The City of South Pasadena’s historic preservation plan demonstrates a commitment to protect endangered resources, the special character of the City, and the quality of its neighborhoods. The City's comprehensive historic preservation program recognizes the value that a sense of history can contribute to the community by providing stability and continuity without sacrificing goals for new growth and development. To these ends, the City Council has designated properties, districts, and sites as local City landmarks.

The built environment of South Pasadena reflects its rich heritage. Entire neighborhoods of homes built in the Craftsman, revival or Art Deco styles of 1900-1939 have survived largely intact and are enriched with mature landscaping. A handful of homes from the Victorian era are scattered throughout the community.

The historic city center and business district around Mission Street and Meridian Avenue has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Many of the City’s historic instiutional buildings, ranging fro religious to civic, continue to play a vital role in town life. These buildings create the historic context within which the numerous historic resources of South Pasadena can be understood and evaluated.

The preservation movement in South Pasadena began in 1970 when South Pasadena Beautiful created a sub-committee to study ways and means to promote historic preservation in the community. Eventually, the subcommittee became the Jean Driskel Foundation, later renamed the South Pasadena Preservation Foundation, a private non-profit organization. The City restored the 1888 Meridian Iron Works building, which now serves as a historical museum and base for the Preservation Foundation.

South Pasadena adopted Cultural Heritage Ordinance No. 1591 in 1971 that established the Cultural Heritage Commission to advise the City Council on all preservation issues. That ordinance wsa amended by Ordinance #2004, adopted February 19, 1992, which helped clarify the role and functions of the Commissions.

The City Council contracted for a comprehensive historic resources survey in 1991 (available at the Library). The purpose of this survey was to develop an inventory of historic resources and to provide a foundation for their recognition in all future planning processes. This professional survey was conducted by an architectural historian, using National Register criteria. The criteria include age, architectural character, integrity, historical associations, and ixisting neighborhood context.

The Historic Resources Survey: Inventory of Addresses (available at the Library) was adopted by City Council on November 30, 1994. The City will use this inventory of significant historical and cultural resources when determining the appopriateness of building permit applications for exterior changes that would impact neighborhood character and historic continuity, develop appropriate preservation and conservation programs, guide the location of new developments away from areas of significance, determine which properties should be nominated for national, state or local designation, and generally raise the awareness of the community to its heritage.

The City Council has also designated four historic districts; the Mission West Historic Business District (1982), THE El Centro/Indiana/Palm residential district (1993), THE Oak/Laurel residential district (1994) and Ramona Street Residential District (1997). Each district retains a distinct character representative of South Pasadena’s past.

To date, the City Council has designated 41 properties and sites as local City landmarks:

Conditions: South Pasadena has buildings, sites or neighborhoods of particular interest or significance, which may be associated woth historic events of local importance or a residence of a founding pioneer of the community. Other resources may be distinctive in architectural design, site or landscape treatment, and artistic features or may be distinctive because they possess unique chrcteristics or may be cultural heritage, which if lost, cnnot be lost.

1.            Adobe Flores & Cactus Garden, 1804 Foothill Street, 1840s
2.            Oaklawn Bridge & Waiting Station, Oaklawn and Fair Oaks Avenue, 1906
3.            South Pasadena War Memorial Building, 435 Fair Oaks Avenue, 1906
4.            Garfield Residence, 1001 Buena Vista Street, 1904
5.            Meridian Iron Works, 913 Meridian Avenue, 1890s
6.            Wynyate, 851 Lyndon Street, 1887
7.            Watering Trough-Wayside Station, across the street from Meridian Iron Works, 1907
8.            South Pasadena Bank Building, 1019 El Centro Street, 1904
9.            Oaklawn Portals, Oaklawn & Columbia Streets, 1905
10.          South Pasadena Public Library, 1115 El Centro Street, 1907
11.          Miltimore House, 1301 Chelton Way, 1911
12.          Chelten Way & Ashbourne Drive, Private streets retaining rural atmosphere, 1907
13.          The Clokey Oak Tree, 1635 Laurel Street (rear)
14.          Ashbourne-Chelten Hybrid Oak Tree, 2007 Ashbourne (removed in 1988)
15.          Andrew O. Porter Residene, 215 Orang Grove Avenue, 1875
16.          Raymond Hill Waiting Station, Fair Oaks at Raymond Hill Road, 1903
17.          Howard Longley Residence, 1005 Buena Vista Street, 1897
18.          Cawston Ostrich Farm site, 100 block of Pasadena Avenue, 1896
19.          Cathedral Oak Monument, 430 Arroyo Drive
20.          Manuel Garfias Adobe Site, 424-430 Arroyo Drive, 1853
21.          Leo Longley Residence, 1103 Monterey Road, 1888
22.          Fremont Aveneue Brethren Church, 920 Fremont Avenue, 1887
23.          Dr. John S. Tanner Residence, 225 Grand Avenue, 1917
24.          Lloyd E. Morrison Residence, 1414 Alhambra Road, 1923
25.          Rialto Theater, 1019 Fair Oaks Avenue, 1925
26.          Mission Arroyo Hotel, 950-966 Mission Street, 1923
27.          Barabger Studios, 729 Mission Street, 1925
28.          Grokowski House, 816 Bonita Drive, 1928-1929
29.          Vivekananda House, 309 Monterey Road, pre-1877
30.          School Administration Building, 1327 Diamond Avenue, demolished 1985
31.          Markey Building, 634-636 Mission Street, 1928
32.          Eddie House & Memorial Park, 2017 Edgewood Drive, 1910
33.          St. James Episcopol Church, 1325 Monterey Road, 1907
34.          Century House, 1000 Mission Street (formerly at 709 Meridian Avenue), 1888
35.          Adobe Eulalia Perez, 517 Garfield Avenue, 1924
36.          Bissell House, 201 Orange grove Avenue, 1887
37.          The Pettee Building, 1501 Mission Street, 1923
38.          Garfias Spring, 400 Block of Arroyo Drive, pre-1840
39.          Mabel Packard House, 2031 Berkshire Avenue, 1914
40.          Washburn House, 844 Monterey Road, 1910
41.          Torrance-Childs House, 929 Buena Vista Street, 1902

The preservation of noteworthy structures from all stages of a city’s growth provide a three dinmensional record of the tastes and the values affecting dily lives in the past and the City, preferably as part of its comprehensive planning program, should take the necessary steps to conserve the identified buildings, sites and areas that are found to contribute significantly to its historical and cultural heritage. The city has developed broad goals to guide the actions of city departments, commissions and volunteer agencies. These policies and programs are dedicated to

The City abides by the following guidelines for maintaining a sense of history in this small community:

• ntegrating preservation into the planning process;

• Preserving and maintaining sites, structures and neighborhoods that serve as significant reminders of the City's social, educational, religious and architectural history;
  

• Encouraging maintenance and preservation of historic structures and artifacts;
  

• Maintaining elements of the natural landscape that contribute to the attractiveness and historic character of districts, neighborhoods and landmarks;
  

• Harmonizing physical change to assure continuity of the City's historic character, scale and small town atmosphere;
  

• Building public awareness and appreciation for the unique history of South Pasadena and its neighborhoods;
  

• Adopting incentives that promote the preservation and rehabilitation of historic structures;
  

• Encouraging public and private cooperation in preservation efforts that preserve property values, enrich the local economy and promote tourism.
  

The General Plan outlines the following Historic Preservation Goals:

1. To preserve and maintain sites, structures, and neighborhoods that serve as significant reminders of the city’s social, educational, religious and architectural history.

2. To encourage maintenance and preservation of historic structures and artifiacts.

3. To maintain elements of the natural landscape that contribute to the historic character of districts, neighborhoods and landmarks.

4. To assure continuity of the city’s historic character, scale and small town atmosphere in all future construction.

5. To build public awareness of preservation issues and appreciation for the unique history of South Pasadena and its neighborhoods.

6. To adopt incentives that promote the preservation and rehabilitation of historic structures.

7. To encourage public/private cooperation in preservation efforts that enhance property values, enrich the local economy and promote tourism.

8. To integrate preservation into the planning process.