtain wall of four rectangular windows along the garage wall flanking the entryway. The exterior of the home is clad in T-1-11 siding, while the exterior of the garage door has horizontal-grooved wooden cladding. Windows and doors have a simple wood trim that varies in width. On the west side of the building, there is a narrow walkway leading to the rear of the building. (Please see continuation sheets)

*P3b. Resource Attributes: HP2
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.) P5b. Description of Photo:

View to the south
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Source: Historic
Prehistoric Both
1961
*P7.Owner and Address:

Brandon Brooks
4717 Vista Cove Place
Loomis, CA 95650
*P8. Recorded by:

Cory Quon, Preservation Intern
& Sean de Courcy, Preservation
Planner
*P9. Date Recorded:

April 2020
*P10. Survey Type:

Intensive
P11. Report Citation*:

None
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet  Building, Structure, and Object Record Linear Resource Record Archaeological Record District Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record Artifact Record Photograph Record  Other (List)
State of California  The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#__________________________________________

BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
DPR 523B-Test (8/94) *These items consist of required information.

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*Resource Address: 1860 60th Avenue
B1. Historic Name: James C. Dodd Residence
B2. Common Name: 1860 60th Street
B3. Original Use:Residential B4. Present Use: Residential *B5. Architectural Style: Mid-Century Modern Ranch
*B6. Construction History: According to the subdivision map, the Golf Terrace Estate Subdivision was developed in 1955 by Moss and Moss. James C. Dodd and his wife, the original building owners, commissioned the construction of 1860 60th Street in 1961. The building permit lists Dodd as the owner and the contractor. Construction of the home was valued at $22,000. Dodd lived in the residence for about 30 years, until his death in 1999. Between 1999 to 2001 his wife Constance owned the home and signed a Life Estate Deed to Florenda D. Mitchell who lived at the residence for a decade. The current building owner is Brandon Brooks. There have been minor improvements to the home over the years, including a reroof, added heating and air conditioning, and a minor HVAC change under a different ownership. The landscaping in the front of the house appears to be the only visible exterior change to the property. *B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:

B9a. Architect: James C. Dodd b. Builder: Building contractor/designer: James C. Dodd *B10. Significance: Theme: Important individual and work of a master Area: Golf Course Terrace Period of Significance:1961-1999 Property Type: Residential Applicable Criteria: City Code17.604.210.(A)1.a.ii.

City Code17.604.210.(A)1.a.iv.

The residence at 1860 60th Avenue appears eligible for listing on the Sacramento Register of Historic & Cultural Resources (Sacramento Register) per Criterion ii and iv for its association with James C. Dodd, an African-American architect of local importance (City Code17.604.210(A)1.a.ii) and representative as his work of an important creative individual (City Code 17.604.210(A)1.a.iv). The property is located in the Golf Course Terrace neighborhood, one of Sacramento’s noteworthy postwar neighborhoods. Golf Course Terrace, previously known as the subdivision Maloney Golf Course Terrace, was approved by the Sacramento City Council in 1953. In 1955, L.F. Noonan and Moss & Lucas (later named Moss & Moss) developed the Golf Course Village across Florin Road, directly south of the subdivision, building 640 units in the various iterations of the Ranch style. Partner Henry M. Moss was a prominent developer in the suburbanization of Sacramento, credited with subdividing roughly 2000 custom home sites in Golf Course Terrace and South Land Park. Within six years of establishing the subdivision, Dodd commissioned the construction of his home in 1961. Dodd lived at the residence for nearly 30 years, until his in 1999. The length of his occupancy overlapped with his architectural career. (Please see continuation sheet) B11. Additional Resource Attributes:
*B12. References: (See Continuation Sheet)
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Carson Anderson
*Date of Evaluation: April 2020
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California  The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#___________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial________________________

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Recorded by: Cory Quon
*P3a. Description: (continued)
Facing west (toward Cromwell Way) the building shares a brick planter with the neighboring property. The driveway and the brick planter gradually decline at a lower grade toward the street. Alterations to the exterior of the building appear to be minimal, and primarily limited to landscaping. The grass lawn was replaced by drought-tolerant plants with a layer of mulch. In addition, a Modernist wooden privacy fence (installation date unknown) constructed of narrow, square-ended unpainted pickets set evenly with quarter-inch spacing between each, has been constructed in-line with the plane of the garage and obscures the building’s primary façade from the street. *B10. Significance (continued)
Significance of James C. Dodd
1860 60th Avenue is was designed and owned by James C. Dodd Sr. Dodd was one of the first licensed African-African architects in Sacramento who gained local significance for his contributions in Mid-Century Modern architecture. He designed churches, educational facilities, and private and public buildings throughout the city.

Dodd was also involved in affordable housing projectsthroughout Northern California, Nevada, Utah and Mississippi during his career.

Dodd was born on January 17, 1923 in Texarkana, Texas. In 1943, Dodd moved to Chicago prior to enrolling at the University of Wisconsin as a journalism student but received a draft notice by the Army Air Corps to enlist as a trainee pilot. He later served as an Army lieutenant in World War II. In 1946, Dodd was discharged in the City of Oakland, California where lived with his family while working as a civilian for the Navy doing inventory and supply handling.

Dodd used the GI Bill to underwrite his studies at the University of California, Berkeley where he studied architecture. During his senior year, Dodd worked as both a carpenter and doing design work for architects in the Bay Area. In 1952, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in architecture. In 1953, Dodd and his family moved to Sacramento where he became a draftsman for the State Division of Architecture. In 1956, he left his position as a draftsman and joined the architectural firm of Barovetto & Thomas (now Carissimi Rohrer McMullen Architects), one of the oldest and enduring architecture firms in Sacramento. Dodd left the practice in the early 1960s to open his own firm—James C. Dodd and Associates, which operated for nearly 40 years. His wife Constance worked as his secretary.

Dodd’s architectural work is prominent throughout Sacramento and Northern California, some important examples have been recognized for their architectural significance through listing on the historical registers at the local, state, and national level. His first major architectural commission and most notable work was the Shiloh Baptist Church at 3565 9th Avenue. Constructed in 1963, the church is listed as a landmark California Register of Historical Resources and the National Register of Historic Places under Criteria C, as an excellent example of mid-century modern religious architecture and as a work of a master architect (Fig.1). In 1971, the Shiloh Baptist Church enlisted Dodd to participate James C. Dodd, c. 1960s
State of California  The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#___________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial________________________

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Recorded by: Cory Quon
*B10. Significance (continued)
in the construction of the Shiloh Arms, a housing development project undertaken by the church. Dodd is said to have had some design involvement during the construction phase of Kyle’s Temple AME Zion Church (Cox & Liske Associates
architects), located at 2940 42nd Street (1961). Kyle’s Temple is listed on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources. Dodd also worked in association with Cox & Liske Associates in the design of the Herold Wing concrete addition of the Brutalist style Crocker Museum in 1969, demolished in 2007 to make way for a large expansion of the museum. The museum itself is a California Historical Landmark and listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Dodd’s architectural career extended into the social realm of developing affordable housing projects in Northern California. He collaborated with the Rural Communities Housing Development Corporation (RCHDC) in Ukiah, California to design low-income housing in Mendocino County and Lake County. Most of the projects aimed to provide housing for senior citizens and were often subsidized by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) such as Walnut Village in Ukiah and Holly Heights in Willits, California. In 1976, HUD approved the Urfab System, one of Dodd’s many business ventures. The Urfab System is a prefabricated panelized housing system made from recycled materials.

In addition to California, Dodd was licensed to practice architecture in Nevada, Utah and Mississippi. Dodd’s office undertook an assortment of projects, including Federal Housing Administration projects in California and Mississippi; schools, as part of the Sacramento Associated School Architects collaborative; the Castle Air Force Base Chapel Center, as a member of the Western Military Architects; the preservation and restoration of Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park; the construction administration for the rehabilitation of Sacramento High School; and a number of projects for religious institutions under the name Dodd Witt Associates, with business partner and fellow architect, Wesley Witt.

Dodd was also involved in politics and education. In 1966, he held a seat in the City Board of Education. Governor Ronald Reagan later appointed Dodd to the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. He served as a member of the Coordinating Council on higher Education. Dodd held other positions such as Director of the Golden Empire Council, Boy Scouts of America, Director of local chapters of the American Red Cross, and Director of the Sacramento Area Mental Health Association. At one point, Dodd made a run for the fifth state senate district seat held by Sen. Albert Rodda of Sacramento, but Dodd lost the election.

Dodd was an active and well-respected member of the community, as well as the recipient of numerous awards. He served on the Board of Directors in the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and later as statewide director of the California Council of the American Institute of Architects (CCAIA) Board of Directors, and at the national level as a Regional Director on the AIA Board and he was one of the first two African-American architects Figure 1 .Shiloh Baptist Church at 3565 9th Avenue
State of California  The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#___________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial________________________

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Recorded by: Cory Quon
*B10. Significance (continued)
directly elected by members in his region. He was elected to the College of Fellows of the AIA in 1981. A fellowship is a lifetime honor bestowed on architects for outstanding contribution to architecture and public service. Dodd became a charter member of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) in 1970 and was also involved in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In 1974, Dodd received the NAACP Citizens Award for his outstanding work in the Field of Architecture. Dodd received many awards such as an award of distinction from the California Coastal Commission (1981) and a Masonry Honor award for Architectural Design (1971). Dodd died on February 3, 1999, leaving a legacy of outstanding mid-century modern works throughout Sacramento and California.

Mid-Century Modern Architecture
The Dodd residence is an excellent example of a Mid-Century Modern Ranch style residence. Modernism first appeared in the early 20th Century as an architectural style and philosophy that rejected the copying of traditional architectural styles and focused instead on functionality and abstraction, using modern materials and technology in response to political and social events of its time. Mid-Century Modern is an architectural period that occurred during the decades following World War II and lasted until the 1970s. During this period, the nation experienced unprecedented growth in the economy and population, which resulted in the mass production of building types in the style across the Sacramento region. This period was also marked by disruptive development movements such as suburbanization and Urban Renewal. The Mid-Century Modern style was applied to a wide variety of properties, including residences, churches, schools, banks, institutional buildings, recreational buildings, commercial and office buildings, and others. Common elements among Mid-Century Modern buildings included cantilevered roofs, flat or shed roof forms, deep overhanging eaves, large expansive curtain wall windows, and a variety of incorporated materials including wood, stone, brick, stucco, plastic, metal, and concrete.

By the 1960s, the massive influx of returning war veterans had subsided and the development trend shifted to purchasing large tracts of land where subdivisions could be built at a much larger scale. Ranch houses became popular during this period and featured more square footage than their Minimal Traditional predecessors. Large picture windows, and wide overhanging eaves were common. Most homes developed in these post-war neighborhoods were built more for comfort and affordability than style. Materials for residential construction were typically prefabricated plywood, stucco, or concrete block. Golf Course Terrace where Dodd’s residence is located, represents one of the noteworthy postwar neighborhoods containing the contemporary Ranch style homes.

Conclusion
In summary, Dodd’s contributions to mid-century modern architecture and affordable housing projects demonstrate him a as a person of regional historic significance. As one of the first licensed African-American architects in California, his craft and contributions in field of architecture have been well-recognized by the community on a local and state level. Dodd commissioned his own residence at 1860 60th Avenue, and because he designed it for his family’s own use and to his own personal tastes rather than under the dictates of a client, serves as an excellent, and highly personal example of his approach to design during the Mid-Century period. 1860 60th Avenue thereby appears eligible for listing on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources under city code criteria

17.604.210.A.1.a.ii for its association with a significant person of the City’s past, and under city code criteria

17.604.210.A.1.a.iv for its architectural design by an important creative individual or master.

State of California  The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#___________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial________________________

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Recorded by: Cory Quon
State of California  The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#___________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial________________________

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Recorded by: Cory Quon
Original Grant Deed, 1959
State of California  The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#___________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial________________________

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Recorded by: Cory Quon
Newspaper clipping from the Sacramento Bee, c. 1960s
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Recorded by: Cory Quon
Moss & Moss advertisement for Golf Course Terrace development, 1954 State of California  The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#___________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial________________________

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Recorded by: Cory Quon
Advertisement for Golf Course Terrace neighborhood, c. 1960s State of California  The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#___________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial________________________
B12. References
Arrington, D. (2016, October 7). Midcentury Sacramento neighborhood celebrates a milestone. Retrieved from https://www.sacbee.com/entertainment/living/home-garden/article105755196.html The Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, California. Historic Structure Report (Draft). Page & Turnbull (San Francisco, 2003).

GEI Consultants. (2018). Mid-Century Modern Context Statement and Survey Results, City of Sacramento.

National Register of Historic Places (2012). Shiloh Baptist Church. Sacramento, CA.

Sacramento City Building Permits
Sacramento County Assessor Data
Steinberg, G. (2011, May 6). 1961 Custom Residence of James C. Dodd, FAIA For Sale. Retrieved from http://eichlerific.blogspot.com/2011/05/1961-custom-residence-of-james-c-dodd.html Tract map for Golf Course Terrace, 1955
State of California ⎯ The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page of *Resource Name or #: Morgan Jones Mortuary
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location:  Not for Publication x Unrestricted *a. County: Sacramento and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.) *b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Date: T ; R ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M. c. Address: 1200 Q Street City: Sacramento Zip: 95811
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: (e.g., parcel #, directions to resource, elevation, etc., as appropriate) Elevation:
*P3a. Description: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, setting, and boundaries)
This three-story wood-framed building has a low-pitched hipped roof with unboxed eaves. The front street-facing wall is stucco. Side and rear walls are plain wood shingles on the second and third story, with stucco on the ground floor. The building has porches on all three stories on the front facing. The ground floor porch has four rectangular stucco pillars with wooden balustrades. On the second story, the ground floor pillars terminate as stucco porch piers beneath rectangular battered wooden piers which support a wooden frieze, with wooden balustrades between the piers. The third story has a partial width porch, supported by a rectangular corner pillar and a stucco palisade wall, topped by a short wooden balustrade. The front facade has a hipped pent roof of modern Spanish tile, with smaller modern Spanish tile pent roofs on either side of the front facade. The first floor porch is full-width and has square stucco piers. Windows on the front facade are double-hung wood sash windows with a multi-paned divided light upper pane and single lower pane. The second story porch door has sidelights. The second story porch is accessed by a concrete stairway on the eastern side of the building front, with concrete steps, a stucco railing on the left side, and a wrought-iron railing on the right side. Windows on sides and rear are mostly wooden sash windows, but some have been replaced with metal slider windows. There is a metal fire escape on the building’s western side. A garage of concrete cinderblock has been added to the rear of the house, with a wooden fence on top of the garage at the second story level. On the rear facade of the building is a three-window bay and a small wooden porch with no roof, both projecting from the third story.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.) P5b. Description of Photo: (View,
date, accession #)
Photo of north facing of building,
taken November 28, 2008
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
1938, per City of Sacramento
building permit.
*P7. Owner and Address:

Gyan Kalwani/Julie A
9065 Shetland Court
Elk Grove, CA 95624
*P8. Recorded by: (Name,
affiliation, and address)
William Burg, President,
Sacramento Old City Association,
PO Box 162140, Sacramento CA
95816
*P9. Date Recorded: March 8,
2012
*P10. Survey Type: (Describe)
Individual property nomination
*P11. Report Citation: (Cite survey report and other sources, or enter "none.") Sacramento City Directories, 1924-1964
Sacramento Observer, 9/9/98, 2/26/03, 7/13/05
P5a. Photo or Drawing (Photo required for buildings, structures, and objects.) State of California ⎯ The Resources Agency Primary # __________________________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI # _____________________________________________________ PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial _________________________________________________

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DPR 523A-Test (8/94)
http://www.morganjonesfuneralhome.com/about_us.html
Sanborn Insurance Maps, 1910 and 1951 editions
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet xBuilding, Structure, and Object Record Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record Artifact Record Photograph Record  Other (List):

DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California ⎯ The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#

BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page of *NRHP Status Code
*Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder)
B1. Historic Name: Morgan Jones Mortuary
B2. Common Name: 1200 Q Street Apartments
B3. Original Use: Apartments B4. Present Use: Apartments *B5. Architectural Style: Craftsman with elements of Spanish Eclectic *B6. Construction History: (Construction date, alterations, and date of alterations) The building was constructed as a four-unit apartment building for property owner Yee Ging in 1938, converted to office in 1948 and remodeled for use as a mortuary. In 1953, the building was repaired after fire damage. The attached garage and a “rumpus room” were constructed in 1953, per Sacramento city building permits. The building was converted back into a four-unit apartment building in 1962.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:

B9a. Architect: b. Builder: Dari Tatti and John Fernandez *B10. Significance: Theme: African American community building Area: Downtown Sacramento Period of Significance: 1948-1959 Property Type: Applicable Criteria: I (Discuss importance in terms of historical or architectural context as defined by theme, period, and geographic scope. Also address integrity.) The building’s significance under City of Sacramento’s Landmark Criteria, Category I, (It is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of the history of the city, the region, the state or the nation) is due to its association with Sacramento’s African American community in downtown Sacramento, and significant individuals within that community.

The Morgan Jones Mortuary was one of two African American owned mortuary businesses established in 1949 in Sacramento.

Prior to that year, there were no African American owned mortuaries in the city. Mrs. Grace Morgan-Jones was very active in African American community organizations in Sacramento, including the Women’s Civic Improvement Club. Her brother and business partner, William Morgan, graduated from McGeorge Law School in 1959 and became Sacramento’s first African American superior court judge. In 1962, the mortuary relocated to 4200 Broadway and the building was converted back into apartments. Downtown Sacramento was once home to a large African-American community, including multiple churches, centers of entertainment, places of business and cultural institutions. 1200 Q Street appears to be the only remaining building reflecting a business owned by a member of the African-American community in downtown Sacramento prior to the city’s redevelopment era.

Despite the building’s eclectic appearance, the building retains a high degree of integrity within the context of its period of significance. A 1952 photograph from “Colorfornia” Magazine shows the buiding’s appearance in that year. Compared to a 2008 photograph, the differences include lap siding and windows enclosing the third story porch, first story porch railings, a neon sign, and a metal and canvas canopy that extended to the street. Other additions to the building, including the garage and “rumpus room” in 1953, are concurrent with the period of significance and indicate that the building was also used as a residence during the period. City directory listings do indicate residents in addition to the business at this address during the period. The stucco front wall may have been added during the building’s conversion to commercial use in 1948, or part of the original building constructed in 1938 as apartments. City construction permits suggest a fire occurred sometime in 1953, but it is not clear from the records if the fire damage affected exterior portions of the building, and the attached historic photo is from prior to 1953.

B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes) *B12. References:

City of Sacramento building permits
Colorfornia Magazine, 1952
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator:

William Burg, President, Sacramento Old City Association 300 Richards Blvd., Sacramento CA 95811
*Date of Evaluation:

February 11, 2009
(This space reserved for official comments.)
(Sketch Map with north arrow required.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #_________________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #_____________________________________________ PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial_________________________________________ NRHP Status Code________________________________
Other Listings____________________________________________________________ Review Code________Reviewer________________________ Date_______________ DPR 523A-Test (8/94) *These items consist of required information.

Page 1 of 16 ends

P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: *a. County: Sacramento
b. Address: 1810 S Street City: Sacramento Zip: 95811
*c. USGS 7.5' Quad Sacramento West Date: 1967
*e. Other Locational Data: APN#: 016-0022-025-0000
*P3a. Description: The Nathaniel Colley & Associates Law Office Building, at 1810 S Street is a one-story, MidCentury Modern Style commercial building located in Sacramento’s Richmond Grove neighborhood. The building is rectangular in plan and is aligned parallel to the west property line, with an L-shaped surface parking lot wrapping around it on the south (Solon Alley side) and east side. The building is of concrete masonry block construction with a flat roof and wide boxed overhanging eaves. The north, east and south walls of the building all feature patterned concrete block units that exhibit one of two patterns. The north wall (facing S Street) features abstracted raised ogee patterning while the walls on the east and south feature raised hexagonal patterning alternating. The wall sections feature black anodized light fixtures placed on center. These alternate with paired black anodized metal sliding sash windows set within slightly recessed full-height textured stucco rectangular panels. (See Continuation Sheet)
*P3b. Resource Attributes: HP2
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.) P5b. Description of Photo:

View facing southwest
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Source: Historic
Prehistoric Both
1967, original building permit
*P7.Owner and Address:

Evan Dreyfuss
East Coast Partners, LLC
100 E Genesee St
Skaneateles, NY 13152
*P8. Recorded by:

Cory Quon, Historic Preservation
Intern & Sean de Courcy,
Preservation Planner
*P9. Date Recorded:

March 2020
*P10. Survey Type:

Intensive
P11. Report Citation*:

None
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record Linear Resource Record Archaeological Record District Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#__________________________________________

BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
DPR 523B-Test (8/94) *These items consist of required information.

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*Resource Address: 1810 S Street
B1. Historic Name: Nathaniel Colley & Associates Law Offices B2. Common Name: 1810 S Street
B3. Original Use: Commercial B4. Present Use: Commercial *B5. Architectural Style: Commercial Modern
*B6. Construction History: The original building permit was issued on February 16, 1967. Nathaniel Colley, the property owner, hired James C. Dodd as the architect and Chandler Construction company to construct the building.

The building permit was finalized on August 3, 1967. There was no permit found to indicate the length of building ownership under Colley. In July 2000, the building ownership was transferred to the current owner, East Coast Partners LLC. Small law firms and a deposition reporting office currently lease space in the building. In December 2000, a permit was issued for an interior remodel and walkway repairs under the current owner. The renovation was valued at $55,000. In 2003, the Alan M. Laskin Law Offices contracted the Arrow Sign Company to customize signage for the building. In 2015, there was a reroof totaling $22,950. *B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:

B9a. Architect: James C. Dodd b. Builder: Building contractor/designer: Chandler Construction *B10. Significance: Theme: Significant persons and architecture Area: Richmond Grove neighborhood Period of Significance: 1967-1990 Property Type: Commercial Applicable Criteria: City Code17.604.210.(A)1.a.ii City Code17.604.210.(A)1.a.iv.

The subject building is eligible for listing on the Sacramento Register of Historic & Cultural Resources (Sacramento Register) per Criterion ii and iv for its association with Nathaniel S. Colley, an African American civil rights attorney of local and statewide importance (City Code17.604.210(A)1.a.ii) and as the work of an important creative individual (City Code 17.604.210(A)1.a.iv). The property is located in the Richmond Grove neighborhood of Sacramento. The area is mostly residential, with some commercial properties along S and 16th Streets.

Architecturally, the area consists primarily of single-family Craftsman-style bungalows, built between 1900 and 1930. Throughout the 1940s and 1970s, infill building development occurred in various Modernist styles. (See Continuation sheet)
B11. Additional Resource Attributes:
*B12. References:
(See Continuation Sheet)
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator:
*Date of Evaluation: March 4, 2020
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#___________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial________________________

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Recorded by : Cory Quon
*P3a.Description (continued):

The building entryway faces S Street and occurs within an inset vestibule open on two sides, and whose roof is supported at the front corner by a large pier of patterned masonry block construction. The doorway, which appears to be non-original, features a paneled dark brown-finished solitary door flanked by etched glass sidelights. Located to the west of the entryway, and facing S Street, is a slightly recessed stucco-clad wall section featuring paired fullheight inoperable black anodized metal windows. A small lawn area occurs at front (north) of the building along the S Street frontage and planter areas border the building on the north and east along the building wall lines. The plantings include a variety of shrubs, including a long boxwood hedge (along north wall), newer columnar plantings (along east wall), agapanthus and other plantings in the entry vestibule area. A mall metal monument sign (approximately three feet tall) intersects the walkway and driveway featuring the current businesses occupying the building. Alterations to the exterior of the building appear to be limited and include the main entrance doorway replacement and security bar-enclosed rear exit
*B10. Significance (continued)
Significance of Nathaniel S. Colley
The building located at 1810 S Street is most closely associated with the first and longest owner, Nathaniel Sextus Colley. Colley, the first African American attorney in private practice in Sacramento, was instrumental in both local and national efforts to implement fair housing practices and end segregation in public housing, a career which overlapped with the period that Colley maintained law offices at 1810 S Street. Colley gained local, regional, and national recognition as one of the leaders in the struggle to end segregation in public housing for African Americans. Expanding on his success in Sacramento, Colley advocated for fair housing with branches of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in California and other western states. After fighting segregation in public housing, Colley used this experience to fight racial discrimination in Sacramento against African Americans who tried to purchase private residences in Sacramento and eventually extended that expertise on a nationwide basis. He became recognized national leader in the effort to end racial segregation and discrimination and was a highly regarded attorney in the fight for equality.

Nathaniel Colley was born on November 21, 1918 in Carlowsville, Alabama.

In 1941, he graduated at the top of his class from Tuskegee Institute (founded by Booker T. Washington) in 1941 where he met his wife Jerlean Jackson. Colley was a student of George Washington Carver, and initially wanted to be scientist until Colley was conscripted into World War II. He graduated first in his class at chemical warfare officer candidate school and later was promoted to the rank of captain in the Solomon Islands. Because black soldiers were treated so poorly in the war, he decided to become a lawyer instead so he could fight to improve the lives African Americans via the legal process.

Portrait of Nathaniel S Colley, c.1963
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Recorded by : Cory Quon
B10. Significance (continued)
Despite Colley’s excellent credentials, after returning from the Pacific theater in WWII, he was rejected from the University of Alabama because he was black. With the assistance of the GI Bill, Colley enrolled at Yale University Law School, where he was awarded the LaRue Munsun prize for most significant contribution to New Haven, Legal Aid Society and the Benjamin Sharp prize for best original student essay. Colley and his wife Jerlean moved to Sacramento after graduation from Yale to be close to Jerlean’s family. Colley passed the California Bar Exam on the first attempt and opened his private practice in 1949. He became the first African American attorney in the Sacramento area. His law offices had a clientele of diverse backgrounds. In one article, Colley was described as being the “undisputed leader in the colored community.” (McDonald, c. 1954).

As soon as the Colleys arrived in Sacramento, they immediately experienced discrimination which was so prevalent at the time. Repeated efforts by Colley and his wife to buy a house in the suburbs were rebuffed because the agent refused to sell to blacks. In response, the couple asked their white friend to buy the property at 5441 Pleasant Drive in South Land Park. The home was commissioned by the Colleys and built by Gavel and Flanders in 1955. When the Colleys moved into their home, they were met with a burning cross at the front door. Later, someone used a BB gun and shot through their window.

Colley was instrumental in ending
segregation in public housing, a career that
began with his involvement with New
Helvetia low-income housing community on
Broadway east of the City Cemetery. The
neighborhood was the first major public
housing project in Sacramento to address the
housing crisis before and after the war. Colley
discovered that the Sacramento Housing
Authority was segregating African Americans
by limiting the number of units they could
occupy. The average white applicant for such
housing had to wait from three to six months
for assignment to New Helvetia, while the
average Negro applicant has been required to
wait from two to four years for assignment.

Colley organized a coalition of local
community groups, known as the
“Sacramento Committee Against Segregation
in Public Housing,” to work with the NAACP in
the fight to end the discriminatory practices at New Helvetia. In 1952, Colley filed a complaint with the Sacramento County Superior Court against the Sacramento Housing Authority.

His efforts in this case ended segregation at New Helvetia, but also helped African Africans purchase private residences in Sacramento and statewide. Colley became the legal counsel for the NAACP. Colley was active in the NAACP for nearly four decades, beginning as the Sacramento NAACP branch's legal counsel and Vice-President, President of the NAACP's Central Valley Area, and eventually chair of the Western Region's Legal Committee and a member of the NAACP's National Board, among other positions. In addition, he was active in California state politics Nathaniel Colley at work, 1952
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B10. Significance (continued)
beginning in 1951 as the NAACP's Western Region's legislative representative and actively worked on legislation with the goal of eliminating segregation and discrimination against African Americans in California.

Colley continued to fight for fair housing for African Americans throughout his career. In 1954, Colley filed the landmark legal case of Ming vs. Horgan. The lawsuit claimed that a real estate developer who was receiving federal funds for a housing project could not engage in racial discrimination against African Americans, who were qualified, and wanted to purchase a home. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed with Colley and found that these discriminatory practices were illegal for the sale of any housing that used federal funds. This made discrimination against African Americans and other ethnic minorities who were told they could not purchase residential homes in specific areas of a community illegal. In 1964, Colley assisted other lawyers in overturning Proposition 14 which gave property owners the right to refuse to sell or rent property to anyone for any reason. The Supreme Court ruled that Proposition 14 violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Colley also devoted time to employment and education issues. He was co-chair of the California Committee for Fair Employment Practices where he helped secure the passage of the state Fair Employment Practices Act in 1959, prohibiting discrimination in the workplace. A year later, California Governor Edmund G. “Pat” Brown appointed Colley to the State Board of Education, making him the first African American on the board. Colley drafted regulations to eliminate segregation in several school districts. In the 1960s, Colley served on the Democratic California State Democratic Committee. As a member of the National Bar Association's Hall of Fame. Colley taught part-time at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law for seventeen years. Between 1961 and 1962, he was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to the Committee on Discrimination in the U.S. Armed Forces to report and recommend methods to end on racial prejudice.

While her husband was the public face of
groundbreaking anti-discrimination lawsuits and
numerous civic organizations, Jerlean Colley was an
equally influential behind-the-scenes leader. She cared for their five children and was an active PTA member
and volunteer with Campfire and Girl Scouts. She
worked closely with her husband as a receptionist,
secretary, accountant, and advisor. According to one of their children, Jerlean was "the heart and soul of that law practice." As Nathaniel's career progressed, Jerlean entertained governors, Supreme Court Justices, and
other distinguished guests in the family's South Land
Park home.

Nathaniel Colley and his family taken inside their home, 5441 Pleasant Drive, 1956
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B10. Significance (continued)
Significance of James C. Dodd
The Colley & Associates office building is also significant as a good example of the work of the architect James C. Dodd. Dodd was the first licensed African-American architect in Sacramento. Dodd was born on January 17, 1923 in Texarkana, Texas. During World War II, he served as an Army first lieutenant. Following the war, he attended the University of California, Berkeley where he earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture. In 1952, he and his family moved to Sacramento. He joined the architectural firm of Barovetto & Thomas (now Carissimi Rohrer) but left the practice in 1956 to open his own firm—James C. Dodd and Associates, operating for nearly 40 years. In addition to California, Dodd was also licensed to practice architecture in Nevada, Utah and Mississippi.

Dodd was an active member of the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), serving on the Board of Directors. He served statewide as the director of the California Council of the American Institute of Architects (CCAIA) Board of Directors, and at the national level as a Regional Director on the AIA Board. In 1979, he was one of the first two African-American architects directly elected by members in his region. Dodd was also a charter member of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) in 1970. He was elected to the College of Fellows of the AIA in 1981. Like Colley, Dodd was also involved in the NAACP. In 1974, Dodd received the NAACP Citizens Award for his outstanding work in the Field of Architecture.

Dodd was recognized as a Mid-Century Modern architect who designed housing developments throughout Sacramento and the western states. He developed a prefabricated panelized housing system from recycled materials, and real estate development. His housing system, called the Urfab System, was a factory-built house that used a “big plank” system with wall and roof panels. In 1976, the Urfab System was approved by the state of California Department of Housing and Community Development. Dodd designed the Shiloh Baptist Church at 3565 9th Avenue (1963) was listed on the California Register of Historic and Cultural Resources and the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural significance. Other noteworthy documented works by Dodd in Sacramento include his residence at 1860 60th Avenue (1961), 6390 South Land Park Drive (1963), the Shiloh Arms Apartments, as well as the Crossroads Building, located at 2710 X Street, which he designed to house his architectural practice.

Modernism first appeared in the early 20th Century as an architectural and philosophy that focused on functionality and abstraction in response to political and social events. Mid-Century Modern is a broad term for a range of Modernist styles such as Commercial Modern that emerged in the decades following World War II as the nation experienced unprecedented growth in the economy and population. Mid-Century Modern style was applied to a wide variety of properties, including residences, churches, schools, banks, institutional buildings, recreational buildings, commercial and office buildings, and others. Common elements among Mid-Century Modern buildings included cantilevered roofs, flat or shed roof forms, deep overhanging eaves, canted and large expansive windows, and a variety of incorporated materials including wood, stone, rick, stucco, plastic, metal, and concrete.

James C. Dodd, c. 1960s
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Conclusion
1810 S Street is associated with Nathaniel Colley, who was Sacramento’s first African American attorney to practice in the city. Colley embarked on a prominent and respected legal career that fought to end segregation in housing, politics, and the workplace for African Americans and all people of color. Because of Nathaniel Colley's efforts, public housing practices were changed throughout California and the western states.

Largely because of Colley, African Americans were finally able to apply for, and receive, public housing on an equal basis with other people in need. Colley’s civic contributions earned him the Humanitarian Award by the National Asthma Center in 1980. A significant portion of Colley’s professional career took place at 1810 S Street after 1967, the prior law offices associated with this prominent attorney having been demolished. Therefore, 1810 S Street appears eligible for listing on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources under city code criteria

17.604.210.A.1.a.ii for its association with Nathaniel Colley, a person significant in the City’s past. 1810 S Street is an excellent example of James C. Dodd’s commercial work during the Mid Century Period. Dodd was the first licensed African-American architect in Sacramento and the creator of important works throughout the western states, including the Shiloh Baptist Church and several important residencies. Dodd’s collaboration with Colley to build 1810 S Street, makes the building eligible for listing on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources under city code criteria 17.604.210.A.1.a.iv for its architectural design by James C. Dodd, an important creative individual or master.

The Nathaniel Colley & Associates Law Offices at 1810 S Street holds important historic and architectural significance, serving as a noteworthy expression of ethnic historical heritage in Sacramento as a significant example of the work of African American architect James Dodd, and in housing the law practice of Nathaniel Colley, Sacramento’s distinguished, and earliest known African American attorney. Designation as a City landmark is therefore reasonable, appropriate and necessary to promote, protect, and further the goals and purposes of the City’s historic preservation program.

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Original building permit, 1967
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Right: South Facade Left: North Façade
Light, Door, Column, Geometric Concrete Blocks
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Eaves, Geometric Concrete Blocks, East Façade
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Postcard advertising an exhibit honoring the career of Colley at the Center for Sacramento History, 2012 State of California The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#___________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial________________________

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Newspaper clipping regarding the exhibit at the Center for Sacramento History, c. 2012 State of California The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#___________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial________________________

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Newspaper clipping from: Dylan McDonald. "Young Attorney Gives Leadership to Colored Community," Colorfornia magazine article, page 17; c.1954
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Colley supporting the presidential campaign for Lyndon B. Johnson, c.1960; Left to right: Sen. Clair Engle, Eddie Hall, Nathaniel Colley, Sen.

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Newspaper clipping from The Sacramento Union, 1980
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B12. References
Caesar, C. Sacramento Ethnic Communities Black Oral Histories-Oral Interview of Nathaniel Sextus Colley (1984).

Sacramento: Center for Sacramento History.

Carey & Co., Inc. (2003). Richmond Grove Historic Resources Survey.

Colley Nathaniel S. and Jerlean J. Papers, c. 1940-1992, Collection Number 2010/036, Center for Sacramento History; Sacramento, California.

GEI Consultants. (2018). Mid-Century Modern Context Statement and Survey Results, City of Sacramento.

Gibson, S. (1992, May 22). Capital Attorney, Activist Colley Dies. The Sacramento Bee.

Magagnini, S. (1999, December 19). Racism Locked into Daily Life-For Decades, Minorities Excluded from Jobs, Housing. The Sacramento Bee.

National Register of Historic Places. (2014) New Helvetia Historic District, New Helvetia Historic District. Sacramento, CA.

National Register of Historic Places (2012). Shiloh Baptist Church. Sacramento, CA.

Rising to injustice for more than 40 years, attorney Nathaniel Colley's fierce fight against inequality has been waged in the simple quest for the truth. (1991, June 20). The Sacramento Bee.

Sacramento City Building Permits
Sacramento County Assessor Data
Schiesl, M. (2014, April 8). Nathaniel Sextus Colley. Retrieved from https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/colley-nathanielsextus-1918-1992/ White, L. H. (2016). CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS AND CALIFORNIA POLITICIANS CHALLENGE HOUSING DISCRIMNATION IN SACRAMENTO, 1950-1966.

Young Attorney Gives Leadership to Colored Community. (1954). Colorfornia, p.17.

Colley receiving the Humanitarian Award from the National Asthma Center in Sacramento, 1980
NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Sections 1-3, Page 1
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in National Register Bulletin, How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions.

1. Name of Property
Historic name: Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club Boarding House Other names/site number: _ _______
Name of related multiple property listing:
____N/A____________________________________________________ (Enter "N/A" if property is not part of a multiple property listing ____________________________________________________________________________

2. Location
Street & number: 1830 T Street
City or town: Sacramento State: California County: Sacramento County Not For Publication: Vicinity:
____________________________________________________________________________

3. State/Federal Agency Certification
As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this nomination ___ request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60.

In my opinion, the property ___ meets ___ does not meet the National Register Criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant at the following level(s) of significance:
___national ___statewide ___local
Applicable National Register Criteria:
___A ___B ___C ___D
Signature of certifying official/Title: Date
______________________________________________
State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club Boarding House Sacramento, California

Sections 4-5, Page 2
In my opinion, the property meets does not meet the National Register criteria.

Signature of commenting official: Date
Title : State or Federal agency/bureau
or Tribal Government
______________________________________________________________________________

4. National Park Service Certification
I hereby certify that this property is:
entered in the National Register
determined eligible for the National Register
determined not eligible for the National Register
removed from the National Register
other (explain:) _____________________

______________________________________________________________________ Signature of the Keeper Date of Action
____________________________________________________________________________

5. Classification
Ownership of Property
(Check as many boxes as apply.)
Private:

Public – Local
Public – State
Public – Federal
X
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club Boarding House Sacramento, California

Section 5-6, Page 3
Category of Property
(Check only one box.)
Building(s)
District
Site
Structure
Object
Number of Resources within Property
(Do not include previously listed resources in the count) Contributing Noncontributing
_____1_______ _____________ buildings
_____________ _____________ sites
_____________ _____________ structures
_____________ _____________ objects
_____________ _____________ Total
Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register _________ ____________________________________________________________________________

6. Function or Use
Historic Functions
(Enter categories from instructions.)
DOMESTIC/institutional housing
SOCIAL/civic _______
___________________
X
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club Boarding House Sacramento, California

Section 7, Page 4
Current Functions
(Enter categories from instructions.)
DOMESTIC/single dwelling
___________________
___________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

7. Description
Architectural Classification
(Enter categories from instructions.)
EARLY 20TH CENTURY TRANSITIONAL _
___Late Queen Anne___
Materials: (enter categories from instructions.)
Principal exterior materials of the property: _Wood Clapboard___ _Wood Shingles ____
__________
Narrative Description
(Describe the historic and current physical appearance and condition of the property. Describe contributing and noncontributing resources if applicable. Begin with a summary paragraph that briefly describes the general characteristics of the property, such as its location, type, style, method of construction, setting, size, and significant features. Indicate whether the property has historic integrity.)
______________________________________________________________________________ Summary Paragraph
The building at 1830 T Street is located in a residential neighborhood in Sacramento characterized by single-family residences constructed between the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. The building is set back roughly thirty feet from T Street behind a row of palm trees and a lawn punctuated by a walkway. The two-story building is rectangular in plan.

The main (north) façade has a slightly projecting two-story volume on the east side of the façade with cutaway bay windows and a pedimented gable. Ornamental features include wood shingles on the gable ends, tall windows, and Tuscan columns at the porch. Originally constructed by its first owner Theodore Schluckebier around 1906, the building was used as a house for many years before becoming a boarding house for the Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club (NWCIC).

The building reflects both the history of Sacramento and the NWCIC, as well as some of the character-defining features of Queen Anne architecture. It has not been used as a boarding house for many decades, but the building at 1830 T Street has been altered only slightly and retains integrity.
______________________________________________________________________________ United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club Boarding House Sacramento, California

Section 7, Page 5
Detailed Description
The two-story building at 1830 T Street features a rectangular plan. The building has a mediumpitched gable-on-hip roof with two gable ends on the main (north) façade. The main façade has a slightly projecting two-story volume on the east side with cutaway bay windows and a pedimented gable. A lawn borders the building on the north and east sides. It is clad in narrow wood clapboard with wood shingles at the gable ends. Fenestration is double-hung wood sash.

Two narrow windows are centered on the main (north) façade above the entrance. The projecting cutaway bay on the main façade features six double-hung wood-sash windows. The porch on the main façade is supported by two decorative Tuscan columns that rest on a solid clapboard balustrade. The eaves are boxed and have a simple decorative frieze. The two gable ends on the main façade feature decorative half-timbering around and above the louvered vents. Side elevations have alternating sizes of double-hung wood-sash windows. A small square window to the right of the main entrance features a sliding-sash window; style of the original window is unknown. The rear (south) elevation features a centered second floor porch with a shed roof that is accessed via a wide set of wood steps leading to an entrance on the second story. Square wood columns support the back porch; the balustrade is a simple horizontal wood railing.

Integrity
Location
The NWCIC Boarding House building has not been moved and retains integrity of location.

Design
The NWCIC Boarding House’s design is expressed through its Queen Anne architecture.

Character-defining features include its two-story massing, pedimented gables, integral partialwidth porch, decorative Tuscan columns and tall double-hung windows. No substantial alterations have been performed on its design features outside the period of significance.

Therefore, it retains integrity of design.

Setting
The residential neighborhood surrounding 1830 T Street has retained many of its historic-period buildings as well as the overall character present during the property’s period of significance. 1830 T Street therefore retains sufficient integrity of setting to convey its significance.

Materials
The NWCIC Boarding House’s tall double-hung wood-sash windows, narrow clapboard cladding, wood shingle at the gable ends, Tuscan columns, and other visible materials date from the period of significance; the house conveys its historic identity through its materials.

Workmanship
The building has not been substantially altered. Its workmanship constitutes evidence of early twentieth century building craft; it dates from the period of significance and it conveys its historic identity.

United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club Boarding House Sacramento, California

Section 7, Page 6
Feeling
The building at 1830 T Street exhibits the character-defining features of late Queen Anne/Transitional architecture and evokes the feeling of an early-twentieth century residential building. The physical features of the property that date from its period of significance have not been significantly altered since its construction and the property retains the aesthetic sense present during its period of significance.

Association
The property is sufficiently intact to convey its significance as the NWCIC Boarding House because the physical features dating from the period of significance have not been altered.

Therefore, it retains integrity of association.

The property retains sufficient significant physical characteristics from its period of significance to convey its historic significance through all seven aspects of integrity. _________________________________________________________________

8. Statement of Significance
Applicable National Register Criteria
(Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Register listing.)
A. Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history.

B. Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past.

C. Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction.

D. Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

Criteria Considerations
(Mark “x” in all the boxes that apply.)
A. Owned by a religious institution or used for religious purposes B. Removed from its original location
X
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club Boarding House Sacramento, California

Section 8, Page 7
C. A birthplace or grave
D. A cemetery
E. A reconstructed building, object, or structure
F. A commemorative property
G. Less than 50 years old or achieving significance within the past 50 years Areas of Significance
(Enter categories from instructions.)
Ethnic Community History___________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
Period of Significance
__1942-1948 ___
___________________
___________________
Significant Dates
_____________
_ 1942____________
_ 1948____________
__________________
__________________
Significant Person
(Complete only if Criterion B is marked above.)
___________________
___________________
___________________
Cultural Affiliation
___________________
___________________
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club Boarding House Sacramento, California

Section 8, Page 8
___________________
Architect/Builder
Theodore Schluckebier
___________________
___________________
Statement of Significance Summary Paragraph (Provide a summary paragraph that includes level of significance, applicable criteria, justification for the period of significance, and any applicable criteria considerations.)
The building at 1830 T Street is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A, the California Register of Historical Resources under Criterion 1, and the Sacramento Register under Criterion a.i for its association with the growth and development of the Richmond Grove neighborhood as well as the establishment and growth of the Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club, an important institution established by and for Sacramento’s Black community.
______________________________________________________________________________ Narrative Statement of Significance (Provide at least one paragraph for each area of significance.)
Sacramento
The Nisenan, a branch of the Maidu people, occupied the area near the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers before the arrival of Europeans. The Spanish explored but did not settle in the region, and the first permanent non-native resident was Swiss immigrant John Sutter, who arrived in 1839. Sutter’s Fort, approximately ¾ mile northeast of Richmond Grove, became a way station for immigrants travelling overland to California in the 1840s. When Sutter’s employees discovered gold near the end of the decade, Sam Brannan and other speculators laid out Sacramento near Sutter’s Fort. A dry winter in 1848-49 allowed Sacramento’s founders to ignore the great drawback of the site: its position in the flood plain.

Surveyors platted an enormous three-mile area, giving the east-west streets letter names and numbering the north-south streets. Sacramento became the gateway to California’s gold fields.

Its influence was made enduring in 1854, when Sacramento became the permanent state capital.

Completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 further established Sacramento as a hub for commerce. As the nineteenth century progressed, agriculture began to overtake mineral extraction as the most important economic pursuit in the Sacramento Valley.1 1 “Sacramento Bird’s Eye View,” The Daily Record-Union and Weekly Union, 1890s; Sacramento Daily Union, 6 October 1881, 3 col.1; Sanborn Insurance Maps, Sacramento, California, 1895; Steven M. Avella, Sacramento, Indomitable City (Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2003), 31-32, 41, 49, 58.

Section 8, Page 9
California’s first successful rail line was the Sacramento Valley Railroad (SVRR), which began service from Sacramento to Folsom in 1856. Theodore Judah was SVRR’s chief engineer, and while working on it devised a plan for a transcontinental railroad with its terminus in Sacramento. In 1861, he recruited Collis P. Huntington, Mark Hopkins, Leland Stanford, and Charles Crocker (the “Big Four”) to the Board of Directors of the Central Pacific Railroad (CPRR). When Stanford became governor later that year, he was able to push legislation that favored railroad construction in California, and the CPRR broke ground in 1863. Despite political and technical difficulties as well as Judah’s premature death in 1863, the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. Sacramento was positioned as a hub for products of the mines and California’s growing agricultural sector. Travel to and from Sacramento, which had declined as the gold rush petered out, increased substantially after the railroad’s completion. In 1865, the CPRR purchased the SVRR, folding the local line into its transcontinental system. The CPRR then merged with potential rail competitor Southern Pacific (SP) and took on its name. The SP shops in Sacramento became the city’s largest employer and remained so for many years even after management moved to San Francisco.2 As Sacramento matured from a frontier tent encampment to a permanent city, it became clear that flooding would be a recurring problem. Beginning in 1862, Sacramento undertook a series of flood control projects that were considerably more ambitious than initial attempts to build levees. Civic leaders raised streets just east of the Sacramento River and re-channeled the mouth of the American River. A flood in 1878 prompted the creation of the first comprehensive flood control plan for the Sacramento Valley in 1880. The first structure of note in the southern part of Sacramento was the R Street levee, initially constructed from Front to 19th Streets in order to protect downtown from floods. The R Street levee acted as a de facto barrier to the development of the southern portion of city limits.3
Despite its huge street grid, early Sacramento development was concentrated near the waterfront.

The State Capitol on 10th Street and the rail yards to the northwest stimulated West End development during the nineteenth century. Commercial activity was concentrated at the western end of K Street and near the rail yards. Establishment of streetcar service allowed residential development to push eastward along the streetcar lines beginning in the 1870s. During the nineteenth century, many residences were in the Homes District east of the Capitol as well as 2 William L. Willis, History of Sacramento County, California: With Biographical Sketches (Los Angeles: Historic Record Company, 1913), 183; Richard Orsi, Sunset Limited: The Southern Pacific Railroad and the Development of the American West, 1850 – 1930 (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2005), 7, 12-18; William Burg, Sacramento’s Streetcar (Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2006), 7; Steven M. Avella, Sacramento, Indomitable City (Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2003), 58.
3 Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, Sacramento Area Flood History, SAFCA, 2008, http://www.safca.org/history.html, accessed 6 February 2014; Sacramento Archives and Museum Collection Center and the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation, Sacramento’s Midtown (Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2006), 71.

Section 8, Page 10
mixed with businesses along K Street. As Sacramento’s population grew around the turn of the century, K Street became a robustly commercial area, and single-family residences were pushed out. During the first two decades of the twentieth century, development densified the West End with multi-story retail, office, hotel, and apartment buildings replacing many smaller nineteenth century buildings. The Homes District to the east became a middle-class enclave. Sacramento’s population growth was further stimulated as new levees lessened flood danger and streetcars were electrified, and by 1910, the city had nearly 45,000 residents.4 After the turn of the century, the entire southern part of the Sacramento street grid was opened to development when the city demolished the R St. levee in response to advocacy from the Southside Improvement Club. More areas were opened to development in 1911, when annexation of areas east and south of the original grid added 6,000 acres of land and further boosted population. Growth slowed during World War I, but by the 1920s a booming economy was fueling rapid development and population expansion in Sacramento. The built environment was reshaped with the addition of institutional buildings like lodges, churches, Memorial Auditorium, and a new hospital as well as substantial downtown commercial development.

Commercial expansion fueled population growth, which necessitated new residential neighborhoods as well as schools and a junior college. The onset of the Great Depression in 1930 halted most construction and began an era of hardship for Sacramento. The railyards and canneries, major local employers, laid off workers in considerable numbers. Population growth, however, continued, along with continued development of educational buildings in the 1930s.5 The entry of the US into World War II in 1941 prompted the establishment or reactivation of three military installments in Sacramento County: Mather Field, McClellan Supply Depot, and Sacramento Signal Depot. The bases, located outside city limits, stimulated suburban commercial and residential development and drew new residents to the area. Development also signaled a shift from an economy based on agriculture and the railroad to one where military bases and government offices were the biggest local employers. As California’s population exploded during and after World War II, state government grew, and the City of Sacramento expanded far outside its original boundaries into former agricultural areas. Between 1946 and 1955, twenty-seven annexations added ten square miles to Sacramento’s urban footprint. The shift toward the personal automobile in the post-war period facilitated this trend, making commutes outside the traditional street grid feasible; by 1960, the population of Sacramento’s suburbs had surpassed that within city limits. Completion of the Elvas Freeway (Business 80) in 1955, US 50/99 in 1961, and interstates 5 and 80 in the late 1960s further encouraged 4 Environmental Science Associates, “Historical Resource Impact Analysis Report, Sacramento Entertainment and Sports Complex,” prepared by JRP Historical Consulting, October 2013, 13. 5 William Burg, Midtown, Sacramento: The Creative Soul of a City (Charleston: The History Press, 2014); The Sacramento Bee, 25 October 1944, 6; Steven M. Avella, Sacramento, Indomitable City (Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2003), 80, 90-92.

Section 8, Page 11
development in Sacramento County’s rural areas. The 1960s and 1970s saw more substantial annexations, after which growth slowed but did not stop.6 Redevelopment beginning in the 1950s led to the destruction of much of Sacramento’s original urban fabric, including its historic Japantown. Meanwhile, continued suburban development and the intrusion of freeways into historic neighborhoods led to disinvestment and population loss in much of the original city grid. The 1980s brought the decline of Sacramento’s most significant, long-standing industries: the railyards, canneries, and military bases. Loss of these industries was only partially offset by growth of the technology sector and the ongoing employment provided by state government. By 2013, the City of Sacramento encompassed nearly 100 square miles and by 2019, the metropolitan area had over half a million residents. 1830 T Street
The house at 1830 T Street was built about 1906, when it first appeared on the city directory, by Theodore W. Schluckebier (1889-1969). He shared the house with his brother, August Paul Schluckebier (1892-1969), a World War I veteran and a plumber with Mott & Co.’s. By 1921, a Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Young also lived at the address with their son. By 1925, George M.

Schluckebier (1895-1975), the brother of Theodore and August Schluckebier, owned the house.

He lived there with his wife, Marie A. Grady (1902-1975). Schluckebier was a Sacramento native and worked at a local post office for thirty-eight years before becoming a pigeon breeder.

In 1922, he married Marie Annie Grady, the chief telephone operator at the Sacramento Bee.

In 1942, the NWCIC bought the property, using it as a boardinghouse until 1948, when they acquired a new location. There were numerous residents at 1830 T Street after the NWCIC moved. In 1950, two rooms were put up for rent while Walter and Alice Lockhoof resided at the address. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the house continued to be used as a rental property.7 Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club
In 1942, the NWCIC bought the property at 1830 T Street from J. D. Swift and used it as a boarding house or “girls’ home,” the first of its kind for Black women in Sacramento. The California Association of Colored Women’s Clubs was formed in 1905 and received statewide support to purchase residential buildings in order to establish homes for working women who 6 City of Sacramento, General Plan Technical Background Report, Prepared by Ascent Environmental, August 2014, 81-82, 94, 113; County of Sacramento, County History, 2018, accessed 28 November 2018, http://www.saccounty.net/Government/Pages/CountyHistory.aspx; Norwood, 2004. 7 Sacramento Bee, “Apartments- Furnished- For Rent,” June 20, 1950, 28; Sacramento Bee, “Business Opportunities,” Aug. 4, 1950, 34; Sacramento Bee, “Walter Lockhoof,” Dec. 2, 1966, 8; Sacramento Bee, “Too Late to Classify,” June 8, 1955, 45; Sacramento Bee, “Coroner Says Man’s Death is Apparent Suicide,” Dec. 1, 1966, 54; Sacramento Bee, “More Than 500 Attend Dedication of Girls Home,” June 28, 1948, 26; Sacramento Bee, “Real Estate Transactions,” Nov. 12, 1985; Sacramento Bee, “Real Estate Transactions,” Oct. 17, 1985, 35.

Section 8, Page 12
could not afford their own residences. At the time, there were no suitable public accommodations for women and girls. Due to segregation and prejudice, young African American women arriving in Sacramento (who were excluded even from institutions like the YWCA) had great difficulty finding safe, decent housing, since the only hotels open to them during this era were in the red light district. Viola M. Brooks (1887-1975) was a founder of the club and its president during this era. Brooks, who discovered the lack of housing options during her own move to Sacramento, initially turned to the Woman’s Monday Club to help find a solution to suitable housing, taking the lead on the project starting in 1926. In 1936, Brooks and several other women founded the Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club, which became the Women’s Civic Improvement Club in 1951, by merging three existing Black women’s groups. The NWCIC (later renamed the WCIC) was part of the “Negro Women’s Club Movement” of the early twentieth choose one century.
8 Beginning in the 1920s, the clubs that were the precursors to the NWCIC held fundraising dinners, teas and variety shows, raising $500 in the first few years. Members, many of whom were employed in domestic service and earned as little as $0.50 a day, also funded the organization by paying monthly dues, which were at first a modest $0.10. However, the onset of the Great Depression caused banks to freeze assets, and the women lost access to their savings account. In 1936, banks began paying their depositors, and the women regained access to their savings (although Netta Sparks stated that they never received the full amount). Viola Brooks, Netta White (later Netta Sparks), and eleven other women founded the Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club. The club chose the house at 1830 T Street, which became the first location of the NWCIC’s girls’ home, because Richmond Grove was one of the few neighborhoods in Sacramento in which racial covenants did not prevent Black people from purchasing property at the time. The club continued to sponsor public concerts and other activities to fund their work. 9 Young women were charged one dollar a day to stay at the house when it opened in 1942, and a club member would act as a matron who lived with and supervised the young women who resided in the house. The house had room for twelve boarders in upstairs rooms, and its ground floor was used for club meetings and social activities. It's first matron was Victoria Johnson. Just three years after the purchase, the club was able to celebrate with a mortgage-burning party. In 1945, Iola G. Young was the matron; two years later, Mrs. Louise Troutman was serving in the role. Troutman was a widow who later served as custodian for the NWCIC boarding house. 8 “WCIC History,” Women’s Civic Improvement Club of Sacramento, Accessed September 16, 2021, https://www.wcicinc.org/wcic-history.html; Ginger Rutland, “Blacks in Segregated Sacramento Took Care of Own,” Sacramento Bee, Mar. 29, 1999, 18; “WCIC History,” Women’s Civic Improvement Club of Sacramento, Accessed July 30, 2021, https://www.wcicinc.org/wcic-history.html; "Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California (Black Americans)," National Parks Service, Accessed July 30, 2021, https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_ books/5views/5views2f.htm.
9 Sacramento Bee, “Julian Bond will speak at fundraiser Sunday,” May 18, 1973 United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club Boarding House Sacramento, California

Section 8, Page 13
Young women who were looking for jobs, working, or attending school and did not have family in the area could live in the clubhouse. Older members of the club served as house mother/matrons and mentors, providing guidance to the young tenants. The club incorporated in 1945. After six years at 1830 T Street, the club acquired a larger building and moved the girls’ home to 1219 X Street (which could accommodate twenty residents) in 1948. 500 people attended its dedication, including the Sacramento mayor and local club founders Netta White (Sparks) and Viola Brooks.10
Little is known about most of the women who resided in the clubhouse during its six years of use. One exception is Ellen Willis, whose biography may be illustrative of the important role the home played in the lives of its residents. She moved to Sacramento of in 1945 at the age of 17.

While living at the property, she attended Grant Technical College (now American River College) and worked nights as a nurse’s aide at Sutter General Hospital. She went on to receive a Master’s degree from San Francisco State and in 1955 joined the Army in hopes of saving enough money to attend medical school. Instead, she pursued a 20-year career in the Army, rising through the ranks to become a lieutenant colonel and the only Black female computer specialist the Army of that era. She retired in 1976.11 After establishing the housing at 1830 T Street, the NWCIC continued to focus on providing programs and services for low-income and disadvantaged families in Sacramento. Later, its larger building on X Street allowed the organization to expand services and hold events at the same location. The residential home remained in operation until 1958, when it was acquired and demolished for freeway construction. The NWCIC moved to Oak Park, discontinuing the housing program. As times changed, so did the organization, and it changed its name to simply the Women’s Civic Improvement Club (WCIC). The WCIC/Playmate Head Start Program, which provides accessible preschool, was founded in 1966; the Head Start Program is at the core of today’s WCIC. An assistance program for low-income seniors was started in 2006.12 Viola Brooks
Viola M. Brooks (1887-1975) was a founder and first president of the NWCIC. Brooks was born in St. Charles County, Missouri in 1887. She was the daughter of a Methodist minister and was 10 Sacramento Bee, “Viola Brooks, Champion of Deprived,” Mar. 7, 1975, 54; “Sacramento, California, City Directory, 1945,” Ancestry.com, City Directories, 1822-1995, Accessed Sept. 23, 2021; “WCIC History,” Women’s Civic Improvement Club of Sacramento, Accessed September 16, 2021, https://www.wcicinc.org/wcic-history.html. 11 Sacramento Bee, “No Sexism,” June 20, 1976, 21.
12 “WCIC History,” Women’s Civic Improvement Club of Sacramento, Accessed September 16, 2021, https://www.wcicinc.org/wcic-history.html; “What’s New at the Women’s Civic Improvement Club,” Volume I, Issue I, December 2017.

Section 8, Page 14
closely involved at the St. Andrews African Methodist Episcopal Church in Sacramento. She organized the Deaconess and Stewardess Alliance of California Conference and served as its president for twenty-five years. In 1924, she came to Sacramento as a widow and mother of three daughters (Alta L. Harris, Ozelle Reed, and Muriel Sinclair). Brooks experienced firsthand the struggle to find suitable housing in Sacramento, where she found work as a cook for wealthy family. In 1928, she married Fred Brooks, founder of the Oreilley Bluett VFW post and an employee of the Sacramento City Parks and Recreation Department. They had two children together, Hattie and Joseph Brooks. Fred Brooks died in 1943. Viola Brooks died in 1975 and was buried in the Odd Fellows Lawn Cemetery.
13 Ruth B. Johnson
Ruth Bailey Johnson (1908 – 1960) was an active member of the NWCIC beginning in 1940, when she moved to Sacramento, and has been called the mother of the organization. Born on Long Island, Johnson lived in her youth in Oakland and Berkeley, graduating from the University of California and later receiving a Master’s degree in social sciences. She was unusual in this regard for the era, as most of her contemporaries did not have the opportunity to pursue higher education. In 1933, she married physician Kenneth Johnson; the couple did not have children of their own, but raised her niece and nephew. Johnson was active in the YWCA, NAACP, parent-teacher organizations, and other clubs and charities in addition to the NWCIC. 14 Netta Lagrone White Sparks
Although she was well known enough at the end of her life to have a senior center named for her, many details of Netta Sparks’ biography are obscure, in part because she was married several times and change her name each time. Born in Longview, Texas about 1897, her birth name was Netta Lagrone. Netta completed high school and attended college. About 1916, she married Nathaniel Dock Coats, who was soon sent overseas to fight in World War I. His family did not want him to return to Texas after the war because of local racism, and convinced Netta to relocate to California in 1917. In the 1920s, when she became the first secretary of the Sacramento chapter of the NAACP. Coats join her in Sacramento, and they lived together for a few years, but the marriage was not a happy one and by the late 1920s they had separated. By 1930, she had reverted to using Netta Lagrone. In the 1940s, while serving as an active member of the NWCIC, she became NAACP president. She worked in retail, as a cook, as a janitor, and at other jobs In the 1940s, when the NWCIC moved into and then out of the subject property to the larger house, she was vice president of the club. In 1944, she married Charles White, changing her name to Netta White. The marriage to White ended and in the late 1950s, she married union construction laborer Walter Samuel Sparks, who was two decades her senior and 13 Sacramento Bee, “Viola Brooks, Champion of Deprived,” Mar. 7, 1975, 54. 14 Sacramento Bee, “Mrs. Ruth Johnson dies,” June 21, 1960.

Section 8, Page 15
had come to Sacramento about 1910. Netta Sparks was also active for 75 years in the Sacramento Shiloh Baptist Church, for which she was honored in 1979. She died in 1993. 15 Criterion A/a.i
The building at 1830 T Street is significant under Criterion A/a.i at the local level in the area of Ethnic Heritage. The house at 1830 T Street was originally constructed as part of the initial residential development of Richmond Grove. In 1942, it became the first boarding house for the Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club, therefore facilitating the growth of the Black community in Sacramento. It is an example of the extraordinary efforts this marginalized community made to provide mutual aid to its members at a time when government institutions society at large either ignored their needs or actively discriminated against them. It served as a crucially important housing option for young Black women who needed accommodations after moving to the area. During a time of segregation, the Richmond Grove neighborhood was one of the first in Sacramento where Black people could purchase property. The establishment of a boarding house for Black women in Richmond Grove facilitated growth of the community by encouraging Black women to move to Sacramento, where many were able to find work and later form their own families. The boarding house was heavily used until the NWCIC moved to a new location to expand the program. The property represents an extraordinary achievement of planning, hard work, and frugality that allowed the women to band together to create this institution despite extremely limited financial resources. It is associated with the nationwide growth and development of the Black Women’s Club movement during the twentieth century.

Both the home at 1830 T Street and the second home at 1219 X Street were used by the NWCIC (later renamed the WCIC) to provide safe and respectable housing for new Black female residents in Richmond Grove.
15 U.S. Census, 1930, Sacramento; Escondido Times Advocate, “Netta Sparks,” Nov. 25, 1993, Sacramento Bee, “NAACP pioneer sites progress,” February 9, 1980; Greg Campbell, Oral History interview with Netta White Sparks, 1980.

Section 9, Page 16
______________________________________________________________________________

9. Major Bibliographical References
Bibliography (Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form.) Online Sources
“WCIC History.” Women’s Civic Improvement Club of Sacramento. Accessed 30 July 2021. https://www.wcicinc.org/wcic-history.html.
“Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California (Black Americans)." National Parks Service. Accessed 30 July 2021.
https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/5views/5views2f.htm. “Sacramento, California, City Directory, 1945.” Ancestry.com. City Directories, 1822-1995.

Accessed 23 September 2021.
“Building Contracts: Sacramento County.” Building & Engineering News. Contractors’ and Dealers’ Association of California. San Francisco Public Library: 1914.

Newspapers and Periodicals
Sacramento Star.
28 January 1910.
6 May 1921.

Sacramento Bee.
22 September 1969.
24 May 1975.
24 July 1975.
29 March 1999.
20 June 1950.
4 August 1950.
2 December 1966.
8 June 1948.
1 December 1966.
28 June 1948.
12 November 1985.
17 October 1985.
7 March 1975.
26 September 1969.
20 June 1976.
20 June 1950.
4 August 1950.
2 December 1966.
8 June 1955.

Section 9, Page 17
1 December 1966.
28 June 1948
12 November 1985.
17 October 1985.

Government Directories and Censuses
U.S. Federal Census.

Sacramento, California. 1900.

City Directory
Sacramento, California. 1945.
___________________________________________________________________________ Previous documentation on file (NPS):
____ preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested ____ previously listed in the National Register
____ previously determined eligible by the National Register ____ designated a National Historic Landmark
____ recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey #____________ ____ recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # __________ ____ recorded by Historic American Landscape Survey # ___________ Primary location of additional data:
____ State Historic Preservation Office
____ Other State agency
____ Federal agency
____ Local government
____ University
____ Other
Name of repository: _____________________________________ Historic Resources Survey Number (if assigned): ________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

10. Geographical Data
Acreage of Property __0.07_____________
Use either the UTM system or latitude/longitude coordinates Latitude/Longitude Coordinates (decimal degrees)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club Boarding House Sacramento, California

Section 9, Page 18
Datum if other than WGS84:__________
(enter coordinates to 6 decimal places)

1. Latitude: 38.565998 Longitude: -121.486294

2. Latitude: 38.565966 Longitude: -121.486176

3. Latitude: 38.565742 Longitude: -121.486273

4. Latitude: 38.565777 Longitude: -121.486396
Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property.) The boarding house at 1830 T Street occupies a simple rectangular corner lot. It is bounded to the northeast and southeast by the sidewalk, to the southwest by the property line between 2012 19th Street and 1830 T Street, and to the northwest by the property line between 1826 T Street and 1830 T Street.

Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected.) The property boundaries are the limits of the parcel as defined by the Sacramento County Assessor and the legal description of the parcel.
______________________________________________________________________________

11. Form Prepared By
name/title: _Ynez Barber__________________________
organization: _Brunzell Historical______________________________________ street & number: 1613 B Street _____________________
city or town: Napa___________________ state: _California__ zip code:_94559___ [email protected] ________
telephone:_213-254-5756 ___
date:___June 15, 2021 ______ _ __
___________________________________________________________________________ Additional Documentation
Submit the following items with the completed form:
• Maps: A USGS map or equivalent (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's location.

• Sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources. Key all photographs to this map.

Section 11, Page 19
• Additional items: (Check with the SHPO, TPO, or FPO for any additional items.) Photographs
Submit clear and descriptive photographs. The size of each image must be 1600x1200 pixels (minimum), 3000x2000 preferred, at 300 ppi (pixels per inch) or larger. Key all photographs to the sketch map. Each photograph must be numbered and that number must correspond to the photograph number on the photo log. For simplicity, the name of the photographer, photo date, etc. may be listed once on the photograph log and doesn’t need to be labeled on every photograph.

Photo Log
Name of Property: 1830 T Street
City or Vicinity: Sacramento
County: Sacramento
State: California
Photographer: Kara Brunzell
Date of Photographs: June 15, 2021
Location of Original Digital File:

Description of Photograph(s) and number, including description of view indicating direction of camera:

Photograph #1 (CA_Sacramento County_1830 T Street_0001) 1830 T Street, east and north elevations, camera facing southwest, June 15, 2021.

Photograph 1 of 4
Photograph #2 (CA_Sacramento County_1830 T Street_0002) 1830 T Street, east elevation, camera facing southwest, June 15, 2021.

Photograph 2 of 4
Photograph #3 (CA_Sacramento County_1830 T Street_0003) 1830 T Street, south and east elevations, camera facing northwest, June 15, 2021.

Photograph 3 of 4
Photograph #4 (CA_Sacramento County_1830 T Street_0004) 1830 T Street, north and west elevations, camera facing southeast, June 15, 2021.

Photograph 4 of 4
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018
Negro Women’s Civic Improvement Club Boarding House Sacramento, California

Section 11, Page 20
Figure 1: Location map.

Figure 2: 1830 T Street, north and west elevations, 1942.

Section 11, Page 21
Figure 3: Members of the Women’s Civic Improvement Club.

Section 11, Page 22
Figure 4: Mural showcasing the history of the WCIC, John F. King, 1986. The building at 1830 T Street can be seen in the bottom left.

Photograph 1: 1830 T Street, east and north elevations, camera facing southwest, June 15, 2021.

Section 11, Page 23
Photograph 2: 1830 T Street, east elevation, camera facing southwest, June 15, 2021.

Photograph 3: 1830 T Street, south and east elevations, camera facing northwest, June 15, 2021.

Section 11, Page 24
Photograph 4: 1830 T Street, north and west elevations, camera facing southeast, June 15, 2021.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C.460 et seq.).

Estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 100 hours per response including time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Office of Planning and Performance Management. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 1849 C. Street, NW, Washington, DC.

State of California ⎯ The Resources Agency Primary #_________________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #_____________________________________________ PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial_________________________________________ NRHP Status Code________________________________
Other Listings____________________________________________________________ Review Code________Reviewer________________________ Date_______________ DPR 523A-Test (8/94) *These items consist of required information.

Page 1 of 13 ends

P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: *a. County: Sacramento
b. Address: 5441 Pleasant Drive City: Sacramento Zip: 95822 *c. USGS 7.5' Quad Sacramento West Date: 1955
*e. Other Locational Data: APN#: 016-029-200-20000
*P3a. Description: 5441 Pleasant Drive is a raised custom ranch style residence located in the South Land Park Hills neighborhood in the City of Sacramento, east from South Land Park Drive. The building is a two-story wood frame structure with a L-shaped floor plan (the L wing is at the rear) and a hipped side-gable, low-pitched roof that evokes Japanese influences. There is an attached two-car garage facing the street with a two car concrete driveway to access Pleasant Drive. A brick retaining wall sets the driveway at lower grade than the landscaping where a shade tree is planted. The first floor is clad in a brick veneer with integral brick planters flanking the primary entryway on each side with a concrete walkway leading to the public sidewalk perpendicular to the primary façade. The lawn areas flank the walkway and slope downward toward the street. The lawn is bordered by low profile shrubs and succulents. The entry occurs through a simple single flat panel door accessed from a low brick stoop and set between unadorned brick pilasters to either side. (See Continuation Sheet) *P3b. Resource Attributes: HP2
*P4. Resources Present: ◼Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.) P5b. Description of Photo:

View facing south
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Source: ◼Historic
Prehistoric Both
1955, original building permit
*P7.Owner and Address:

Richard Loney Randall
5441 Pleasant Dr.

Sacramento, CA 95822
*P8. Recorded by:

Cory Quon, Historic Preservation
Intern & Sean de Courcy,
Preservation Planner
*P9. Date Recorded:

February 2020
*P10. Survey Type:

Intensive
P11. Report Citation*:

None
*Attachments: NONE Location Map
Sketch Map Continuation Sheet
◼Building, Structure, and Object Record
Linear Resource Record Archaeological Record District Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record Artifact Record Photograph Record  Other (List)
State of California ⎯ The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#__________________________________________

BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
DPR 523B-Test (8/94) *These items consist of required information.

Page 2 of 13 ends

*Resource Address: 5441 Pleasant Drive
B1. Historic Name: Nathaniel Colley Residence
B2. Common Name: 5441 Pleasant Drive
B3. Original Use: Residence B4. Present Use: Residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Raised Custom Ranch/Japanese Influence *B6. Construction History: The original building permit was initiated on July 21, 1955. Nathaniel Colley the property owner, hired Gavel and Flanders construction company to build the residence and an attached garage. The building permit was finalized on January 11, 1956. In October 1978, Jerlean Jackson, Colley’s wife, retainedFred B. Curtis, Inc. to replace the wood shake roof. In 1995, a fire occurred which resulted in approximately $38,000 of repairs to the building. The windows were changed into a modern aluminum window system at some point prior to 2011, but there is no permit record indicating when this change occurred. In 2015, a new HVAC system, solar panels, and the faux storm shutters were added to the property, and the wood shake roof was replaced with dimensional composition shingles. under a different ownership.
*B7. Moved? ◼No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:

B9a. Architect: -- b. Builder: Building contractor/designer: Gavel and Flanders *B10. Significance: Theme: Significant persons associate with civil rights era Area: South Land Park Period of Significance: 1950s-90s Property Type: Residential Applicable Criteria: City Code17.604.210.(A)1.a.ii.

City Code17.604.210.(A)1.b & c
The subject residence is eligible for Sacramento Register of Historic & Cultural Resources (Sacramento Register) per Criterion ii for its close association with Nathaniel S. Colley, an African-American civil rights attorney of local and statewide preeminence (City Code17.604.210.(A)1.a.ii). The South Land Park neighborhood was developed by L.F.

Noonan and Moss & Lucas (later named Moss & Moss) in the 1940s. As soon as World War II ended, Moss & Moss began advertising the newly developed properties in 1946. The area was subdivided as Noonan’s South Land Park Terrace and Sutterville Heights (now part of South Land Park) subdivisions, which were considered two of Sacramento’s residential showpieces of the period and one of the first post WWII automobile oriented suburbs of the 1950s. Partner Henry M. Moss was a prominent developer, credited with subdividing roughly 2000 custom home sites in South Land Park, Golf Course Terrace, and a tract in the City of Roseville. The neighborhood attracted many residents because of its pastoral landscape that had rolling hills, mature native oak trees, and curvilinear streets with no sidewalks (MCM Context, 2017). (See Continuation sheet) B11. Additional Resource Attributes:
*B12. References:
(See Continuation Sheet)
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator:
*Date of Evaluation: February 27, 2020
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California ⎯ The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#___________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial________________________

Page 3 of 13 ends

Recorded by : Cory Quon
*P3a. Description (continued):

An aluminum sliding kitchen window faces the street on the first floor. A row of exposed floor joists between the first and second floor accent the primary façade. The second floor is clad in a combination of board and batten and lap siding. Five aluminum windows are located on the second floor of the primary façade. These windows are a mix of sliding and fixed-pane windows. Two of the windows are accented by faux storm shutters. All windows appear to be modern aluminum windows with a black finish that have replaced the mid-century period aluminum windows. The building has square footprint except for a cross gabled wing that extends into the back yard (south). Brick, board and batten, lap siding, and aluminum window type and style wrap the building onto the secondary facades. No other buildings or structures are located on this parcel.

Southeast view. Detail of the windows.
*B10. Significance (continued)
Nathaniel Colley and his family lived at 5441 Pleasant Drive for 40 years. Colley and his wife Jerlean commissioned the residence, making them the first owners of the building. The Colleys enlisted the help of their white friend to purchase the house for them because the agent refused to sell the property to African Americans. Gavel and Flanders were contracted to build the home in 1955. Construction which was finalized in 1956. Stephen R. Chew was another lawyer who owned the home between 2000-2004. He taught at the Pacific McGeorge School of Law like Colley. There have been several other owners since the Colleys. The current owner is Richard Loney Randall who has occupied the residence since 2008.

State of California ⎯ The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#___________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial________________________

Page 4 of 13 ends

Recorded by : Cory Quon
*B10. Significance (continued)
Significance of Nathaniel S. Colley
The building at 5441 Pleasant Drive is most closely associated with the first and longest owner, Nathaniel Sextus Colley. Colley, the first African American attorney in private practice in Sacramento, was instrumental in both local and national efforts to implement fair housing practices and end segregation in public housing, a career which overlapped with the period that Colley resided at 5441 Pleasant Drive. Colley gained local, regional, and national recognition as one of the leaders in the struggle to end segregation in public housing for African Americans. Expanding on his success in Sacramento, Colley advocated for fair housing with branches of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in California and other western states. After fighting segregation in public housing, Colley used this experience to fight racial discrimination in Sacramento against African Americans who tried to purchase private residences in Sacramento and eventually extended that expertise on a nationwide basis. He became recognized national leader in the effort to end racial segregation and discrimination and was a highly regarded attorney in the fight for equality.

Nathaniel Colley was born on November 21, 1918 in Carlowsville, Alabama. In 1941, he graduated at the top of his class from Tuskegee Institute (founded by Booker T. Washington) where he met his wife Jerlean Jackson. Colley was a student of George Washington Carver, and initially wanted to be scientist until Colley was conscripted into World War II. He graduated first in his class at chemical warfare officer candidate school and later was promoted to the rank of captain in the Solomon Islands. Because black soldiers were treated so poorly in the war, he decided to become a lawyer instead so he could fight to improve the lives African Americans via the legal process.

Despite Colley’s excellent credentials, after returning from the Pacific theater in WWII, he was rejected from the University of Alabama because he was black. With the assistance of the GI Bill, Colley enrolled at Yale University Law School, where he was awarded the LaRue Munsun prize for most significant contribution to New Haven, Legal Aid Society and the Benjamin Sharp prize for best original student essay. Colley and his wife Jerlean moved to Sacramento after graduation from Yale to be close to Jerlean’s family. Colley passed the California Bar Exam on the first attempt and opened his private practice in 1949. He became the first African American attorney in the Sacramentoarea. His law offices had a clientele of diverse backgrounds. In one article, Colley was described as being the “undisputed leader in the colored community.” (McDonald, c. 1954).

As soon as the Colleys arrived in Sacramento, they immediately experienced discrimination which was prevalent at the time. Repeated efforts by Colley and his wife to buy a house in the suburbs were rebuffed because the agent refused to sell to blacks. In response, the couple asked their white friend to buy the property at 5441 Pleasant Drive in South Land Park. The home was commissioned by the Colleys and built by Gavel and Flanders in 1955. When the Colleys moved into their home, they were met with a burning cross at the front door. Later, someone used a BB gun and shot through their window.

Portrait of Nathaniel S Colley, c.1963
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*B10. Significance (continued)
Colley was instrumental in ending
segregation in public housing, a career that
began with his involvement with New
Helvetia low-income housing community
on Broadway east of the City Cemetery.

The neighborhood was the first major
public housing project in Sacramento to
address the housing crisis before and after
the war. Colley discovered that the
Sacramento Housing Authority was
segregating African Americans by limiting
the number of units they could occupy. The
average white applicant for such housing
had to wait from three to six months for
assignment to New Helvetia, while the
average Negro applicant has been required
to wait from two to four years for
assignment. Colley organized a coalition of
local community groups, known as the
“Sacramento Committee Against
Segregation in Public Housing,” to work with the NAACP in the fight to end the discriminatory practices at New Helvetia. In 1952, Colley filed a complaint with the Sacramento County Superior Court against the Sacramento Housing Authority.

His efforts in this case ended segregation at New Helvetia, but also helped African Africans purchase private residences in Sacramento and statewide. Colley became the legal counsel for the NAACP. Colley was active in the NAACP for nearly four decades, beginning as the Sacramento NAACP branch's legal counsel and Vice-President, President of the NAACP's Central Valley Area, and eventually chair of the Western Region's Legal Committee and a member of the NAACP's National Board, among other positions. In addition, he was active in California state politics beginning in 1951 as the NAACP's Western Region's legislative representative and actively worked on legislation with the goal of eliminating segregation and discrimination against African Americans in California.

Colley continued to fight for fair housing for African Americans throughout his career. In 1954, Colley filed the landmark legal case of Ming vs. Horgan. The lawsuit claimed that a real estate developer who was receiving federal funds for a housing project could not engage in racial discrimination against African Americans, who were qualified, and wanted to purchase a home. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed with Colley and found that these discriminatory practices were illegal for the sale of any housing that used federal funds. This made discrimination against African Americans and other ethnic minorities who were told they could not purchase residential homes in specific areas of a community illegal. In 1964, Colley assisted other lawyers in overturning Proposition 14 which gave property owners the right to refuse to sell property to anyone for any reason. The Supreme Court ruled that Proposition 14 violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Nathaniel Colley at work, 1952
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*B10. Significance (continued)
Colley also devoted time to employment and education issues. He was co-chair of the California Committee for Fair Employment Practices where he helped secure the passage of the state Fair Employment Practices Act in 1959, prohibiting discrimination in the workplace. A year later, California Governor Edmund G. “Pat” Brown appointed Colley to the State Board of Education, making him the first African American on the board. Colley drafted regulations to eliminate segregation in several school districts. In the 1960s, Colley served on the Democratic California State Democratic Committee. As a member of the National Bar Association's Hall of Fame. Colley taught part-time at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law for seventeen years. Between 1961 and 1962, he was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to the Committee on Discrimination in the U.S. Armed Forces to report and recommend methods to end on racial prejudice.

While her husband was the public face of groundbreaking anti-discrimination lawsuits and numerous civic
organizations, Jerlean Colley was an equally influential behind-the-scenes leader. She cared for their five
children and was an active PTA member and volunteer
with Campfire and Girl Scouts. She worked closely with
her husband as a receptionist, secretary, accountant, and advisor. According to one of their children, Jerlean was "the heart and soul of that law practice." As Nathaniel's career progressed, Jerlean entertained governors,
Supreme Court Justices, and other distinguished guests in the family's South Land Park home.

In summary, Nathaniel Colley was known as a talented and gifted attorney who embarked on a prominent and respected legal career that fought to end segregation in housing, politics, and the workplace for African Americans and all people of color. Because of Nathaniel Colley's efforts, public housing practices were changed throughout California and the western states. African Americans were finally able to apply for, and receive, public housing on an equal basis with other people in need. Colley’s civic contributions earned him the Humanitarian Award by the National Asthma Center in 1980. 5441 Pleasant Drive is
associated with the life of Nathaniel Colley. The property is eligible for listing on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources under city code criteria 17.604.210.A.1.a.ii for its association with Nathaniel Colley, a person significant in the City’s past.

Nathaniel Colley and his family taken inside their home, 5441 Pleasant Drive, 1956
Colley receiving the Humanitarian Award from the National Asthma Center in Sacramento, 1980
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Postcard advertising an exhibit honoring the career of Colley at the Center for Sacramento History, 2012 State of California ⎯ The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#___________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial________________________

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Newspaper clipping regarding the exhibit at the Center for Sacramento History, c. 2012 State of California ⎯ The Resources Agency Primary #______________________________________ DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#___________________________________ CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial________________________

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Newspaper clipping from: Dylan McDonald. "Young Attorney Gives Leadership to Colored Community," Colorfornia magazine article, page 17; c.1954
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Colley supporting the presidential campaign for Lyndon B. Johnson, c.1960 Left to right: Sen. Clair Engle, Eddie Hall, Nathaniel Colley, Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson, Clarence Canson, Rev. Joseph Williams, Gov.

Edmund G. “Pat” Brown
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Newspaper clipping from The Sacramento Union, 1980
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Original building permit for 5441 Pleasant Drive, 1955
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Tract Map for South Land Park, 1946
B12. References
Caesar, C. Sacramento Ethnic Communities Black Oral Histories-Oral Interview of Nathaniel Sextus Colley (1984).

Sacramento: Center for Sacramento History.

Colley Nathaniel S. and Jerlean J. Papers, c. 1940-1992, Collection Number 2010/036, Center for Sacramento History; Sacramento, California.

GEI Consultants. (2018). Mid-Century Modern Context Statement and Survey Results, City of Sacramento.

Gibson, S. (1992, May 22). Capital Attorney, Activist Colley Dies. The Sacramento Bee.

McDonald, Dylan. (c.1954) "Young Attorney Gives Leadership to Colored Community," Colorfornia, page 17.

Magagnini, S. (1999, December 19). Racism Locked into Daily Life -For Decades, Minorities Excluded from Jobs, Housing. The Sacramento Bee.

National Register of Historic Places. (2014) New Helvetia Historic District, New Helvetia Historic District. Sacramento, CA.

Rising to injustice for more than 40 years, attorney Nathaniel Colley's fierce fight against inequality has been waged in the simple quest for the truth. (1991, June 20). The Sacramento Bee.

NPS Form 10-900a
(8-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

CONTINUATION SHEET
Section Page_
0MB No. 1024-0018
----=======-=-============================================= ~=====================

SUPPLEMENTARY LISTING RECORD
NRIS Reference Number: 14000109 Date Listed: 4/4/2014
New Helvetia Historic District
Property Name
N/A
Multiple Name
Sacramento
County
CA
State
This property is listed in the National Register of Historic Places in accordance with the attached nomination documentation subject to the following exceptions, exclusions, or amendments, notwithstanding the National Park Service certification included in the nomination documentation.

Keeper Date of Action
Nomination:

Name of Related Multiple Property Listing:

The Public Housing in the United States MPS is not an approved multiple property submission cover document. It remains in draft form as a research context and all references in the nomination should acknowledge this fact. The New Helvetia nomination provides sufficient historic context to justify listing under Criterion A as a stand-alone nomination.

Significance:

The Period of Significance is correctly noted as 1942-1952; overlapping or consecutive periods are best combined as one longer period for purposes of data entry.

These clarifications were confirmed with the CA SHPO.

DISTRIBUTION:

National Register property file
Nominating Authority (without nomination attachment)
NPS Form 10-900 0MB No. 1024-0018
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
This fom1 is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and distri cts. See instruct 011 s i1 :t~e, ff e Bulletin, How to Complete the National Regis/er of Historic Places Registration Form. If any item does not .ipr ly l e fo en •1ictn° documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classifi cation, materials, and areas o sig 1ifi c111ice, enter onl y categories and subcategories from the instructions.

1. Name of Property
Historic name: New Hel vetia Historjc District
Other names/site number: Alder Grove Community Complex
Name of related multiple property listing:

Public Housing in the United States MPS
(Enter "NI A" if property is not part of a multiple property listing

2. Location
FEB 1 8 2014
Street & number: 752 Revere Street --"'-='--'==-'-.=..c...cc-=-=--=---=--.c..--------~-- ---------- City or town: _S_ac_r_a-=mc:-::e=n=-t-'-,o _ _ _ __ State: _ C_A~---- County: Sacramento Not For Publication: D Vicinity: D

3. State/Federal Agency Certification
As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby ce1iify that this _x_ nomination _ request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60.

In my opinion, the property _X _ meets _ does not meet the National Register Criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant at the following level(s) of significance:
_national statewide _K_local
Applicable National Register Criteria:
-X_A -X_B -X_C _D
Jenan Saunders/Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Date California State Office of Historic Presetv~\tion
State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government
In my opinion, the property _ meets _ _ does not meet the National Register criteria.

Signature of commenting official:

Title:
1 Date
State or Federal agency/bureau
or Tribal Government
/0
0 National Park Service/ National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No. 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District
Name of Property

4. National Park Service Certification
I hereby certify that this property is:
_Bntered in the National Register
_ determined eligible for the National Register
_ determined not eligible for the National Register
_ removed from the National Register
_ other (explain:)
Ownership of Property
(Check as many boxes as apply.

Private: □
Public - Local 0
Public - State □
Public - Federal □
Category of Property
(Check only one box.)
Building(s) .

District
Site
Structure
Object
□ 0
□
□
□
Sections 1 -6 page 2
Sacramento, CA
County and State
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service/ National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No. 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District
Name of Property
Number of Resources within Property
(Do not include previously listed resources in the count) Contributing Noncontributing
62 62 0
Sacramento, CA
County and State
buildings
sites
structures
objects
Total
Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register ---'O'-

6. Function or Use
Historic Functions
(Enter categories from instructions.)
DOMESTIC: multiple dwelling - defense housing project
DOMESTIC; multiple dwelling - public housing
SOCIAL; clubhouse - Community Center
Current Functions
(Enter categories from instructions.)
DOMESTIC: multipl dwelling - publi bousing ptoject
OMMERCE/TRADE: business - office building
EDUCATION: school - daycare center
Sections 1-6 page 3
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service I National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District
Name of Property

7. Description
Architectural Classification
(Enter categories from instructions.)
MODERN MOVEMENT: International Stvle
Materials: (enter categories from instructions.)
Sacramento, CA
County and State
Principal exterior materials of the property: Brick veneer with some random clinker brick, omposition shingles. metal sash windows, metal do rs. concrete foundations Narrative Description
(Describe the historic and current physical appearance and condition of the property. Describe contributing and noncontributing resources if applicable. Begin with a summary paragraph that briefly describes the general characteristics of the property, such as its location, type, style, method of construction, setting, size, and significant features. Indicate whether the property has historic integrity.)
Summary
The New Helvetia Historic District is located within the Alder Grove housing complex located between Broadway, Muir Way, Kit Carson Street, and Kemble Street in Sacramento. There are 62 contributing buildings, including the central community center building at 816 Revere Way.

Buildings are wood framed with gabled roofs, clipped eaves, brick cladding, clinker brick, and metal framed windows. The simplicity and lack of exterior ornamentation illustrate the influence of the Modern Movement that focused on the functional aspects of architecture, and reflect wartime economic constraints as well. The buildings are set in a 26 acre rectilinear pattern of organized blocks, asphalt paved streets, concrete sidewalks, with pathways separated by lawn and containing trees, bushes and shrubs within a defined landscape accessible from major city streets. The one and two story buildings are narrow and long, have brick veneer surfaces, sidegabled roofs with composition shingles and clipped eaves, shallow roof overhangs on the sidegabled elevations, small entry canopies above doorways - some with shed-roofs and some flat - and metal-framed windows, both sliding and double hung. There is ample open space within the block layout and parking lots surrounded by lawn. Plantings and open yards without fences are dominant and provide little privacy. A very few units use plantings in their backyards to create small partially private outdoor areas. The buildings' brick veneer recalls elements of Georgian and Tudor revival designs, while open space and green landscaping contribute a gardenlike character to the complex. The prope1iy is in good condition.

Section 7 page 4
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No. 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District Sacramento, CA
Name of Property County and State
Narrative Description
The sixty one apartment buildings constructed within the twenty six acre site are divided into five different unit plans with a total of three hundred and ten apartments. Plans include building Types A to E. 1
Type A: Fourteen type A buildings: one and two story sections with eight apa1tment units each. The two story central section contains four two story apartments with two bedrooms each. Two attached one story sections flank the central two story section and each contains two one bedroom apartments. The two story central sections are slightly offset from the flanking one story portion walls.

Type B: Fourteen type B buildings: two story with eight two story apartments, with two or three bedrooms each.

Type C: Twenty four type C buildings: one story with two two-bedroom apaitments each.

Type D: Four type D buildings: one story with two four-bedroom apartments each.

Type E: Five type E buildings: one story with six one-bedroom apartments each.

Building types A, B, and E have service and laundry room utility extensions at each end. They are narrower and shorter than the apartment units themselves, are finished with gabled roofs and brick like the rest of the buildings, and contain exterior wall sections with decorative open brickwork patterns.

The locations of each building type in the district are indicated on the site map.

The Type A building has side-gabled roofs with a sh01t overhang on the entry elevations that are flush with the walls on the gable ends. It is surfaced with brick that contains soldier courses above and below windows and above doorways. Darker clinker-type bricks are randomly placed within the walls to add visual interest and texture. The front elevation is described from left to right. A small shorter brick-clad utility extension projects from each end of the building. Metal framed windows are located on the outer comers of the one story section, then the front door, and then the bedroom window comprises the first apartment. The reverse plan of this apaitment adjoins the first with a window and the entrance door and small window. The front entrance door to the first two story unit is next and the window to its living room. The next unit is the reverse of this one.

The other two two-story units are adjacent and reversed, with front entrances side by side in the central section then windows for each living room, before the last two story unit entry. The front entrance to the other one story section unit is next to the two story entry, and then the bedroom 1 Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA), original floor plans (Figure 4).

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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service/ National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No. 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District Sacramento, CA
Name of Property County and State
windows for each of the other one story units, and finally the entrance to the last one story unit and a corner window with a metal frame. There is a shallow roof overhang on both the one and two story sections on the front and back elevations. There are concrete walkways leading to the front entries with lawns and plantings next to the building.

The rear elevation left to right begins with the utility wing and its door, next to the kitchen window and back door and a bathroom window. The adjacent unit is the reverse of this floor plan. The central section of this plan is offset, with the back door into the kitchen and a kitchen/dining room window adjacent to it. The next unit is the reverse of this unit, and the last two story unit is again reversed. The next two one story units are replicas of the first two units with a utility wing matching the one on the other end. Materials match the other elevations.

From left to right, the front elevations of Type B buildings contain a window and an entrance adjacent to the reverse layout of the next unit with its entrance and living room window. The next six units are the same as the first two units with their reverse plans: a window, an entrance, another entrance, and another window. The second floor of the units contains either two or three bedrooms. There is a shallow roof overhang along the front and rear elevations. The roof is gabled and the building surfaced with brick-detailed and textured the same as the other buildings. Windows are metal framed and either sliding or double hung. There are utility wing extensions on each end of the buildings. There are concrete walkways to the front entries and back doors flanked by lawn and plants. The rear elevation left to right begins with the narrower utility wing and door, next to a window and the back door into the kitchen. The remaining seven units are each the reverse floor plan of the adjacent unit. Materials match the other elevations.

Type C buildings are the smallest of the district buildings types. They are surfaced with brick, have gabled roofs, and windows and doors like the other district buildings. From left to right:
there is a smaller corner window than the comer windows of type C, an entry door, and bedroom window. The next unit is the reverse plan which places the entries to the next two units adjacent to each other. The living room and bedroom windows are reversed from the other end of the building, completed with another corner window like that on the opposite end. There are concrete walkways to the front entries and back doors flanked by lawn and plants. Type C does not have utility wings on each end. The rear elevation from left to right contains a sliding metal sash comer window and single hung window, a bathroom window, a back door to the kitchen, and a kitchen window. The adjoining unit has the reverse floor plan. Materials match the other elevations.

Type D buildings are one story duplexes and each apaiiment unit contains four bedrooms. From left to right: a corner window comprised of two double-glazed metal framed, one on each intersecting elevation, a metal entry door, four, double-glazed sliding windows framed in metal sash, then another metal entry door, and another corner window the same as that on the other end of the building. The building is sheathed with the same brick as the other buildings and has a gabled roof covered with asphalt shingles. Type D does not have utility wings on each end.

There are concrete walkways to the front entries and back doors flanked by lawn and plants. The rear elevation from left to right contains a kitchen window, a back door to the kitchen, a Section 7 page 6
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service/ National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No. 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District Sacramento, CA
Name of Property County and State
bathroom window, and a window for each of the adjacent bedrooms. The adjoining unit has the same floor plan in reverse. Materials match the other elevations.

Type E buildings are one story and contain six apaiiments each. Type E plans include a small utility wing on each end just like Types A a11d B. From left to right: after the utility wing, there is a narrow double hung window at ninety degrees to the building adjacent to a double-glazed sliding corner window, then the entry to that unit, then a double-glazed sliding window. This unit layout is repeated and alternated throughout the length of the building to create six apartments.

The sidewalk is widened where two adjacent entries occur. The building is sheathed with the same brick as the other buildings and has a gabled roof covered with asphalt shingles. There are concrete walkways to the front entries and back doors flanked by lawn and plants.

The rear elevation from left to right contains a small utility wing and door, a kitchen/dining room window, and a bathroom window. The next five units are identical in plan with adjacent units reversed. A small utility wing with a door stands on the end of the building. Materials match the other elevations. The buildings all possess side-gabled roofs with a shallow overhang on the exterior entry walls and flush with the gable end walls. All of the buildings are the same width.

The buildings are surfaced with brick veneer, and brick soldier courses are used to emphasize different height levels of the buildings such as above and below window openings and extending across the top of doorways. Visual interest is provided by ra11domly inse1ied clinker brick to add minor color variations and texture to the brick veneer walls. Originally small shed-roofed porch canopies supported by wood posts cover all of the entrances. Some canopies have been replaced with flat roofs. The original multi-paned casement windows were steel framed, painted white, and located both on the fac;ade elevations and on the comers of the ground floor portions.

Original windows have been replaced with bronze colored metal sash containing dual pane windows in fixed, sliding, single and double hung styles, and doors have been replaced. The floors are concrete and the walls and ceilings are plastered. Each unit was supplied with a gas range and oven, automatic hot water heater, gas space heater, and electric refrigerator.

The only unique building within the complex is the community center building on the corner of Muir Way a11d Revere Street. The building is roughly L-shaped, one story tall with intersecting gabled roofs with clipped eaves and a brick veneer to match the other buildings in the district.

The fac;ade on Revere Street contains two gabled wings, one larger and somewhat irregular in shape, and one longer and narrower than the other, both connected by the middle cross gable.

The intersecting gables of the roof are surfaced with asphalt shingles. The building is surfaced with brick in the same style and character as the other buildings within the district. Windows occur in metal-framed segments, replacements of the original ones. The foundation is concrete.

The Revere Street entrance has been modified, and an opening in the brick on the south, once created as a door from an original window, is now closed.

Strong character-defining features of the district are the long, narrow, gabled brick buildings, arranged in an ordered rectilinear pattern of streets and paths, the open spacing between the buildings, the attractive garden-like landscaping and well-maintained image.

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United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service/ National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No. 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District Sacramento, CA
Name of Property County and State
Broadway, the principal nearby thoroughfare, extends along the northern boundary of the project. Muir Way, leads off of Broadway, runs adjacent to the Sacramento Cemetery, and provides an eastern boundary. The southern boundary extends along the rear boundaries of buildings fronting on Kemble and Ringold. The western boundary contains a cut-out corner and extends along the west end of buildings fronting on Kit Carson. A simple network of paved roads access open parking areas that are placed at the back of buildings whose rear elevations face each other. Paved paths and individual concrete walkways provide front elevation access.

The planning pattern of the buildings' placement somewhat reflects settlement patterns that date back to the rectilinear organization of even early Roman military camps and forts, and military barracks as noted by Hans Scharoun who designed the Ring estate at Siemensstadt in Germany in the early twentieth century, an example of similar design patterns. 2 The Bauhaus and
architects such as Walter Gropius and Mies van der Rohe developed multiple housing patterns in the 1920s and 1930s, arranging long two to five story buildings on blocks in parallel order, that became popular in multiple housing units in Europe as the Zeilenbau pattern or system. The system often housed residents in multi-story buildings arranged in rectilinear patterns. In addition to the ~rowing functional architecture movement which discouraged unnecessary ornamentation, the United States Housing Authority (USHA) economized materials and design over the exploration of new design alternatives.

A north/south orientation of long housing units appears to have been preferred due to its optimal circulation oflight and air. The largely north/south orientation of the long narrow buildings reflected the architect's desire to maximize natural light and climate comfort. In 1936, Dean and Dean, one of the district's architects, oriented its main Sutter Maternity hospital rooms in a north/south direction, in a conscious effort to provide patients with natural lighting and climate comfort.

The plantings next to the buildings, expanses of green grass, large trees, and the individual unit walkways add to the character of the units. The walkways and intimate scale of the buildings and their setting, though rectilinear, have a certain casual and comfortable ambiance - and suggest English cottage ancestry not unlike that of a semi-rural English countryside. A sketch by architect Charles Dean illustrates his design plan for the image of the complex (Figure 6).4 Visually, the New Helvetia buildings appear to reflect the late nineteenth century English garden city planning concept where eff01is to attract people to a life style closer to rural values, as opposed to urban density and intensity, became imp01iant. Ebenezer Howard, founder of the English garden city movement, wrote Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path To Social Reform in 1898, reissued in 1965 as Garden Cities of Tomorrow, that advocated the creation of self-sufficient settlements ringed by an agricultural belt. The intent was to reverse the large scale migration of 2 Douglas Spencer, Lecture: "Scharoun, Siemesstadt and the Zeilenbau," Accessed October 10, 2010, http://terraincritical. word press.com/201 0/08/ 12/scharoun-and-siemensstadt/. 3 Virginia and Lee McAlester, A Field Guide to American Houses (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1984), 469. 4 Center for Sacramento History, Tomich Architecture Collection, Dean & Dean Drawing Files.

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New Helvetia Historic District Sacramento, CA
Name of Property County and State
people from rural areas and small towns to cities, which were becoming overpopulated. The settlements were also intended to be self-sufficient - and would provide rural districts with the economic opportunities and the amenities of larger industrial cities. It appears that the overall image of garden cities would interweave agricultural and landscaped areas with dwelling units to create self-sustaining and pleasant living entities. New Helvetia visually relates to such patterns through its open space, physical order, and landscaping qualities. 5 The buildings' style incorporated design elements of the 1920s and 30s that in turn reinterpreted past architectural styles. According to Virginia and Lee McAlister, "In the decades separating World Wars I and II, Americans tended to prefer period houses that reflected past traditions, while European architects emphasized radically new designs that came to be known as International style architecture."6
New Helvetia buildings reflect influences of past English architectural traditions such as Georgian and Tudor, through their clipped eaves, gabled roofs, warm brick materials, overall human scale, original multi-paned casement windows, minor English industrial design references, and other features intended to encourage an affinity for rural values. The buildings also reflect the modern architectural movement of the era which valued functionality and Werkbund objectivity.7 What European designers called objectivity translated into a design focus on the function of the buildings, and the omission of non-functional architectural decoration in building design. This theme coincided with the limited amount of money available for federal housing projects, and the government began to press for the removal of ornamentation, supporting simple design to save money. These two forces came together in public housing resulting in simple buildings without superfluous ornamentation.8 This became a characteristic of some of the federal housing projects of the era. While simple in fo1m, the scale and warmth and texture of the brick buildings of New Helvetia, and its green open spaces provide a ce1iain sense of well-being that would appear to be a top goal of public housing. 9 The campus contains playgrounds with play equipment, a few backyard features, parking lots, and lots of grass. The lack of backyard fencing limits outdoor privacy. The New Helvetia Historic District buildings and grounds are in good physical condition.

Alterations include the 1990 replacement of the original multi-paned metal-framed casement windows, with contemporary sliding, single, and double hung windows framed in dark bronze anodized aluminum with wider frames than the original windows. Original doors were also replaced at that time. The replacement of the original comer windows, windows, and doors, designed to enhance the original image of the buildings, now suggests a more contemporary 5 William J.R. Curtis, and H.H. Smith, Modern Architecture since 1900, Second Edition (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1987), 130, 161-162, 165.
6 Virginia and Lee McAlister, A Field Guide to American Houses, (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1984), 469. 7 National Park Service, Public Housing in the United States, 1933-1949, 2004, F70-71. 8 Ibid.
9 Gail Radford, Modern Housing for America: Policy Struggles in the New Deal Era (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996) 31-32, 62; NPS, F70-71.

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New Helvetia Historic District Sacramento, CA
Name of Property County and State
appearance. They were replaced just before the buildings became 50 years old. A few of the original shed-roof entry canopies have been replaced with horizontal canopies. A few units have been fitted with unobtrusive ramped concrete path entries from the sidewalk to near the front doors to accommodate handicapped needs.

One of the duplex units near the community/office building has been converted to a Head Start facility with a cyclone fence and play equipment in the yard. A playhouse and small storage shed have been added nearby. Alterations to the building itself are not apparent. While minor changes have been made to the original appearance of the district, the complex has retained its most significant character-defining features and overall integrity.

In 1960, new units designed by Sacramento architect Raymond Franceschi were constructed in the southwestern comer of the complex, outside of the original plat. 10 They are similar in form and size but there are strong differences in surfacing, windows and doors, etc. and the street plan was changed to provide access to the units. The original street called Kit Carson within the complex was extended south, providing street access to the newer units on both sides of the new street in that corner.

These later units were not designed by the same architects nor do they possess the same visual character or history of the low income and defense housing of the original group of buildings.

The 1960 buildings therefore are not included in the nomination. Only the original project buildings are included in the nomination.

The buildings have retained their integrity although the doors and windows were replaced. There was no change to the original openings and the replacement materials are glass and metal as were the original. The setting has remained intact, and except for the changes noted, the existing materials are otherwise original. The siting and landscaping are intact with one street modification, and it has retained its feeling and sense of place. Its design integrity has not been altered and it has retained its original function and association. 10 SHRA.

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New Helvetia Historic District
Name of Property

8. Statement of Significance
Applicable National Register Criteria
Sacramento, CA
County and State
(Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Register listing.)
A. Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history.

B. Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past.

D. Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

Criteria Considerations
(Mark "x" in all the boxes that apply.)
D A. Owned by a religious institution or used for religious purposes D B. Removed from its original location
D C. A bi1ihplace or grave
D D. A cemetery
D E. A reconstructed building, object, or structure
□ F. A commemorative property
□ G. Less than 50 years old or achieving significance within the past 50 years Section 8 page 11
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service/ National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District
Name of Property
Areas of Significance
(Enter categories from instructions.)
SOCIAL HlSTOR Y
ETHNIC HERITAGE/Black

ARCHITECTURE
Periods of Significance
1942
1942- 1949
1951-1952
Significant Dates
1942
1952
Significant Person
(Complete only if Criterion Bis marked above.)
Colley, Nathaniel S.

Cultural Affiliation
__ NIA
Architect/Builder
Dean, Charles __ _
Devine. Sr.. Han')'
Flanders. Ed
Starks, Leonard
Campbell Construction Co.

Sacramento, CA
County and State
Statement of Significance Summary Paragraph (Provide a summary paragraph that includes level of significance, applicable criteria, justification for the period of significance, and any applicable criteria considerations.)
The New Helvetia Historic District is eligible for listing in the National Register at the local level under Criteria A, B, and C. It meets the registration requirements of the National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Submission (MPS) Public Housing in the United States, 1933- 1949 and is specifically listed as a Defense Housing project in the Multiple Prope11y Section 8 page 12
United States Department of the Interior
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New Helvetia Historic District Sacramento, CA
Name of Property County and State
Documentation Fonn. 11 In the area of Social History, New Helvetia represents an important local attempt to improve the housing conditions of African Americans, and in the area of Ethnic Heritage is associated with the career of Nathaniel Colley, the first African American attorney in Sacramento, who had a significant role in the effort to implement fair housing practices. In the area of Architecture, the buildings were designed by a coalition of Sacramento's Master architects-Charles Dean, Leonard Starks, Ed Flanders, and Harry Devine, Sr.-working together as a Board of Architects, the only project on which they Qollaborated. Periods of significance are 1942 to 1949 for Criterion A in association with the MPS, 1951 to 1952 for Criterion B in association with Nathaniel Colley's efforts to end discrimination at New Helvetia, and 1942 for Criterion C when construction was completed.

Narrative Statement of Significance (Provide at least one paragraph for each area of significance.)
Criterion A: Social History
The historic district represents an early interaction between the federal government and local community to eliminate slums and to improve housing available to the urban poor. 12 Initially
intended to assist low income citizens, it became an important effort by the federal government and local community to provide low cost family housing for workers involved in vital defense industries during World War II. The project provided 310 units for low income housing in Sacramento. It was converted to defense housing during World War II, assisting important wartime housing needs at a critical time.

The political catalyst that sparked the national public housing movement and the creation of local housing authorities was the passage of the United States Housing Act of 1937. The Act established a pern1anent low-rent public housing program between the federal government and local communities. The Housing Act created a partnership between the U.S. government and local communities: "To promote the general welfare of the Nation by employing its funds and credit ... to remedy the non-safe and unsanitary housing conditions and the acute shortage of decent, safe, and sanitary dwellings for families of low income, in urban and rural non-farm areas." 13
It also created a new federal agency, the United States Housing Authority (USHA) to administer the program. The USHA required that communities requesting federal assistance must first establish a local public housing authority (PHA) since the USHA was not authorized to directly build or manage public housing. The USHA was ultimately responsible for supporting the completion of Bublic housing units for nearly 120,000 families in 370 housing projects, including New Helvetia. 4 As a reaction to the passage of the Housing Act of 193 7, the State of California passed enabling legislation in 193 8.
11 NPS, Public Housing in the United States, 1933-1949, Appendix IV, 2. 12The Sacramento Bee, "Slum Clearance Committee asks Action by County," September 2, 1939; Sacramento Housing Authority (SHA), First Annual Repo1t, May 8, 1942, Preface, 1. 13 NPS, 42-46.
14 NPS, 42-53.

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The passage of the Housing Act reflected the nation's problems with low income housing as well as those in Sacramento at the time. By 1935, housing for low income people in Sacramento had been affected by three trends: 1) the expansion of the city to the east and south, sometimes causing a decline in older areas left behind, 2) the dramatic growth and development of agriculture in the Valley; and 3) the large influx of population into California from the Dust Bowl during the years of the Great Depression. 15
The growth in agriculture in the Valley was spuned by the building of the railroad and the development of improved means of agricultural transport, such as express trains and refrigerated railroad cars. This activity created a need for worker housing. Agricultural growth created a need for seasonal workers and they began to move into the older dwellings and hotels in the west side of the community, Old Sacramento, and other marginally livable locations.

The Great Depression exacerbated the growth in agricultural employment as people migrated to California to escape the "Dust Bowl" in the Midwest. Some of these people impacted the west side, as well as creating new communities of temporary housing known as Hoovervilles and migrant camps along the American River north of Sacramento. All of these events generated a need for low income housing in Sacramento. However, low income residents were often relegated to poor land that was swampy and undesirable for general public use. Such land was located along the river, in the Natomas and North Sacramento areas, and along Broadway and the lower west side of the city. Due to lower land values, these areas had attracted low income residents and sub-standard housing. Slums developed during the Great Depression and had become a health hazard by the early 1940s. Low income housing problems were a concern in many cities at this time.

To address the problem of sub-standard housing in Sacramento neighborhoods, activists in the city formed the Sacramento Citizens Committee on Slum Clearance and Low Cost Housing. 16 In February of 1939 they petitioned the City Council to establish a local housing authority. Support for this action was bruad based and included: the Downtown Improvement Association; Sacramento Tuberculosis Association, the Local 107 Journeymen Tailors' Union of America, the Buddhist Church of Sacramento, the Salvation Army, and the Workers Alliance. Public pressure encouraged the Council to authorize the establishment of the Sacramento City Housing Authority on July 7, 1939. 17 Support for this action was broad based within the community. The Citizens Committee also sponsored a movement to create a County Housing Authority due to the vital needs of slum clearance in districts outside the city. By June 1940, the County had established its own housing authority.
18 The New Helvetia site plan submitted to USHA for approval featured elements common to other federally-sponsored public housing projects throughout the country between 1933 and 1949. 15 Ibid.
16 The Sacramento Bee, "Slum Clearance Committee Asks Action by County," September 2, 1939. 17 The Sacramento Bee, September 2, 1939. 18 SHA, First Annual Report, Preface, 1.

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These housing projects were designed as a grouping of multi-family, low-scale residential buildings arranged in a pattern according to circulation needs within large open spaces. Some planning patterns reflected versions of European housing solutions of the times. Modem amenities such as parking areas, service driveways, and individual concrete walkways to apmtment units were included. As noted in The Sacramento Bee, "Other features such as the placement of on-site community centers, management offices, playgrounds, and other recreational areas within the housing complex were characteristics common to other USHA developments. " 19
In August 1939, the agency submitted an application to the USHA for a $1.5 million loan to finance the development of the project. In January 1940, $1,125 million was approved. Under terms of the housing act, the City was responsible for raising 10% of the project costs. 20 A Board of Architects was created for the project and its members consisted of a highly regarded group of local architecture firms including: Dean & Dean, Harry Devine, and Starks & Flanders.21 On Ma~ 1_7, 19~0 their preliminar~ plans for the New Helvetia project were sent to Washington, D.C for review and approval.

The site selected for the development was a vacant tract owned by the Southern Pacific Company located south of Broadway and west of Ninth Street (now Muir Way).23 Rather than slum clearance, which was one of the stated goals in the federal legislation, the local Housing Authority chose a vacant site, stating, "It is more economical to build on a vacant site because of the cost ofland acquisition and cost ofrelocation of tenants before construction can begin."24 The lowest bid for construction was submitted by the Walter Campbell Construction Co. of Sacramento.25 Local management was directed by Thomas Scollan, originally the secretary and executive director of both the City and County Housing Authorities. Upon his death, he was replaced by Bartley Cavanaugh on May 7, 1941 . At that time, local newspapers reported that work to clear and level the New Helvetia site was underway. A rent schedule for the project was published in The Sacramento Bee September 8, 1941. In that article it was noted that the project was experiencing some difficulty in obtaining materials, due to the pre-war build-up. A November 3, 1941 mticle in The Bee indicated that New Helvetia was 40% complete and that the first families would begin moving into already completed units in February.

Before its completion New Helvetia was conve1ted from low income housing to defense housing.

Part of the reasoning for the conversion was a concern for local real estate markets after the war.

If private housing was built to meet defense needs, many of these units would become vacant after the war and local real estate value would plummet. Converting units such as New Helvetia 19 The Sacramento Bee, "Plans for Local Housing Project Go To Washington," May 17, 1940; NPS, 70. 20 The Sacramento Bee, August 9, 1939; NPS, 42-53. 21 The Sacramento Bee, "U.S. Earmarks Fund for City Housing Plan," January 22, 1940. 22 The Sacramento Bee, "Plans for Local Housing Project Go To Washington," May 17, 1940. 23 The Sacramento Bee, "Workers Level, Clear Site for New Helvetia," May 15, 1941. 24 SHA 2
25 Ibid. ,
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to defense housing would provide timely needed housing and after the war they could be converted back to low income housing. Sacramento was a center for military-industrial activity with McClellan and Mather airfields, and the Army Depot. The 310 apartments at New Helvetia were among approximately 65,000 units nationwide converted from low income to defense housing. 26 The project was completed in August 1942 and dedicated in November.27 The original Housing Act of 1937 was not funded beyond 1940. However, the build-up of the nation's industries for World War II in 1940 and 1941 caused about 3 million war workers and their families ( about 8 to 10 million people) to migrate to the nation's defense industrial centers.

As a result, throughout the 1940-41 fiscal year Congress increased funding for public and private housing construction to meet the demand. The National Defense Act passed in June 1940, and also known as Public Law 671, authorized the USHA to assist the more than 500 local housing authorities to work with the Navy and War Departments to make "necessary housing available for persons engaged in national defense activities."28
The United States was attacked by Japan at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and war was soon declared against both Japan and Germany as the U.S. officially entered World War II. Even before December, by August of 1941, employment at McClellan had grown to 3,000 civilian employees. By March 1942 its employment had grown substantially to 8,000 and many of those workers were coming from outside the market area. The National Defense Act of June 1940, also known as Public Law 671 endured until President Truman ordered the defense housing to revert to low income housing in 1947.29
Criterion B: Ethnic Heritage
Nathaniel Colley, the first African American attorney in private practice in Sacramento, was instrumental in both local and national efforts to implement fair housing practices and end segregation in public housing, a career that began with his involvement with New Helvetia.

Colley instituted the first formal legal effort to end racial segregation in Sacramento, beginning with the Sacramento Housing Authority's New Helvetia defense/public housing.

New Helvetia is the most pertinent remaining location associated with Colley's initial segregation work in public housing in Sacramento beginning in 1951. The two legal offices he successively occupied during this period have been demolished due to downtown redevelopment efforts. In 1951, Colley's law office was located at 421 ½ L Street, according to the City of Sacramento's 1951 Phone Book (there is no 1951 City Directory). The 1952 City Directory lists Colley's law office at the same location. 421 ½ L Street is now a parking lot for the 45 5 Capitol Mall office building. The 1953-1956 City Directories list Calley's office at 621 P Street, cunently the location of the Capitol Towers apartment complex. 26 NPS, E53-63.
27 The Sacramento Bee, "1154 Folks at New Helvetia Feel High Degree of Community Spirit More Than Justified," November 22, 1942.
28 NPS, E54.
29 Ibid., E65.

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Nathaniel Sextus Colley gained local, regional, and national recognition as one of the leaders in the struggle to end segregation in public housing for African Americans. Expanding on his success and experience in Sacramento, Colley took the segregation fight to other California and western cities that operated public housing, working with branches of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in California and other western states. After fighting segregation in public housing, Colley used this experience to fight racial discrimination against African Americans who tried to purchase private residences in Sacramento and eventually nationwide. He became a recognized national leader in the effort to end racial segregation and discrimination and was a highly regarded attorney who fought for equality for Af . Am , 3031 ncan encans.

Colley Challenged Segregation In Sacramento
Colley experienced racial prejudice and discrimination on a first-hand basis. He was born in Alabama, where he graduated from high school. He enrolled at the Tuskegee Institute and graduated at the top of his class. His life was interrupted by World War II, where he was an officer in an all-black unit which served in the Pacific. After the war he applied to the University of Alabama School of Law and was rejected because he was black. He was soon admitted to the Yale School of Law. After his graduation, he moved in 1948 to Sacramento-his wife's home town. He passed the California State Bar on his first try and opened the first African American law practice in the city. Colley became an attorney because he thought he could bring about more improvements for African Americans through the legal process. 32 He joined the Sacramento Branch of the NAACP and became its legal counsel. He began advising the group to proactively fight segregation in public housing. Unlike southern states that instituted segregation through Jim Crow laws, Sacramento practiced de facto segregation through unwritten rules.

Calley's first legal fight against segregation of African Americans began in Sacramento at New Helvetia. He was the first to discover that the Sacramento Housing Authority was segregating them in two buildings at New Helvetia. Colley wrote in his "One Man's Opinion" column, From a practical economic standpoint, segregation in public housing in Sacramento has been a disaster to Negros seeking public housing. The average white applicant for such housing has had to wait from three to six months for assignment to New Helvetia, while the average Negro applicant has been required to wait from two to four years for assignment. Of the 310 units there, 16 have been set aside for Negroes. The others are for all other groups. The 16 Negro units are in two buildings reserved exclusively for Negroes. If a vacancy occurs in one of the 294 units reserved for other people, the Negro applicant is no1 allowed to fill it even though he has been on the waiting list for four years. A white application who has been on the list only three weeks could fill such a 30 The Sacramento Bee, June 20, 1991.
31 KVIE, Public Television Channel 6 Sacramento and the Center for Sacramento History, "The Time is Now: Nathaniel Colley." August 28, 2006.
32 Ibid.

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vacancy. Thus, need for a house and prioritv of application become secondary, and racial identification becomes primary [ emphasis added]. 33
When Colley informed the NAACP Housing Committee that de facto segregation was occurring in New Helvetia, its members stated that they were unaware of this practice. Colley argued that doing nothing allowed segregation to continue and that the NAACP should proactively tackle the issue. The committee agreed with Colley and decided they would try to convince the Housing Authority to integrate African Americans throughout the City's public housing buildings, rather than immediately going to court.34
The effort to end segregation in New Helvetia began as an effort of the Sacramento NAACP, but Colley and other NAACP members realized they needed a community-wide effort to win. Colley helped create and organize the Sacramento Committee Against Segregation in Public Housing (Sacramento Committee), with Myra West as chair and himself as chief counsel. A collaboration of twenty-five churches, political groups, unions, charities and labor unions. Twenty-two took a stand to support the NAACP's goal to eliminate segregation. Colley personally recruited organizations to join the Committee. On January 7, 1952, Colley asked the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce to support the NAACP's position. He told Chamber members that "discrimination consists of setting aside 16 units in New Helvetia project for Negroes and the rest for other racial groups. The 16 units are in one group. Negros who apply for an apartment, do not get one if there is no vacancy in the 16 units, regardless of how many vacancies exist in the remaining units." 35 At the same Chamber meeting, Housing Authority Executive Director Albert Becker countered by saying "the tenants are satisfied with the present system" and that "similar segregation is practiced in Richmond and Stockton, ... Oakland and Fresno housing projects are divided on a racial basis." 36
Previously, in November 1951, West and Colley, as members of the Sacramento NAACP branch, met with Housing Authority Executive Director Albert Becker. Becker said he was unaware segregation was occurring in New Helvetia and referred West and Colley to the Housing Authority Commissioners because they made policy decisions. Commissioners were approached one by one and also said they were unaware of any segregation. On December 18, 1951, Myra West and others testified before the Housing Authority and asked them to eliminate the practice of segregation in New Helvetia because it limited the housing supply for minorities, among other things. Commissioners said they were opposed to segregation, but that no one had complained. The Commission agreed to look into the issue and Colley requested a written response from the Commission, which they agreed to provide. 37 33 Nathaniel S. Colley, "One Man's Opinion," Sacramento Outlook; Nathaniel S. and Jerlean J. Colley Papers, Series 8, Carton 4, Folder 5, Center for Sacramento History. 34 William Mayer, "Sacramento's Fight for Integration in Public Housing," The Crisis, January 1953, 26-33. 35 "C of C Hands Racial Issue to Board," Sacramento Union, January 8, 1952, 2. 36 Ibid.
37 Mayer, 29.

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When the Sacramento Committee did not get a response from the Housing Authority, the Committee testified before the City Council on January 3, 1952. Committee Chair Myra West submitted a resolution to the Council requesting support to eliminate segregation in public housing. She stated that "while the construction of the units within the project is the same, Negroes are placed in a designated area. In New Helvetia for example, there are 310 units of which only 16 units are available to Negroes." 38 The ouncil refeffed the issue to City Manager Burt Cavanaugh for investigation of the complaint and a report back to the ouncil. After the council hearing, West and Colley met with the City Manager who indicated that the Housing Authority was an independent entity, but promised a response by January 18. In the meantime, the Housing Authority had rented 100 of the new River Oaks public housing units. Colley knew that by February 4, 1952 another 114 units would be ready to rent. There was no response from Cavanaugh and on January 22, 1952, Colley was authorized by the Sacramento Committee to pursue legal action against the Sacramento Housing Authority. However, on January 23, 1952, Executive Director Becker responded and said he had good news: the number of units set aside for African Americans in the new River Oaks public housing would be increased to 18% of the 400 units. That was more than the current local population figures required (13. 7 % ). 39 In other words, the Housing Authority would continue the same segregation pattern as New Helvetiasegregating African Americans in a separate area and setting aside a specific number of units within the new River Oaks development. However, they would allow more African Americans to move into the project. This offer ignored the main legal argument of the NAACP and Sacramento Committee Against Segregation in Public Housing- that separating out a limited number of housing units for African Americans unfairly made qualified African American applicants wait longer than others to receive needed housing and didn't integrate them into the whole community.

On February 1, 1952, Colley filed a complaint with the Sacramento County Superior Court, requesting the Comi prevent the Housing Authority from moving more tenants into the River Oaks development. 4
° Colley knew that prohibiting the rental of new River Oaks units would put pressure on the Housing Authority to end segregation not only in River Oaks, but in New Helvetia as well.

On April 18, 1952, a Courier newspaper article declared Housing bias was dealt a stum1ing blow here Friday by the NAACP when the local authority agreed to integrate families in the Government's large Sacramento development.

The Housing Authority decided on a settlement after a suit had been filed by the aggressive NAACP Attorney, Nathaniel S. Colley, demanding that the authority show cause why minority families should be separated. The suit charged that segregation is discrimination. The authority agreed to move 16 minority families into previously all 38 The Sacramento Bee, "City will Probe Housing Discrimination Charge," January 4, 1952, 17. 39 Mayer, 26-33.
4 ° Franklin, Reynolds, Johnson, plaintiffs, vs. Housing Authority of Sacramento, Complaint No. 89018, filed February 1, 1952, Sacramento County Superior Court.

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white areas and 16 white families into sections formerly occupied by minoritli groups.

The court also granted a permanent injunction barring separation in housing. 1 Thus, de facto segregation would be eliminated in all of Sacramento's public housing.

Colley 's Influence Expanded to Other Cal!fornia Cities and Western States Colley did not focus only on segregation in Sacran1ento's public housing. He soon realized that segregation was occurring in public housing in numerous California cities. Colley lost no time in expanding the NAACP legal challenges against public housing segregation in other California cities. Colley was the lead attorney on the reconstruction of the Central Valley's NAACP branches and began working with them to fight segregation in their public housing. 42 He became
President of the Central Valley NAACP branches. In January 1952, Colley reported at the NAACP's Western Region 1 Annual Meeting that "The Central Area Conference adopted as a project the matter of doing something about racial segregation in public housing projects. A program is being worked out in Sacramento which ... will help remedy the situation in other communities. " 43
On May 6, 1952, a NAACP West Coast Region press release announced that more than 50 NAACP attorneys would meet in Asilomar, CaHfornia to plan "attacks on housing segregation in California and Other Western States." The NAACP West Coast Region was comprised of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, and California. Lawyers from these states met at Asilomar, California on May 17-18, 1952, and developed strategies to fight segregation in public housing. The NAACP's press release also announced that Nathaniel Colley had successfully sued the Sacramento Housing Authority. He had forced them to cease segregation and was planning other similar law suits in Central Valley communities where racial segregation was the pattern. Colley was quoted: "The NAACP will sue in every city and town that has racial segregation in public housing from Barstow on the South to Redding on the North."44
Actions at the Western Region I Annual Meeting supported Calley's pro-active approach to initiate legal challenges to segregation in public housing. The Region's Legal Committee had an "extended conversation on the subject of residential segregation of Negros. It agreed that in California the Courts will not tolerate racial segregation in public housing. Attorneys Hugh Goodwin of Fresno and Nathaniel Colley of Sacramento related their experiences." The Legal Committee agreed to "make its services available to any NAACP branch desiring to tackle the 41 The Courier, "Deal Death Blow to Housing Bias," April 19, 1952, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Region 1 Records, Bancroft Library BANC MSS 78/180 c; Carton 73, Folder 54.
42 1951 Annual Report, 13, NAACP, Region 1 Records, 1942-1986, Bancroft Library, BANC MSS 78/180 c; Carton 106 Publications/Publicity, Folder 35. 43 "Minutes of the Central Area Conference," January 26, 1952, San Francisco; Center for Sacramento History, Nathaniel S. and Jerlean J. Colley Papers, Series 1 Regional Advisory Committee 1947-1979, Carton 1, Folder 4.
44 "West Coast Regional News" Press Release, May 6, 1952, NAACP, Region 1 Records, Bancroft Library BANC MSS 78/180 c; Carton 107, Folder 52.

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problem of racial segregation in public housing. The following cities were among tbose found to be critical areas from the point of view of racial segregation: Richmond Vallejo San Francisco, Oakland, Stockton." 45 Colley also prepared a "splendid report on his legal efforts and made it available for use by other branches. 46
Because of the size of the effort, it was agreed that the NAACP Legal Committee would formally organize as the Regional Legal Redress Committee of the NAACP, Western Region, to handle injustices which were not being addressed. Attorney Loren Miller (LA) was elected chairman and Attorney Nathaniel Colley was elected vice-chair; other committee members of this expanded legal effort included NAACP representatives from California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah47 "Most of the smaller communities throughout the region do not have practicing attorneys sympathetic to civil rights cases. As a result many issues which should be litigated go unattended or are not vigorously pressed in the courts." 48 The establishment of a Regional Legal Redress Committee facilitated the sharing of Calley's legal expertise to less experienced NAACP branches in California and western states. Colley and others reviewed cases for their importance, their ability to win cases and then initiated them.

Colley provided legal advice on an ongoing basis to other NAACP attorneys in Fresno, San Francisco, and Salt Lake City, Utah. "The newly-formed committee agreed to undertake an organized legal attack on segregated public housing throughout the region. A 'pilot' case was planned to be brought in San Francisco in an effort to establish a legal precedent that could be applied throught [sic] the seven western states."49
Colley brought his legal experience with the Sacramento Housing Authority lawsuit and became a counsel in a precedent-setting lawsuit against the Housing Authority of the City and County of San Francisco, along with Attorney Loren Miller, Chair of the Legal Redress Committee and local San Francisco Attorney Terry A. Francois. They accused the City and County of San Francisco of "failing to admit the petitioners to any permanent low rent housing development except Westside Courts, solely because of their race and color and for no other reason." so Colley and the newly structured NAACP Western Region's Legal Redress C01mnittee facilitated and successfully won this case with an opinion by Judge Cronin declaring "segregation violative [sic] of the U.S. and California Supreme Courts and the public policy of the City of Sacramento ... and 45 "Minutes of the Legal Committee," May 17-18, 1952, pages 1-2, Western Region 1 NAACP, 1952 Annual Meeting, Nathaniel S. Colley and Jerlean J. Colley Papers, Series 1 Regional Advisory Committee 1947-1979, Carton 1, Folder 11.
46 "The New Frontier," 1952, 21, NAACP Region 1, Records, Bancroft Library, BANC MSS 78/180 c; Carton 106, Folder 36.
47 "Minutes of the Legal Committee," May 17-18, 1952, 3. 48 "The New Frontier," 1952, 11, NAACP, Region 1 Records, Bancroft Library, BANC MSS 78/180 c, Carton 106, F~der36. 49 "The New Frontier," 1952," 1952, 11. 50 Mattie Banks, et al, Petitioners vs. Housing Authority of the City and Council of San Francisco, No. 420534, City and County of San Francisco Superior Court, Findings of Facts and Judgment Granting Preemptory Writ of Mandate; NAACP, Region 1 Collection, Bancroft Library BANC MSS 78/180 c, Carton 103, Folder 20.

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is considered a sufficient basis for destroying the pattern throughout the Region." 51 Thus, Colley helped other NAACP branches to successfully win legal challenges against segregation in public housing in San Francisco, Fresno, and other cities in California and other western states.

Colley continued to fight for fair housing for African Americans and in 1954 filed the landmark legal case of Ming vs. Horgan. The lawsuit claimed that a real estate developer who was receiving federal funds for a housing project could not engage in racial discrimination against African Americans, who were qualified, and wanted to purchase a home. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed with Colley and found that these discriminatory practices were illegal for the sale of any housing that used federal funds. This eliminated discrimination against African Americans who were barred from purchasing residential homes in specific areas of a community because of restrictions written into the original deeds.

Colley was active in the NAACP for nearly four decades, beginning as the Sacramento branch's legal counsel, president of the NAACP's Central Valley Area, and eventually chair of the Western Region's Legal Committee and a member of the NAACP's National Board, among other positions. In addition, he was active in California state politics beginning in 1951 as the NAACP's Western Region's legislative representative and actively worked on legislation which eliminated segregation and discrimination against African Americans in California. When Colley died in 1992, U.S. Supreme Comt Justice Anthony M. Kennedy described him as a " ... fascinating and brilliant trial lawyer who knew and taught that the law could be an instrument, not only for justice, but for compassion." Robert K. Puglia, presiding justice of the 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento said "He was a giant in his profession - one of the finest lawyers ever to practice here." Former Chief Justice, U.S. Supreme Court, Earle Warren said Colley was, "A splendid champion of many civil rights cases."
Nathaniel Colley was known as a talented and gifted attorney who embarked on a prominent and respected legal career that fought for fair housing for African Americans and all people of color.

His brilliant legal career began with his fight against de facto segregation of African Americans in New Helvetia public housing, isolating them to 16 units in two buildings merely because of their skin color. Because of Nathaniel S. Calley's effo1ts, public housing practices were changed throughout California and the western states. African Americans were finally able to apply for, and receive, public housing on an equal basis with other people in need.

Criterion C: Architecture
New Helvetia Historic District represents the unusual collaboration of four of Sacramento's most notable Master architects on a design that provided a transition between architectural images from the past and an interface with modern more functional design concepts of the future. These four architects designed a predominant number of Sacramento buildings and contributed substantially to the style and image of the city's built environment. 52 Working as a Board of 51 "The New Frontier," 1952, 21.
52 The Architect & Engineer, June 1922, "Recent work by Dean and Dean, Architects, 46-81; "Recent work by Dean & Dean Architects, 38-54, 69-71, 73-99; Sutter Memorial Hospital, Cultural Resources Section 8 page 22
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Architects, the committee developed the planning concepts and design of the New Helvetia public housing project that, in turn, affected the design of other architectural works in the city.

The design is also significant as it bridged the substantial changes in architectural thought and design from the first portion of the twentieth century to the more modern era.

Charles Dean of Dean and Dean, Leonard Starks and Ed Flanders of Starks and Flanders, and Harry Devine Sr. were each masters of their profession, with design followers of their own. They were among the prime architects in Sacramento at the time. Combining their professional design efforts on this project was quite unusual, and was the only such project on which they collaborated. 53 Research has not indicated that a specific architect was forn1ally designated as the principal designer. Extant drawings for the buildings and landscape plan bear the name plate of Charles Dean. 54 A brief overview of their individual accomplishments provides some insight into their design philosophies and accomplishments as Master architects.

Dean_and Dean55
The architectural firm of Charles and James Dean was a prominent design firm in the early twentieth century in Sacramento. Charles and James Dean were born and raised in Texas. Their father, R.K. Dean, was an engineer and builder, and both boys graduated from Texas A&M University. After A&M, where he took classes in engineering and drawing, Charles Dean went to work in an architectural office in San Antonio for two years. He then moved to Chicago to work for the architectural firm of Englehart & Englehart for seven years. George Sell on, also from Chicago, was California's first State Architect and he convinced Dean to come to work for his office in 1908. James, who attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology after Texas A&M,joined his brother in the State Architect's Office in 1912.

In 1921 the Dean brothers left the State Architect.' s Office to form their own firm, Dean & Dean.

Charles Dean was the principal designer of the firm and James handled the business matters.

Sacramento had embarked on an ambitious school building program beginning in 1920 and Dean & Dean completed several schools in the next five years including: Fremont, El Dorado, Newton Booth, Franklin, Donner, Bret Haiie, Jefferson, East Sacramento, Highland Park, McKinley, Leland Stanford, Sierra, and Theodore Judah.

Dean & Dean were also prolific residential and commercial designers who influenced residential design in Sacramento. They designed a number of imposing residences in South Curtis Oaks and East Sacramento. They designed the Sutter Lawn and Tennis Club, Sacramento Junior College buildings, the Municipal Water Filtration Plant, the Sacramento Orphanage and Children's Report, Paula Boghosian and Don Cox, May 2013; Devine, Harry, Unpublished Manuscript, Paula Boghosian and Don Cox, June 10, 2013.
53 Sacramento Housing Authority, First Annual Report, 2; Sacramento Bee, "U.S. Earmarks Fund for City Housing Plan," January 22, 1940. 54 SCH, Tomich/Dean & Dean, Collection. 55 Walter Reed, History of Sacramento County, California: With Biographical Sketches (Los Angeles:

Historic Record Company, 1923), 518; The Sacramento Bee, "Charles F. Dean, Capitol Architect is Dead at 72," June 30, 1956; Paula Boghosian and Don Cox, Sutter Memorial Hospital Cultural Resources Report, May 2013.

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Home, the Golf Club House at Land Park, the Sutter Club, Westminster Presbyterian Church, the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, Breuner's Furniture Store, Alhambra Shopping Center, Clunie Clubhouse and Library, YWCA, Dean Apa1iments, and Sutter Maternity Hospital in 1936. The firm often worked in Revival styles with English or Tudor themes, those of Mediterranean or Romanesque architecture, as well as some Modeme themes. The design of the New Helvetia complex is one of the types of projects for which the firm was noted. Their design direction was generally evolving through a variety of Revival projects toward modernism at the time of this project.

James Dean accepted an appointment by the City of Sacramento to supervise the construction of the Memorial Auditorium. He eventually became the City Architect and sold his interest in Dean & Dean to his brother. Charles Dean continued the firm under both names until his death in 1956.

Harry Devine_Sr. ~~
Another notable Sacramento architect, Harry Devine, subsequently designed several buildings for the Mercy Hospital and Sacred Heart School complex. On September 13, 1931 Sacred Heart Church at 39th and J Streets designed by local architect Harry Devine was formally dedicated.

For many years to come Devine would have a hand in designing many projects for the hospital and the diocese.

Harry Devine was born in Sacramento in 1894. Harry graduated from high school at Christian Brothers School in Sacramento, and went on to the University of California at Berkeley. His academic career was inten:upted by the onset of World War I until he returned, graduating in 1919. Devine opened an architectural office in Sacramento, and mairied in 1922. His son, Harry Devine, Jr., ultimately assumed the management of his father's architectural firm, which has continued to the present, despite the demise of both father and son.

Among t.he more notable Sacramento buildings designed by the Devine firm are the following, listed alphabetically:

Bishop Annstrong High School
California Junior High School
Federal Building, Capitol Mall
J. Magnin Depaiiment Store
Mercy Hospital additions
National Catholic Education Association for the most distinguished church design of 1957, and the parish campus master plan
Roos Atkins Department Store
Sacred Heart Church
St. Ignatius Catholic Church Campus - for which he was given two First Place awards State Dept. of Education Building, Capitol Mall
56 Paula Boghosian and Don Cox, Mercy Hospital Addition: Cultural Resources Report, May 2007.

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Mr. Devine also worked as Supervising Architect for the Sacramento Unified School District for sixteen years, served on the Sacramento Planning Commission, and on the State Board of Architectural Examiners for ten years, including three years as its president. At his death in 1963 he was honored as an architect and an outstanding citizen of Sacramento. He was one of the first Sacramentans to receive the highest laymen rank in the diocese, conferred by Pope Pius XII, as "Knighthood Commander in the Order of St. Gregory the Great," awarded for his service to the church and for his participation in civic activities. Devine's work tended to more fully embrace the new modernism in architecture than previously popular Revival themes. The architectural work of Hany Devine has contributed substantially to the community and influenced the design of other buildings in the Sacramento area.

Leonard Starks and Edward F. Flaii.ders of Starks and Flanders 57 Born in Healdsburg in 1891, Leonard Starks completed his architectural course at the LickWilmerding School of Industrial Arts in San Francisco in 1908. He then went to work in the office of Bakewell & Brown. In 1912 he transferred to the Panama Pacific International Exposition as an assistant designer, where he designed several of the exposition buildings. He also worked with several of prominent Bay Area architects, including Bernard Maybeck, assisting him with the 1915 Palace of Fine A1is.

After the Exposition work, Starks moved to the East Coast to pursue further studies taught by graduates of the Beaux Arts School of Architecture in Paris. He then moved to Washington D. C. where he worked until the end of the First World War when he moved to New York in 1919. In charge of Thomas W. Lamb's office, he designed theaters and other public buildings throughout the United States and Canada. In 1921 the Lamb finn obtained a commission by the Famous Players, Inc. to build a chain of theaters on the west coast. Starks was sent to Sacramento to build the first theater. Due to an anti-trust suit, the project was abandoned, but Starks decided to stay in Sacramento and open his own architectural firm. Local investors became interested in the project and Starks soon had his first major commission, the design of the Senator Theater.

Starks soon became a partner of a weU-known Sacramento architect, E.C. Hemmings. Their firm was retained by the Elks Lodge in 1923 to begin preliminary sketches for their new building at 11 th and J Streets. Just following the order to begin preparation of working drawings for the Elks Lodge, in June of 1924, Hemmings died. By early 1925 Starks had taken in another patiner, Edward F. Flanders, and the two continued in business together for many years. Starks served as the master designer of the firm. Mr. Flanders passed away in 1941, after participating in the early planning and construction of New Helvetia. Starks had a long and distinguished career in Sacramento and his finn designed many well-known and admired buildings, a number of which are extant. Some of them are as follows, listed alphabetically:

Frank Z. Ahl Building, 1925
Alhambra Theater, 192 7
57 Paula Boghosian and Don Cox, Sutter Memorial Hospital Cultural Resources Report, May 2013.

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Alturas High School, Alturas, 1930
Arnold Brothers Auto Agency, 1925
Bank of America, Oak Park, 1951
California Fruit Exchange, 1932
California National Bank, 1926
Capitol Building & Loan Association, 1927
Clunie Club House and Pool, 1936
Crocker School, 1930
Hickman & Coleman Co., 1929
Herman Davis & Sons, 1 924
UC Davis, Administration & Library Buildings, 1939
Davis Union High School, 1926
Dunsmuir High School, 1928
Eaton Cleaning & Dyeing Co., 1926
Elks Club Building, 1926
Elliott Auto Agency, 1922
First Baptist Church, Willows, 1929
First Congregational Church (Pioneer Memorial Church), 1926 Fremont Presbyterian Church, 1926
Fresno Bee Building, 1922
W.P. Fuller Co. Warehouse, 1925
Gladding, McBean Office, I ,incoln, 1951
Marysville City Hall, 1940
C.K. McClatchy High School, 1949
Moose Hall, 1927
Mount Shasta High School, Mount Shasta, 1927
Newcastle Community Hall, 1926
North Sacramento Theatre, 1928
Oroville Elks Lodge, 1929
Perfection Bread Co., East addition, 1924
Percy Reese Residence, 1925
Placer National Bank, Placerville, 192 7
Portola High School, 1930
Russell & Logan Battery Shop
Sacramento County Comihouse, 1961
Sacramento Municipal Airport, Hangers & Terminal, 1931
Senator Theatre, 1924
Sun Mount Preventorium, Colfax, 1925
Sutter Memorial Hospital additions 1955
U.S. Post Office, Sacramento, 1932
Veterans Memorial Bldg, Lincoln, 1931
William Land Memorial Monument, 1934
Williams, City Hall and Firehouse, 193 8
Williams, Grammar School, 1930
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Woodland, Christian Church, 1928
Yuba City, City Hall, 1939
Sacramento, CA
County and State
The firm's work on New Helvetia would have reflected both its Period Revival work and its evolution toward modem design, as shown in a progression from the Clunie Clubhouse in 1936 to the C.K. McClatchy High School of 1949.

In addition to his work as an architect, Starks was involved in professional activities and organizations. In 1930 he became a member of the Sacramento Building Code Board of Examiners and Appeals, on which he served for the next thirty-two years. Starks was an active member of the San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects and later served as the first president of the Northern California Chapter after it was established. He was the first architect to serve as president of the Sacramento Builders Exchange. After his retirement in 1962 Starks turned to his hobby of water color painting. The firm continues today under the name of Nacht and Lewis.

The New Helvetia complex was constructed by Campbell Construction Company of Sacramento, a well-respected longtime construction firm in Sacramento and northern California.

The New Helvetia site plan that the Sacramento architectural consortium submitted for USHA approval featured elements common to other federally-sponsored public housing projects constructed throughout the country between 1933 and 1949. As a building type, the housing developments were designed as a grouping of multi-family, low-scale residential buildings organized on a site around large open spaces. Some of the design features reflected the influence of the late nineteenth-century English Garden City movement, including the use of open spaces delineated by winding streets and large buildings blocks closed to vehicular traffic. Other design elements were rooted in the rational, functional, twentieth-century aesthetics of the European Modernists, such as the German Zeilenbau strategy of arranging buildings in parallel rows to maximize solar exposure and ventilation.58
The architects also included modem amenities such as automobile parking areas, service driveways, and individual concrete walkways to each residential unit. Other features such as the placement of an on-site community center management office, a playground, and other recreational areas within the housing complex were characteristics common to other USHA developments. Some architectural elements, such as the brick-veneer wall cladding and gable roofs, are more commonly associated with the earlier housing projects, while other features such as the steel-frame casement windows are consistent with the use oflntemational-style design elements that were used on some public housing developments between the early 1930s and the late 1940s. Simple fonns and a lack of ornamentation became defining features of public housing complexes of this period, and were well suited to the USHA's legislative and administrative cost restrictions. The completed design was a melded product of European design theories, local preferences, and federal programmatic guidance.
58 Mies van der Rohe, 1927 Werkbund Exhibition, Weissenhofsiedlung in Stuttgart, 1927.

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Sacramento has a perceived history of "traditionalism" in its tastes and did not wholeheartedly embrace the age of Moderne or Art Deco design themes of the 1920s and 193 Os. 59 The comfortable traditional revival houses and multiple versions of ranch house design were the principal public choices for residential architecture during that era and into the 1950s. While public buildings employed some modern design, Streamline Moderne and the International style were largely bypassed by the Sacramento community in favor of more traditional modes. 60 The somewhat plain, barracks-like image of the housing complex differed from the more complex Period Revival or modest 1920s and 1930s bungalow forn1s lining Sacramento streets.

However, the lack of ornament and the clipped functional design of the housing complex buildings were acceptable due to the traditional forms and materials employed, and helped introduce the concept of functionality in architecture to the Sacramento community. The simple forms of New Helvetia buildings anticipated the "form follows function" architectural philosophies that were emerging in Europe. "Objectivity," the lack of extraneous decoration, was seen as a goal of the new design movement and reflected the rise of modernism.61 The New Helvetia Historic District reflects an important transitional phase in architectural design in Sacramento.

At that moment in time, the design world was balanced between the past and familiar revivalist machinations, and the new Modern which relied on a building's function and objectivity as progenitors of the next generation of architectural forms and thought, a balance that moved forward to a new architectural imagery and philosophy.

Although extant drawings for the project display a Charles Dean name plate, it is not known at this time the extent of individual design involvement of each architect in the New Helvetia project. A review of their varied projects appears to indicate the architects chosen would have been among the more forward thinking designers of that time, and the New Helvetia Historic District complex an important architectural statement of the era in Sacramento.

The New Helvetia Historic District meets the registration requirements of the National Register of Historic Places MPS Public Housing in the United States, 1933-1949 and is eligible for listing in the National Register at the local level under Criteria A, B, and C. 59 City of Sacramento, Sacramento Register of Historic & Cultural Resources, December 2011 . 60 Ibid. 61 Curtis and Smith, 108-109.

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9. Major Bibliographical References
Bibliography (Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form.) Banks, et al, vs. Housing Authority of the City and Council of San Francisco, No. 420534, City and County of San Francisco Superior Court, Findings of Facts and Judgment Granting Preemptory Writ of Mandate, BANC MSS 78/180 c, Bancroft Library.

Blau, Eve. The Architecture of Red Vienna: 1919-1934. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1999.

Boghosian, Paula and Don Cox. Sutter Memorial Hospital Cultural Resources Report. 2013. ____ . Mercy Hospital Addition Cultural Resources Report. 2007.

Brunskill, R.W. Vernacular Architecture of the Lake Counties. London: Faber & Faber, 1978.

Center for Sacramento History Photos: 1985/024/6857; 2001/057/293.

Center for Sacramento History. City of Sacramento Housing Authority. First Annual Report.

May 8, 1942 (No. 406). '
Center for Sacramento History. Tomich Architecture Collection. Dean & Dean drawing files.

New Helvetia.

City Directories, 1952 - 1956, Sacramento Public Library, Sacramento Room.

City of Sacramento Telephone Book, 1951, Sacramento Public Library, Sacramento Room.

Colley, Nathaniel S. and Jerlean J. Papers, c. 1940-1992, Collection Number 2010/036.

Sacramento, California: Center for Sacramento History.

Colquhoun, Alan, Modern Architecture, Oxford University Press, UK, 2002.

Columbia University Electronic Encyclopedia. Smith, M.H. Histo,y of the Garden City.

Covin, David. Black Politics After the Civil Rights Movement. Jefferson, North Carolina:

McFarland & Co., 2009.

Curtis, Willian1 J.R., and Smith, H.H. Modern Architecture since 1900. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:

Prentice-Hall, 1987.

Encyclopedia.com. Curl, James Stevens. "Sir Ebenezer Howard and the Garden City movement." A Dictionary o,f Architecture and Landscape Architecture, 2000.

Google Earth.

Howard, Sir Ebenezer. Garden Cities o,fTomorrow. 1898. Reprint, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1965.

Johnson vs. Housing Authority of Sacramento, Complaint No. 89018, filed February 1, 1952, Sacramento County Superior Court.

Jordy, William H. The Impact of European Modernism in the Mid-Twentieth Century, New York: Oxford University Press, 1972.

Kim, Monte. Alder Grove Housing Community, California Department of Parks and Recreation Form 523. 2011.

KVIE, Public Television Channel 6 Sacramento and the Center for Sacramento History. "The Time is Now: Nathaniel Colley." August 28, 2006.

Mayer, William. "Sacramento's Fight for Integration in Public Housing." The Crisis. New York:

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, January 1953.

McAlester, Virginia & Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1984.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Region 1 Records, 1942-1986, BANCMSS 78/180 c; Bancroft Library; University of California, Berkeley, California.

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National Park Service. Public Housing in the United States Multiple Property Submission. 2004.

Pommer, Richard. "The Architecture of Urban Housing in the United States during the Early 1930s." Journal ofthe Society of Architectural Historians 37, no. 4 (Dec. 1978): 235-64.

Radford, Gail. Modern Housing for America: Policy Struggles in the New Deal Era, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1996.

The Sacramento Bee: Aug. 9, 1939; Sept. 2, 1939; January 22, 1940; May 17, 1940; May 7, 1941; May 15, 1941; May 13, 1942; Aug. 4, 1942; Nov. 12, 1942; June 5, 1947; Jan. 4, 1952; Nov. 21, 1963, Jun. 20, 1991.

Sacramento City Council, Minutes of the Regular Meeting, 61 in Proceedings of the City Council 1939, Vol. 44, March 24 (164); July 7 (381).

The Sacramento Union: June 8, 1942; Oct. 9, 1942; Nov. 22, 1942; Jan. 8, 1952.

Smith, M.H. History of the Garden City. New York: Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Columbia University Press, 6th Edition, 1997.

Spencer, Douglas. "Scharoun, Siemesstadt and the Zeilenbau." Accessed October 10, 2010. bttp://te1nincritical. word pr ss.com/2010/08/l 2/scharnun-and-siemensstadt/ Van der Rohe, Mies. Werkbund Exhibition, Weissenhofsiedlung in Stuttgart, 1927.

Whitford, Frank. The Bauhaus. London: Thames & Hudson, 1985.

Wingler, Hans. The Bauhaus. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1978.

Previous documentation on file (NPS):
__ preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested __ previously listed in the National Register
__ previously determined eligible by the National Register __ designated a National Historic Landmark
__ recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey #- ~ ---- __ recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # ____ _ __ recorded by Historic American Landscape Survey # -~--- Primary location of additional data:

State Historic Preservation Office
__ Other State agency
__ Federal agency
_x_ Local government
__ University
___2L Other
Name of reposito1ies: a.crament Housing and Redevelopm nt Agency Center for Sacramento History, UC Bancroft Library (NAACP Region 1. Records) Historic Resources Survey Number (if assigned): ------~ Sections 9-end page 30
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10. Geographical Data
Acreage of Property __ a=b~o'---"u=t-=2=6--=-a=c"-'re=sLatitude/Longitude Coordinates Datum if other than WGS84: ----- ( enter coordinates to 6 decimal places)

1. Latitude: 38.564297

2. Latitude: 38.560427

3. Latitude: 38.560905

4. Latitude: 38.565064
Longitude: -121.502482
Longitude: -121.504179
Longitude: -121.506073
Longitude: -121.505354
Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property.) Sacramento, CA
County and State
Beginning at a point at the junction of Broadway and Muir Way, go south 1,467'-3"; then west 628'- 8"; then north 431 '; then west 284'-5"; then north 1,037'-10" to meet Broadway; then east 913 ' - 3" to meet the starting point at Muir Way.

The boundary excludes a group of newer units in the southwest comer outside of the complex that are not included due to younger age, different design, and different history.

Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected.) The boundaries are those of the original housing development project constructed in 1942.

11. Form Prepared By
name/title: Paula oghosian, MS
organization: Historic Environment Consultants
street & number: 5420 Home Court
city or town: Carmichael state: CA zip code: 95608
e-mail [email protected]
telephone: (916) 488-1680
date: July 2013. Revised December 2013
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Additional Documentation
Submit the following items with the completed fonn:

Maps: A USGS map or equivalent (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the prope11y's location.
• Sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources. Key all photographs to this map.
• Additional items: (Check with the SHPO, TPO, or FPO for any additional items.) Photographs
Submit clear and descriptive photographs. The size of each image must be 1600x 1200 pixels (minimum), 3000x2000 preferred, at 300 ppi (pixels per inch) or larger. Key all photographs to the sketch map. Each photograph must be numbered and that number must correspond to the photograph number on the photo log. For simplicity, the name of the photographer, photo date, etc. may be listed once on the photograph log and doesn't need to be labeled on every photograph.

Photo Log
Name of Prope11y: New Helvetia Historic District
City or Vicinity: Sacramento
County: Sacramento State: CA
Photographer: Don Cox
Date Photographed: 11/01/2012, 06/02/2013, or 06/24/2013 per individual listing Description of Photograph(s) and number, include description of view indicating direction of camera:
1 of 13, (CA_Sacramento_New_Helvetia_Historic_District_000I), General View of setting, camera facing north, 11/01/2012.
2 of 13, (CA_Sacramento_New_Helvetia_Historic_District_0002), General View of setting, camera facing south, 06/24/2013.
3 of 13, (CA_Sacramento_New_Helvetia_Historic_District_0003), Single story units along Muir Way, camera facing southwest, 06/02/2013.

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4 of 13, (CA_Sacramento_New_Helvetia_Historic_District_0004), Single story duplex unit, camera facing northeast, 06/02/2013.
5 of 13, (CA_Sacramento_New_Helvetia_Historic_District_0005), Two story unit, camera facing nmiheast, 06/02/2013.
6 of 13, (CA_Sacramento_New_Helvetia_Historic_District_0006), Split level unit, camera facing northwest, 11/01/2012.
7 of 13, (CA __ Sacramento_New_Helvetia_Historic_District_0007), Close-up detail view of split level unit, camera facing southwest, 11/01/2012.
8 of 13, (CA_Sacramento_New_Helvetia_Historic_District_0008), Detail view of front door, camera facing west, 11/01/2012.
9 of 13, (CA_Sacramento_New __ Helvetia_Historic_District_0009), General view of the front of the Community Center and Office Building, camera facing southwest, 06/24/2013. 10 of 13, (CA Sacramento New Helvetia Historic District 0010), General view of the rear - - - - - - of the Community Center, camera facing nmih, 06/24/2013. 11 of 13, (CA __ Sacramento_New_Helvetia_Historic_District_00l 1), Housing units that have been converted to house Head Start program, camera facing southwest, 06/24/2013. 12 of 13, (CA_Sacramento_New_Helvetia_Historic_District_0012), General view of playground, camera facing to the northeast, 11/01/2012. 13 of 13, (CA_Sacramento_New_Helvetia_Historic_District_0013), General view of 1961 unit, camera facing to the southwest, 06/02/2013.

Estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 100 hours per response including time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form, Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Office of Planning and Performance Management. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 1 B49 C. Street, NW, Washington, DC.

Sections 9-end page 33
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District
Name of Property
Figure 1. Photo Key Map
B
r,
I
j
4 11
11 _-q_ (
10 I
,,,
1 '· I
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'
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Sacramento, CA
County and State
Source: Original Site Plan Provided by Sacramento Housing & Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) June 2013; Modified by Historic Environment Consultants 2013.

Sections 9-end page 34
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service/ National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No. 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District
Name of Property
Figure 2. Historic photo of New Helvetia, 1943
Source: Sacramento Public Library, AASAC1035.

Note: these original windows were replaced 1990.

Sections 9-end page 35
Sacramento, CA
County and State
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service/ National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No. 1024-001 8
New Helvetia Historic District
Name of Property
Figure 3. Latitude/Longitude Coordinate Map
Source: Google Maps, December 2013;
Modified by Historic Environment Consultants, 2013.

Sections 9-end page 36
Sacramento, CA
County and State
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No. 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District
Name of Property
Sacramento, CA
County and State
Figure 4. Original Floor Plans (Drawings for each of 5 different floor plans) Source: Original Sacramento City Housing Authority Drawing, March 11, 1941; Provided by Sacramento Housing & Redevelopment Agency, June 2013.

Sections 9-end page 3 7
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No. 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District
Name of Property
Figure 5. Architects' Sketch, circa 1941
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Source: Original Plans, Center for Sacramento History.

Sections 9-end page 3 8
Sacramento, CA
County and State
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service/ National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No. 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District Sacramento, CA
Name of Property County and State
Figure 6. Architects' Sketch - Plot Plan, circa 1941
Source: Center for Sacramento History.

Sections 9--end page 39
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No. 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District
Name of Property
Figure 7. Site Map with Unit Types, Sanborn Map 1952
:Cl
m
0) c._,_::.L ..• } ~ ,_ h;
Broadway
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Sections 9-end page 40
Sacramento, CA
County and State
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No. 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District
Name of Property
Figure 8. Site Map & District Boundary
(j
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..
t >.., L 1\, t \
I
Sacramento, CA
County and State
Source: Original Site Plan Provided by Sacramento Housing & Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) June 2013.

Sections 9-end page 41
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service I National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No. 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District Sacramento, CA
Name of Property County and State
Figure 9. Aerial Map of District Boundary
Source: Google Maps, 2013; Modified by Historic Environment Consultants 2013.

Sections 9-end page 42
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District Sacramento, CA
Name of Property County and State
Figure 10. Nathaniel Colley in his law office, circa 1952 Source: Center for Sacramento History
Sections 9-end page 43
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service/ National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District Sacramento, CA
Name of Property County and State
Figure 11. Page 17 COLORFORNIA Magazine, circa 1954 (transcription follows) Young Attorney Gives Leadership
to Colored Cornmunity il ;;: r:G 1:-:?·:n~: mid ii !:" qc-:;-('•fftHy ,1~r~:d t:1mor1g Sn'::i.:H111mt.{~J1::; L--::::.il; '"iiHt· .,a;;d i:,,'.~~rf;-;L 1f:<.Jt !1:~:-:i, c! 1!:1f }:r!l':Jt\·•:1.!: ~~ Se::mnt.'.!t,to~ coh:i:;;..d c!.:m:!tlmU•1• it, lh.:! 1o;:;r lhr~• '/::<11t: !;.:t: ,boo!\ ai.lt' icutJ(lh !:.. :::(; fa-:~ 1b::: CJ bri:!in:.! yn,U1(i til:r.:r.:~i:•r. N,:rlr:nnlc~! S..

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U1 ;';;};~~~~:~~!:~~;i~~~~~~r;~i ::.-n:1amc:ib's: t1lt:il.!U :x.d !:;- 1h11 w1t!1.-,ipuwd )~dw ln lh1• cdo."oJ"d co!'J1munlly.

Ca,r-.!!..ur,·.un•M wot! btl·trn.:!'1 a:n-d t)Cilu1hUO. Mr. ~ U~v f;, oa.Ally 011(, ol Cf..::l!!om1u·rff\o;;l mpn:hl Jl ,,., h1y;yi;"Tt;, As D Yol• un,W1:~n~~l.l.Jd$.'1~,J1,, W4b lrH~.c. L;,,iHuo ~for)- nnn iltlt: _ lr-.t th-., tntr.11 1:lg!inl,~<l:1! Cl)J1Ulbullo.n of an';' YdlJJ tn,.v- S:-had stu•k•r!! t, IJl•·..v Hn•1{:r,_ c~}:v:,"--::kul LJ:,9~.11 Aid !b!f.'1U~ ond !ihc:He<l lioncro IL-.: faL- B.011.::imm Sd:a:r• V-;i::1:i. inr ti10 t0:;~ or!_q-:n:i: efl;f,;Jy ,')n come-• c1.sp1~c! ol bw !~!:-,.i:.r.• b: oper.~,d i.~.::::-:r:rm.:1:-ito'i; tmn He.~• lcrw t•H1~,:i h-.1 hc..:.o., 1:¥.!r,l <'.l o:h•xiul!..1 oud L:<lii o .•;lie;,t:..ii .!.htJ\ wcw" J bl• iii& ~r,-..•y ct_ 1u.an:1 an t11:211~v p:a-:lar1u lrs rn,:;lrop':!l!,lrm '-lH-Kl:".;. h~T con.f41Ulctl: lmll h..P JHHl. ~k:nr: r.,~ bu:1nt!"Ol1 nu·:m ( ft, (U, 1H "rl"l'j 'J:il:h1:-:1 ll~,""."rm, i:1,q,;_iimJ ~'l$.lbl • ~n So::;:lil,o;,b ... Hb cltt,nln bdudt! J,!lttdu2. C,ructwbns, r-.4'('-xl~-:!1,!.a md abcn,d tit ... 1~.Ul-::'f;;·.~ N~.•.J(~"l!S. In cdditi.o:ii u hlti lffUtd(lT r,:nt:t\ 1;,,. hn i!" 'h:;:,.;•;~1::i~on! f\r.t ,Cau.nr fi•i:- 1.h:r, !0·.--:J°; !'1 0 to whlcl-1 h -dor.a1n~ hi::: r,.-J:vl::-,..,! if, ~;;:.;~~~:r -~~:~.~~r;:::; ;:,~!j';~r.~;~~;:~:~;-~~:~p~:;1~or;rr:~;~~tJcT\i~ ~t;1,'i~~;;~l}~~~~::~j 11:::.:; d Gw!c t.b!l'f, P1!?:;;•.font ci! !b.• S::;~:~!~at;:.. CCU ~,d ;~:(-l.};_--u\:v1~ Jk.·::!i-cl J.t,;rnb~• ,:;! o dc,wn ofoe: r:l'IW c-:-c;.;::.r;lr.:11:.-::ns
k Si:?~nnvm?-~ --;~urni cmd forpl t)r:;i'-'1' U:-. G-:'.:l!c-'J "hi 1.l\ ttm;~-,,d.. H~ l::i t; rn•:m• hut d tit"' c~!i!,,rr,ir.. 5l~Ji,t fku "mro~,:c,.n, th-, fi:lzrau1,c~ntnC.cu~:\' Bcir A:;.::~;::ir;!\(sn u~1d •t~ ~rmrnu, ::?YtYGfl .. luni:uC!!m Ciu-o &t:an,,-:snYz·• t:"'ti.lc.:~l 1tlU"tm: ra-,m::t Mmu.11 a fitntl!I~ Hy111ut fm th~r ri1J1\.ln :1,~d d l6.1d111 otl witou, J}1oy c=::rr1 dt"Pr,ttrad 1!!!.tun:I Uum opll'lh.Pn.11 a:W cn~Jltubh·1.Jltmont w. 1.:.: ·'111 1::•rk i.':fk:..rt NAACP and Dthu tOmm:iUJ.lly ~c..lll'c1ft tulu•
mp.eh oJ M.1. Cdll•y'il tiaa1t .. Ah<;i·u · ti,. ehu·lu np.cnt oh cau!"I -aider h• ob1ntm,d ?1ohlhll\n11
tli11r~ .. "-i.ml1111Uor,, iri ·i.:!iy'• pulJllc hu-.u,lor; r,01110:I ""-Ith ·Mt.I., 7'-hrrh, Cu1n•on, wha h, .elwlrmnn til
lf~J\c~·, Hou,lt1~ Com.rulllc,,.,
"R1t~1.DI a~lllo:, lo M1, CQll&y'" alHt"1i hi Alkljtn1y WUJor:1. IN<t>tH, h,JJ, ..,,.bo fini•lu,.;I Yal• UDJNt• rity Le"' Sd,uol tlili; vu.i:r, Wlth tm aOl&Oc1au,' fi,t.

CdUry pl1n111-10 il"Xland 1htt1.'.tt "rrleh ta •llfro11nd.- '1tg ti'Hlfl and 1t>" l,u.Ud tr nn,,, amf r.tt:Jdam oUI~ bW.ldin!J!
Next Issue, COLOR,FORNIA Will Feature:
·:·SAN DIEGO, CAUF:ORNIA~s-BORDER· CITY
.llON"r MISS I1' ·

COATES MOTEL
Mcnced. CulUomJa
Ptiono 30'2
Cl•ttm .. Mod.otn-Alr CtmlJlliouod
StJt•nd n W,~,,ki::;;,d Poor<:> c:n~i IT<!,!!
r;~~~B,;£!:P 1:u~::; ~;;,~}~~~-:i'.~~~i'.:\iI::.'.f

REAL ESTATE
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NAMCTTE M::MUtiRAY
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r:.,fi!,, P!tf,tir CJ~ Z-6~H-.-!IJ !~VC..1~
Source: Center for Sacramento History
Prhalt· ucnt1ny Qna af1k• .. rncr,,og-o: <ii la...- cum i.. M111. llat<l'rd Cml~. =alw .... Sh .. h. w~H ,-ani,.-d l!'I tUl'ipuH1Jlon c:::f l•?al dae,,irn.nl ■ 11t1rl crc1011l,o n:.lleh o.l Mi::, Ceil1<11y'L wodi:, 5h• l• ah:1•r of Mr•. Cull ■-.,, J11fd .. na,d (oy ot p.aa, Ull111n-t I• .,.u,. lul...aa und..hMt dmavlllaa. Swuhu I\UH Ncr.1aall11 h:icmn• CHo Mutt ■ end S•,l•!t11 Cv n. t•ft to t1-&1fi1 K• t:1.111 rmd ni..au11c1 IJ1• lor-m..t f•rltim Jcacli,cn. wh~ 11 c i~.l:::1.~1r.~~~y ~lv Cl~T~~ ~~o::;!:;01n°\n~1:J1Tc':

Sections 9-end page 44
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service I National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 0MB No. 1024-0018
New Helvetia Historic District Sacramento, CA
Name of Property County and State
Young Attorney Gives Leadership to Colored Community
It is no secret and is generally agreed among Sacramentans, both white and colored, that much of the progress of Sacramento's colored community in the last three years has been due largely to the fact that a brilliant young attorney, Nathaniel S. Colley, came to the city in 1948, the year he finished Yale, and began his law practice. Within this short time the 34-year-old attorney has won the respect and admiration of Sacramento's citizens and is the undisputed leader in the colored community.

Conservative, well informed and polished, Mr. Colley is easily one of California's most capable Negro lawyers. As a Yale University student, he won the C. LaRue Munson Prize for the most significant contribution of any Yale Law School student to New Haven, Connecticut, Legal Aid Bureau, and shared honors for the Benjamin Scharp Prize for the best original essay on some aspect of law.

Since he opened Sacramento's first Negro law office, he has kept a schedule and built a clientele that would be the envy of many an attorney practicing in metropolitan areas. He confesses that he has, "done more business than I ever, in my wildest dream, imagined possible in Sacramento." His clients include Hindus, Caucasians, Mexicans and about fifty percent Negroes. In addition to his regular practice he is Vice-President and Counsel for the local NAACP to which he donates his services in preparing and trying discrimination cases in the Sacramento area. He is chairman of the Legal Committee and member of the Board of Directors of the California Federation of Civic Unity, President of the Sacramento CCU and Executive Board Member of a dozen other civic organizations.

In Sacramento courts and legal circles Mr. Colley is highly respected. He is a member of the California State Bar Association, the Sacran1ento County Bar Association and the Sacramento Lawyers Luncheon Club. Sacramento's colored citizens regard him as a fearless fighter for their rights and a leader on whom they can depend to reflect their opinions and creditably represent them in all civic affairs.

Photo captions, from left to right and top down:

NAACP and other community projects take much of Mr. Colley's time, Above he checks report on court order he obtained prohibiting discrimination in city's public housing project with Mrs. Marie Cranson, who is chairman ofNAACP's Housing Committee.

Recent addition to Mr. Calley's office is Attorney Wilford James, left, who finished Yale University Law School this year. With an associate, Mr. Colley plans to extend firm's services to surrounding areas and to build a new and modern office building.

Attorney Nathaniel S. Colley, seated, has only Negro law office in Sacramento. He handles a record number of cases and keeps a staff of assistants busy. In the above photo he checks legal papers with Harold Craft, a member of his office staff.

Private secretary and office manager of law finn is Mrs. Harold Craft, above. She is well versed in preparation oflegal documents and organizes much of Mr. Calley's work. She is sister of Mrs. Colley.

Pride and joy of your attorney is wife, Jerlean and four daughters, Sandra Aileen, Natalie Suza1me, Ola Marie and Jerlean Evelyn, left to right. He met and married the former Jerlean Jackson, who is a native Sacramentan, while they were both students at Tuskegee Institute. Mrs.

Colley has also served as secretary in law office.

Sections 9-end page 45

-----=-

National Register of Historic Places
Memo to File
Correspondence
The Correspondence consists of communications from (and possibly to) the nominating authority, notes from the staff of the National Register of Historic Places, and/or other material the National Register of Historic Places received associated with the property.

Correspondence may also include information from other sources, drafts of the nomination, letters of support or objection, memorandums, and ephemera which document the efforts to recognize the property.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET
REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION

PROPERTY
NAME:

MULTIPLE
NAME:

New Helvetia Historic District
STATE & COUNTY: CALIFORNIA, Sacramento
DATE RECEIVED:

DATE OF 16TH DAY:

DATE OF WEEKLY LIST:
2/18/14
4/02/14
DATE OF PENDING LIST:

DATE OF 45TH DAY:
3/18/14
4/06/14
REFERENCE NUMBER: 14000109
REASONS FOR REVIEW:

APPEAL: N
OTHER: N
REQUEST: Y
DATA PROBLEM: N
PDIL: N
SAMPLE: N
COMMENT WAIVER: N

ACCEPT RETURN
ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS:

LANDSCAPE: N
PERIOD: N
SLR DRAFT: Y
LESS THAN 50 YEARS:

PROGRAM UNAPPROVED:

NATIONAL:

REJECT _______ DATE
N
N
N
The New Helvetia Historic District is of local significance under National Register Criteria A, Band C, in the areas of Social History, Ethnic Heritage-Black, and Architecture. Completed in 1942, the 62-building complex is a well preserved local example of low-income public housing built under the auspices of the United States Housin~, Act of 1937 and the National Defense Act.

Rapidly converted to defense housing during World War II, the project illustrates th•~ significant Depression-era efforts of the federal government and local communities to provide low cost family housing to local working-class residents. The functional design of the complex, representing the collaborative work of several prominent lo<:al architectural firms, reflected the financial constraints of the public housing programs along with federal guidelines for unit types, project layout and building forms. The New Helvetia housing project is also directly associated with the work of Sacramento lawyer Nathaniel S. Colley and his ground-breaking efforts to implement fair housing practices in Sacramento and elsewhere. Sacramento's first African American attorney, Colley was instrumental in instituting successful challenges to the de facto segregation practices in public housing accommodations in Sacramento, beginning with the New Helvetia public housing complex. Colley would continue to pursue fair housing issues at the county, state and federal levels.

RECOM. /C~ITERIAf\ccey\ {:g__a:ca 1A A::i3~C..

REvrnw@u \ '.7._ l v ''CJ A.J nrscr PLINE - \ 1 = a •I\N TELEPHONE___ _______ DATE ::/ / 'f ( /=f
DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached s u(i),N If a nomination is returned to the nominating authority the nomination is no longer under consideration by the NPS.' Arthur G. Scotland
California Court of Appeal F residing Justice, R.etired r.o. E>ox 189206
Sacramento, CA 95818-9206
January 7, 2014
California State Parks, Office of Historic Preservation Attention: Carol Roland-Nawi, Ph.D., State Historic Preservation Officer 1725 23rd Street, Suite 100
Sacramento, Ca 95816
RE: Support for application to designate a New Helvetia Historic District Dear Ms. Roland-Nawi:

Four decades ago, Sacramento lost part of our culture and history - the Alhambra Theatre.

We are now at risk of losing another part of our heritage - New Helvetia's historic brick buildings. "The essential feature of a landmark is not its design, but the place it holds in a city's memory," said architecture critic Herbert Muschamp. So it is with New Helvetia's historic brick buildings, which, as reflected in the enclosed fact sheet, "stand as a legacy of Sacramento's past and a symbol of the courage and leadership to right a wrong." Buildings are powerful reminders of the highlights and lowlights of our past. New Helvetia's historic brick buildings are reminders of both.

They remind us of Sacramento's best intentions and actions - the creation of public housing to benefit low-income families that needed roofs over their heads; and the collaboration of four skilled and distinguished Sacramento architects to design public housing both "functional and aesthetically pleasing, generating pride in inhabitants and in the greater Sacramento community." And they remind us of an unflattering part of our history - racial discrimination in housing - with a fortunate bright side due to the valiant efforts of a Sacramento legend, attorney Nathaniel Colley, who successfully used our legal system to end public housing discrimination in New Helvetia and in other California cities and several western states.

Thus, it is fitting that a New Helvetia Historic District be designated to memorialize and hopefully allow its historic brick buildings to continue standing as monuments and tributes to the positive and transformative influences of those who created the public housing and then made it available to all, regardless of race and ethnicity. Without such monuments, it is harder for future generations to remember the past and act to promote its positives and avoid its negatives.

For these reasons, I encourage the designation of a New Helvetia Historic District.

Cordially,
Enclosure Arthur G. Scotland

SAVE NEW HELVETIA'S HISTORIC BUILDINGS
WHAT ARE NEW HELVETIA'S HISTORIC BUILDINGS? Located along Broadway and Muir Way, west of the historic City Cemetery, the historic brick buildings of New Helvetia (also known as Alder Grove) have provided affordable housing since 1942. Designed by a coalition of Sacramento Master architects, the buildings are a unique, historic, and attractive example of public housing architecture, and played a significant role in the efforts of renowned Sacramento attorney Nathaniel Colley to end discrimination in public housing. Simply stated, they are an important part of the history and fabric of Sacramento that should be retained not destroyed.

WHY ARE THE HISTORIC BRICK BUILDINGS AT RISK? The Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) wants to sell its New Helvetia properties to a private development team that would be responsible for building new affordable housing and single family residences there at a higher density than the current neighborhoods. SHRA and the City of Sacramento approved language asking for bids from the development team, based upon demolition of all buildings on SHRA property. When Upper Land Park Neighbors (ULPN), a neighborhood group located south of Broadway and west of Riverside, asked SHRA and the City to consider retaining the historic brick buildings, both declined to make this a requirement, even though SHRA and the City agreed to six other objectives proposed by ULPN.

WHAT IS BEING DONE TO RETAIN NEW HELVETIA'S HISTORIC BUILDINGS? ULPN has applied to the California Office of Historic Preservation to designate New Helvetia as an historic district. If approved by the State Historic Resources Commission and the National Park Service, the historic brick buildings along Broadway and Muir Way would be eligible for federal tax incentives, including tax credits and state grants to help retain the historic brick buildings. If New Helvetia becomes an historic district, the City and SHRA would have to consider this national designation during the project development process. This would result in more public support to save -- rather than demolish -- these unique historic buildings.

WHY SAVE NEW HELVETIA'S HISTORIC BRICK BUILDINGS?
• Retaining historic buildings is important to a community. They are valuable reminders of our past and examples of our city's nature and evolution.
• Saving New Helvetia's history brick buildings is particularly important because they were the focus of life-changing events in 1952, when attorney Nathaniel Colley and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People successfully challenged and eliminated "de facto" segregation in New Helvetia's public housing. Mr. Colley then shared his New Helvetia experience and expertise with other NAACP branches and led efforts to eliminate racial segregation in public housing projects in other cities in Northern California and several western states. Thus, the buildings stand as a legacy of Sacramento's past and a symbol of the courage and leadership to right a wrong. • Saving the buildings also is important because they were designed by a coalition of Sacramento's Master architects, Charles Dean, Leonard Starks, Ed Flanders, and Harry Devine, Sr. -- the only project on which they collaborated -- and represent an attractive example of how public housing was viewed then as needing to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing, generating pride in inhabitants and in the greater Sacramento community.

January 14, 2014
Ann Taylor Schwing
1425 Robertson Way
Sacramento, CA 95818
California State Parks, Office of Historic Preservation Attn: Carol Roland-Nawi, Ph.D., State Historic Preservation Officer 1725 23rd Street, Suite 110
Sacramento. CA 95816
Re: Support for application to designate New Helvetia Historic District Dear Ms. Roland-Nawi:

I write in support of the creation and preservation of a New Helvetia Historic District. The historic brick buildings evidence the efforts of significant individuals to provide housing for low income families in years past and today. I drive past those buildings regularly and see happy families enjoying the shade from the tall trees with children running and playing and fathers barbecuing dinner in the summer.

Nathaniel Colley battled discrimination to ensure that these homes would be available to families of all races, and we do well to remember his efforts. As a young attorney in the federal court, I remember Nat Calley's appearance to represent his clients in a variety of cases. His deep and powerful voice was remarkable, and he could move the courtroom with the power of his views.

Whatever side one took on the merits of the specific issue, no one could be unmoved by the strength of his character.

I encourage the creation of the New Helvetia Historic District.

Very truiy yours,
~-=rb 5_~
Ann Taylor Schwing
Sacramento Old City Association - PO Box 162140, Sacramento CA 95816 - (916)202-4815 - [email protected] January 13, 2014
California State Parks
Office of Historic Preservation
Attn: Carol Roland-Nawi Ph.D.

State Historic Preservation Officer
1725 23rd Street, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95816
Re: Support for Nomination of New Helvetia Historic Public Housing to the National Register Dear Chair Polanco and Commissioners
The board of the Sacramento Old City Association wishes to express its strong support for the nomination of New Helvetia's sixty-two public housing buildings to the National Register as an historic district.

New Helvetia has already been identified as meeting the requirements of the Multiple Property Submission (MPS) Public Housing in the United States 1933 to 1949.

It qualifies at the local level under criteria A, B, and C. The group of architects who designed it were Sacramento's most prominent architects during the priod when it was built. It is also significant for its association with Nathaniel Colley, Sacramento's first African American attorney who sued the Sacramento Housing Authority in order to end segregation at New Helvetia. That lawsuit was the beginning of Mr. Calley's long and successful career of using the law to end housing discrimination.

Thank-you for your consideration. Our board looks forward to seeing the New Helvetia buildings added to the National Register.

Karen Jacques,
Vice President,
Sacramento Old City Association Board
1 INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES
A Joint Powers Agency
MEM8F.RS
City of Sacramento
County of Sacramentc
Successor Agency for the
Redevelopment Agency
of the Cily of Sar,;amento
Successor Agency for the
Redevelopment /1.gency
of the County of Sacramento
Housing Authority of the
City of Sacramento
Housing Authority of the
County of Sacramento
. .. •'
January 17, 2013
California State Parks
Office of Historic Preservation
Carol Roland-Nawi, PhD, State Historic Preservation Officer 1725 23rd Street, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95816
RE: New Helvetia Historic District Nomination
Dear Ms. Roland
At the February 7, 2014 meeting, the State Historical Resources Commission will consider the New Helvetia Historic District nomination.

The property is the 360 unit Alder Grove public housing community owned and managed by Housing Authority of the City of Sacramento. On November 22, 2013, the Housing Authority was awarded one of only nine Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Planning Grants to prepare a Neighborhood Transformation Plan (NTP). This $500,000 from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development will be leveraged by $680,000 in City of Sacramento Community Development Block Grant funds. The combined funding provides the critical resources necessary to craft a comprehensive, community-driven plan to revitalize and transform the public housing community and the adjacent neighborhood. Due to the upcoming NTP, the designation is premature and requires more community engagement prior to approval. The community will consider the extent to which historic preservation will be incorporated into the planning effort to develop the NTP. We at the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, which includes the Housing Authority of the City of Sacramento, respectfully request that this item be tabled until the NTP is complete at the end of 2015.

Sincerely,
ector
Housing Authority of
cc: Sacramento Councilmember Hansen
Sacramento Housing & Redevelopment Agency 801 ·12th Street I Sacramento, CA 95814 I www.shra.org ERNEST A. LONG
Alternative Dispute Resolution
@)@Resolution Arts Building •®
2630 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95816
ph: (916) 442-6739 • fx: (916) 442-4107
[email protected] • www.ernestalongadr.com
January 20, 2014
California State Parks, Office of Historic Preservation Attention: Carol Roland-Nawi, State Historic Preservation Officer 1725 23rd Street, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 9.5816
Re: Support for application to designate a New Helvetia Historic District Dear Ms. Roland-Nevi:

One of my favorite jogging paths takes me along the Sacramento River levee into Miller Park and onto Broadway. From there I tum right just before arriving at the old City Cemetery and run along a quiet shady street bordered on one side by the graves of ancient Sacramento residents, and on the other by several neat rows of brick housing structures.

Until recently, these brick bufldings had existed in my consciousness as peaceful place that seemed to provide a decent place for many, many, low income folks to call home. I admired the tranquility and order that always seemed to pervade the place.

Recently it has come to my attention that there is a history attached to the buildings that captures my imagination and leads me to write this letter. When I became an attorney in 1983, Sacramento was still home to Nathaniel Colley, a significant figure in the movement to secure housing equality for all in our town. Mr. Colley had an aura, and a real legendary presence, while he continued' to prosecute cases on behalf of those in our society with less fortunate backgrounds. The work he generated in his career stands as a reminder of what all lawyers should strive for, a beacon that is more important in this money centric world than ever.

It is my understanding that efforts are underway to develop the land now the home of the brick buildings I've described. At the same time, there is a movement to preserve, in some permanent way, the historic brick structures with a monument or some other designation that will live on to remind the populace of the history of racial discrimination and the wrongs that were righted largely due to Mr.

Colley's actions. Sacramento, like most places in this country was not always such a melting pot, and the recognition that prejudice existed here, is a wonderful way to tell the story of our evolution as a tolerant people.

As a citizen of California during my entire lifetime, I have come to love our golden state. We hold onto our history and celebrate it from the missions, to the government buildings, to the monuments that men and women have created all over this state. Here is an opportunity to share with future generations an important chapter in our development as place open and welcoming to everyone.

In my view, a New Helvetia Historic District would be a wonderful addition to our culture and our memorialized history. I encourage the Historic Preservation department to give this proposal its most favorable consideration.

Carol Roland-Nawi, Ph.D.

State Historic Preservation Officer
1725 23rd Street, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95816
RE: Application to Establish New Helvetia as a Historic District Dear Dr. Roland-Nawi:

Nicole A. Amador, Ph.D.
2910 Riverside Boulevard
Sacramento, CA 95818
1/23/2014
This letter is submitted in support of the Upper Land Park Neighbors' application to establish the New Helvetia properties as a historic district. Located at Broadway and ·Muir Way, just west of the historic City Cemetery, the brick buildings of New Helvetia are a defining part of Sacramento's past, present, and future.

The buildings are the only collaborative product of Sacramento's Master Architects, Charles Dean; Harry Devine, Sr.; Leonard Starks; and Ed Flanders. Their brick facades remind us of the strength Sacramentans had to rebuild the city after the great fires of the late nineteenth century.

Additionally, New Helvetia serves as one of the few existing examples in this nation of how public housing can offer those in need the opportunity to be a an effective part of the community. With open green spaces for children to safely play and buildings that blend with the surrounding neighborhoods, it provides not just housing but a place to call home. As a woman of color, I feel the most important aspect of New Helvetia is that it represents Sacramento's victory over racial segregation in public housing, a victory that spread to other cities in Northern California and other western states.

Approval of the application will make the property eligible for federal tax incentives, including tax credits and state grants to help retain all or part of the historic brick buildings. This is particularly important now as the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency embarks on an accelerated schedule to re-develop the area. I urge the State Historic Resources Commission to carefully consider the application and est~blish New Helvetia as a historic district at its February 7, 2014, meeting.

Nicole A. Amador, Ph.D.

Alice A. Huffman
President
Gwen Moore
1st Vice Preside111
Rick Callender

CALIFORNIA STATE CONFERENCE OF THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT ~•1-'¥-ji~.ll'Y PEOPLE
ESQUIRE PLAZA, 1215 K STREET, 16TH FLOOR, SUITE ]609 • SACRAM ls • {~ 16) 498- l8l)8 • FAX (916) 498-1895 l/.\~ l ~ 10\
or\P
January 23, 2014
California State Parks, Office of Historic Preservation Attn: Carol Roland-Nawi, Ph.D., State Historic Preservation Officer 1725 23rd Street, Suite 100
Sacramento, California 95816
2nd Vice President Re: Support for New Helvetia as an Historic District Paulette Simpson-Gipson Dear Ms. Roland-Nawi:
3rd Vice President
Ida M. Johnson
Secretcuy
Olivia Verrett
Assistant Secretary
Carolyn Veal-Hunter
Treasurer
Alan Carroll
Assis/Oil/ Treosurer
Waudieur Rucker-Hughes
Area Director Sowh eosl
Ronald Hasson
Areo Director Southwest
Delois Edwards
Area Director Nor//1
Lajuana Bivens
Area Director Ceutml
Dan Danit!ls, Sr.

Area Director Coc1s1a/
Freddie Davis
Area Direc/or West
The California State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (Cal NAACP) supports the National Register application to designate New Helvetia as an historic district. It has been identified as meeting the requirements of the Multiple Property Submission (MPS) Public Housing in the United States and has been identified as eligible.

While the public housing development has architectural significance, it also strongly represents the important civil rights efforts of Nathaniel S. Colley, the first African-American attorney in private practice in Sacramento. He successfully ended segregation in public housing in Sacramento and other cities by using the New Helvetia project as a specific example. As a new resident of Sacramento and new member of the Sacramento NAACP branch, Mr. Colley began his first legal fight against wide-scale segregation -- focusing on public housing.

It was Mr. Colley who first discovered and addressed "de facto" segregation in the New Helvetia development units. He reported the facts to the local NAACP branch, of which he was a member, and was authorized to pursue its elimination. Working with local NAACP members, as well as numerous community members, he successfully ended segregation in the City's public housing. Mr. Colley's shared his legal experience and expertise gained at New Helvetia with other NAACP attorneys at the 1952 NAACP Western Region I Conference. He helped develop a strategy to work with other NAACP Western Region branches to fight public housing segregation, which expedited the end of segregation in public housing in California and other Western States.

Mr. Colley fought very hard to ensure that all people would have equal access to all housing units in New Helvetia. If designated an historic district, these buildings would serve as a monument to the historic efforts of Nathaniel S.

Colley and other NAACP members who fought so hard and successfully ended segregation in public housing throughout California and the western states.

WEBSITE: WWW.CA-NAACP.ORG
Thank you for your consideration of this important applicant for National Register designation.

Sinc!!eJ', _.._
~ ' ;/ ,'T----------
Alice Huffman,
President
AHH: SJ
SEGAL &: KIRBY LLP
January 24, 2014
Carol Roland-Nawi, Ph.D.

State Historic Preservation Officer
California State Parks, Office of Historic Preservation 1725 23rd Street, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95816
400 Capitol Mall, Suite 1600
Sacramento, CA 95814
Telephone (916) 441-0828
www.segalandkirby.com
Re: Support For Application to Designate a New Helvetia Historic District Dear Ms. Roland-Nawi:

We are long time residents of the Land Park neighborhood in Sacramento. We would like to add our voices to the request to designate a New Helvetia Historic District at Broadway and Muir Way in Sacramento.

Unlike much of Sacramento's more recent here-today-gone-tomorrow construction, these beautiful brick structures were built to last and they should be permitted to do so.

Neither of us lived in Sacramento during the heyday of Nathaniel Calley's fight to desegregate this City. As attorneys who have practiced here, however, we have heard of his dedication and admire his accomplishments. We understand this residential community was integrated due to Mr. Calley's efforts.

Designation of the New Helvetia District would be a fitting tribute to this great resident of our City.

DANIELE. WILCO XEN :j:

WILLIAM C. CALLAHAM* :j:

E. S. (TED) DEACON
MICHELLE C. JENNI :j:
*CERTIFIED SPECIALIST IN CIVIL

TRIAL ADVOCACY BY THE

NATIONAL BOARD OF TRIAL

ADVOCACY

WILCOXEN CALLAHAM, LLP

ATTORNEYS AT LAW
2114 KSTREET
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA 95816
TELEPHONE: (916) 442-2777
FACSIMILE: (916) 442-4118
www.wilcoxenlaw.com
January 24, 2014
California State Parks, Office of Historic Preservation Attention: Carol Roland-Nawi, Ph.D., State Historic Preservation Officer 1725 - 23rd Street, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95816
WILLIAM M. LYONS :j:

WALTER H. LOVING Ill :j:

DREW M. WIDDERS
MARTHA A. TAYLOR
RANDEE M. ROLFE
CAROLYN A. GYERMEK+
ALEXA R. GREENBAUM
* MEMBER:

AMERICAN BOARD
or TRIAL ADVOCATES
+ALSO ADMITTED IN COLORADO
Re: Support for application to designate a New 11i1vetia ·Histori c District . ' . ,, ... I ~ • I ~ Dear Ms. Roland~;Nawi: . I··
:.' • ;-' • , ~:• • •• I , I • • •
It has been brought to my attention that the New Helyetia historic brick buildings are at risk to be lost to private development. I strongly support the application to preserve this landmark by the designation of a New Helvetia Historic District.

My personal interest in this cause stems from my knowledge of Nathaniel Colley's efforts beginning in the 1950's to eradicate racial discrimination in housing. Mr. Colley was vve!! knovvn to my fami!y and his legacy h,:id a significant influence on my decision to pursue the practice of law. As such, I feel an obligation to speak out against what I see would be a great loss to our community.

As I understand it, for over six decades the New Helvetia brick buildings have continued to provide housing for low income families and have stood as "monuments" to the struggle agqinst racial discrimination in our country spearheaded by the great Nat Colley. Just as the annual celebration of Martin Luther King allows my children to learn about their qeritage and the sacrifices of those who came before them, the designation of a New Helvetia Historic District would allow this generation and generations to come to understand the efforts of pioneers such as Nat Colley. It would l;>_e .a tr_avesty for this landmark to be buried and not be· preserved arid duly r·ecC:1gniied for its historic :
significance.

Wilcoxen Callaham, LLP
January 24, 2014

Page 2 ends

Sacramento City CouncilSeptember 19, 2023

Sacramento City Council
September 19, 2023