Nov 25, 1980
Stoutenburgh House - National Register of Historic Places
Statement of Significance Built in 1893 for Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Stouten burgh, the Stouten burgh House is an extraordinary remnant from the days in which Marengo Avenue rivalled prestigious Orange Grove Boulevard. The street was known far and wide for the double tiers of pepper trees (later replaced by single rows of ash trees) and the comfortable mansions which graced each side. The houses were a combination of Victorian and craftsman era bungalows, with several significant structures remaining today, including two houses designed by Louis B. Easton at 530 (listed on the National Register) and 540 S. Marengo. Mary and John Stouten burgh imported architect J. H. Brad beer from Los Angeles to design their home, and the event was duly recorded in the Pasadena Evening Star of July 13, 1893. The Stouten burghs became solid, upstanding members of the community, with John a candidate for the City Council on the Independent ticket during the tumultuous campaign which resulted in the election of Mayor Weight in 1901. Mary continued to live in the house into the twenties after her husband's death in 1904. The Stouten burgh house is one of the finest surviving Queen Anne residences in Pasadena. The city was once dotted with such large nineteenth century showpieces, homes of wealthy immigrants from the east and Midwest. Distinguished by the exuberant detailing which characterized the period and the style, the house is an invaluable document of Pasadena's architectural heritage. It survives. over the years with its design intact, ornately carved brackets, fanciful wood turned columns, and decorative gables punctuate the porches, bays, and roofline of the structure. The integrity of the Stoltenberg house is augmented by the survival of the setting and outbuildings of the house: front walk, lawn and palm trees still frame the house, carriage house and the barn (not visible from the street). Barns and carriage houses are rare, indeed, in Pasadena today. Over the years, most of these houses have been destroyed and replaced by apartments, condominiums or office buildings and with the current renaissance of Pasadena's downtown and civic center areas, the pressure for newer and more intense developments have contributed greatly to this continued destruction. The land values on Marengo Avenue are currently between $16.00 and $20.00 per square foot. These high values serve as a disincentive to protect the few remaining structures which exist today. The Stouten burgh house is an important deviation to this trend. It is currently being restored, with assistance of an architectural preservation consultant, and will be used as professional offices. The preservation and restoration of this building enable future generations to experience the beauty and elegance of a significant past era in Pasadena.
Stoutenburgh House - National Register of Historic Places
Statement of Significance Built in 1893 for Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Stouten burgh, the Stouten burgh House is an extraordinary remnant from the days in which Marengo Avenue rivalled prestigious Orange Grove Boulevard. The street was known far and wide for the double tiers of pepper trees (later replaced by single rows of ash trees) and the comfortable mansions which graced each side. The houses were a combination of Victorian and craftsman era bungalows, with several significant structures remaining today, including two houses designed by Louis B. Easton at 530 (listed on the National Register) and 540 S. Marengo. Mary and John Stouten burgh imported architect J. H. Brad beer from Los Angeles to design their home, and the event was duly recorded in the Pasadena Evening Star of July 13, 1893. The Stouten burghs became solid, upstanding members of the community, with John a candidate for the City Council on the Independent ticket during the tumultuous campaign which resulted in the election of Mayor Weight in 1901. Mary continued to live in the house into the twenties after her husband's death in 1904. The Stouten burgh house is one of the finest surviving Queen Anne residences in Pasadena. The city was once dotted with such large nineteenth century showpieces, homes of wealthy immigrants from the east and Midwest. Distinguished by the exuberant detailing which characterized the period and the style, the house is an invaluable document of Pasadena's architectural heritage. It survives. over the years with its design intact, ornately carved brackets, fanciful wood turned columns, and decorative gables punctuate the porches, bays, and roofline of the structure. The integrity of the Stoltenberg house is augmented by the survival of the setting and outbuildings of the house: front walk, lawn and palm trees still frame the house, carriage house and the barn (not visible from the street). Barns and carriage houses are rare, indeed, in Pasadena today. Over the years, most of these houses have been destroyed and replaced by apartments, condominiums or office buildings and with the current renaissance of Pasadena's downtown and civic center areas, the pressure for newer and more intense developments have contributed greatly to this continued destruction. The land values on Marengo Avenue are currently between $16.00 and $20.00 per square foot. These high values serve as a disincentive to protect the few remaining structures which exist today. The Stouten burgh house is an important deviation to this trend. It is currently being restored, with assistance of an architectural preservation consultant, and will be used as professional offices. The preservation and restoration of this building enable future generations to experience the beauty and elegance of a significant past era in Pasadena.
Nov 25, 1980
Posted Date
Mar 22, 2022
Historical Record Date
Nov 25, 1980
Source Name
United States Department of Interior - National Park Service
