April 18, 2023 - Join the California State Historical Resources Commission (Commission) meeting this Friday, April 21, as it will consider nine nominations for federal historic designation and six nominations for state historic designation. The meeting begins at 9 a.m., and the public can participate in person in San Francisco or virtually.
One of the properties being considered for federal historical designation is the Midway-Sunset Jack Plant, an extremely rare example of central power and “jack-line” oil pumping technology; the plant is on its original site and housed in its original building. Constructed in approximately 1913, the property is also significant for its association with the early 20th-century development and production of California’s largest oil field, the Midway-Sunset Oil Field in western Kern County. Other nominations amend five existing properties under the California Historical Landmarks (CHLs) associated with the Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail, and all are associated with the October–November 1769 expedition of Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portolá through Ohlone territory and the expedition’s interactions with the Ohlone people. The amendments provide updated historical and geographical documentation and context about the expedition and the Ohlone people’s critical role in the outcome of Portolá’s expedition.
Here are the properties being considered at the meeting:
National Register of Historic Places Nominations
Bear Harbor Landing Historical and Archaeological District
Northern California Doghole Ports Maritime Cultural Landscape Multiple Property Submissions
Whitethorn (vicinity), Mendocino County
The district encompasses 721 acres along the Mendocino County coast associated with the California timber trade and maritime commerce. A unique solution of chutes and cable systems—known colloquially in the region as doghole ports—extended from the Sonoma and Mendocino counties bluffs down into small coves, allowing lumber and produce to be transferred from cliffs above to waiting ships moored some distance from the rocky shore. The interrelated components of the timber industry and Bear Harbor community were dependent on the doghole ports’ location and means to load vessels safely and efficiently.
El Segundo Woman’s Club
El Segundo, Los Angeles County
Founded in 1922 to promote civic, educational and philanthropic interest in the community, the club in 1936 purchased the former El Segundo Schoolhouse for use as their clubhouse. The approximately 4,000 square-foot timber-framed building was constructed in 1912 and transported to this location in 1937. El Segundo Woman’s Club remains the only organization of its kind in the city of El Segundo and continues to carry on the philanthropic and civic initiatives that have distinguished the organization since its founding.
Kelso Depot, Restaurant and Employees Hotel (Boundary Increase II)
Kelso, San Bernardino County
As listed on the National Register in 2001, the 1.95-acre property in the railroad community of Kelso, within Mojave National Preserve, comprised the Kelso Depot, Restaurant and Employees Hotel; the Coal and Supply Shed; and the designed landscape. A boundary increase approved in 2019 increased the district to 7 acres to include six additional contributing buildings and a structure associated with the community that developed around the hotel. This second boundary increase enlarges the district to 13 acres and encompasses five additional contributing structures associated with water conveyance in the district.
Willows-Glenn County Airport
Willows, Glenn County
The 320-acre general aviation airport is on the western edge of the city of Willows, the Glenn County seat. Contributing resources include three multiplane hangars and the former Airport Administration Building, the paved flight apron and a steel tower with rotating beacon. Constructed in 1928 as an Intermediate Landing Field along the Seattle-to-Los Angeles Air Mail route, the airport was used by the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. In 1956, the property became the base of operations for the first air tanker squad to be formed in the United States—a squad composed primarily of veterans and their biplanes—to fight forest fires from the air.
Wolf Store and Vail Ranch Headquarters
Temecula, Riverside County
The approximately 4-acre district is located near the intersection of three Mexican land grant ranchos. Contributing resources include a short segment of the Southern Emigrant Trail, the Wolf Store adobe constructed adjacent to the road in 1867—Temecula’s center of commerce and township administration from 1867 through the mid-1880s—and two circa-1906 Vail Ranch-era buildings in the wood-framed bungalow Western stick style.
Milbank, Isaac, House
Santa Monica, Los Angeles County
This “Ultimate Bungalow” was built and designed by the Milwaukee Building Company, whose principals Mendel Meyer, Julius Schneider and Philip Holler had designed the eight residences of Adelaide Drive, the most desirable portion of their Palisades Tract development, with spacious lots and ocean views. The home’s first owner, Isaac Milbank, was the son of the cofounder of the New York Condensed Milk Company, later known as the Borden Company, and worked as its vice president. This house was Milbank’s seasonal residence, and it is principally significant for its architecture, a locally prominent example of the Craftsman style.
Trower, Charles, House
Napa, Napa County
This was the residence of Napa Mayor Charles Trower during his term in office. Trower was principally involved with improvements to Napa’s water system and the city waterfront. The residence—a two-story foursquare with elements of Queen Anne and Craftsman architecture—is significant as the only remaining building surviving from Trower’s tenure, as his principal workplace as mayor, Napa’s city hall, no longer stands.
Midway-Sunset Jack Plant
Fellow, Kern County
Constructed in approximately 1913, the Midway-Sunset Jack Plant is an extremely rare example of central power and “jack-line” oil pumping technology; the plant is on its original site and housed in its original building. The property is also significant for its association with the early 20th-century development and production of California’s largest oil field, the Midway-Sunset Oil Field in western Kern County.
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
San Francisco, San Francisco County
Constructed in 1910, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church occupies the northeast corner parcel of the intersection of Van Ness Avenue and Clay Street. It is an excellent example of an early-20th-century, steel-frame, Late Gothic Revival church designed by master California architect Benjamin Geer McDoug
California Historical Landmark Nominations
California Historical Landmarks Associated with the Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail
Multiple Locations, San Mateo County
Nominations amend five existing CHLs associated with the October–November 1769 expedition of Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portolá through Ohlone territory and the expedition’s interactions with the Ohlone people. The amendments provide updated historical and geographical documentation and context about the expedition and the Ohlone people’s critical role in the outcome of Portolá’s expedition
Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail, Menlo Park
CHL 2 Amendment marks the end of the Portolá expedition during the week of Nov. 6–10, 1769, the point where the expedition reversed course after sighting San Francisco Bay.
Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail, San Pedro
CHL 24 Amendment marks the Portolá expedition's campsite of Oct. 31–Nov. 1, 1769, in the San Pedro Valley.
Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail, San Gregorio
CHL 26 Amendment marks the site where the Portolá expedition camped in Oct. 24–27, 1769, while several members of the expedition recovered from illness. The expedition returned to the site on their journey back to the coast.
Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail, San Andreas Valley
CHL 27 Amendment marks where the Portolá expedition met the Ssalson people, who provided the expedition with food and hospitality.
Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail, Sighting of San Francisco Bay
CHL 394 Amendment, previously identified as the site of “discovery” of San Francisco Bay, is the point where members of the Portolá expedition first viewed the southern edge of the bay.
California Point of Historical Interest Nomination
Site of the 1938 National Surfing and Paddleboard Championships
Long Beach, Los Angeles County
The approximately 28.5-acre site is the location of Los Angeles County’s first surfing and paddleboard competition, billed as a national event. The event was both a successful visitor attraction for the City of Long Beach and a notable contest for Southern California surfers and paddleboarders during the prewar period. The site represents a former surf break and proximate beach area, located between the former Municipal/Rainbow Piers and The Pike amusement zone. Beach reclamation and redevelopment projects, first initiated in the 1940s and extending into the 2000s, have noticeably altered the Long Beach waterfront. The nearshore surf break, where the surfing competition was held and which intersected the paddleboard course, was eliminated during Long Beach’s extensive coastal redevelopment.
All nominations and photographs of properties under consideration are available online.
The meeting will be held at the Gallery 308, Landmark Building A, at the Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture in San Francisco. Those who would like to participate virtually in the meeting must register for attendance via the Zoom link posted on the State Historical Resources Commission Meeting Schedule and Notices webpage of the Office of Historic Preservation website at ohp.parks.ca.gov/shrcnotices.Those who wish to watch the meeting but not provide comments do not need to register and may watch a live webcast, with archived video provided post-meeting, at cal-span.org/.
The National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program that coordinates and supports public and private efforts to identify, evaluate and protect America’s historic and archaeological resources. The California Register of Historical Resources is a program designed by the Commission in 1992 for use by state and local government agencies, private groups and citizens to identify, evaluate, register and protect California’s historical resources. California Historical Landmarks are sites, buildings, features or events that are of statewide significance and have anthropological, cultural, military, political, architectural, economic, scientific, technical, religious or experimental value.California Points of Historical Interest are sites, buildings, features or events that are of local (city or county) significance and have anthropological, cultural, military, political, architectural, economic, scientific, technical, religious or experimental value.
Placement on the National Register can help bring positive attention to a historic place and affords a property the honor of inclusion in the nation’s list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. This can provide a degree of protection from adverse effects resulting from federally funded or licensed projects. Registration also provides a number of incentives for the preservation of historic properties, including special building codes to facilitate the restoration of historic structures, and certain tax advantages.
Notices and agendas for Commission meetings are available online 10 days before a meeting at https://ohp.parks.ca.gov. The public may present oral statements at the hearing at the appropriate time. Inquiries and written comments on the agenda may also be emailed to the Office of Historic Preservation at calshpo@ohp.parks.ca.govor submitted via mail to Julianne Polanco, State Historic Preservation Officer, at the Office of Historic Preservation, P.O. Box 942896, Sacramento, CA 94296-0001.
General inquiries about the commission should be directed to (916) 445-7000 or calshpo.shrc@parks.ca.gov.
Photo 1: Midway-Sunset Jack Plant. Photo courtesy of John Harte. Photo 2: Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail, Menlo Park. Photo courtesy of Fredrick Arn Hanson. Photo 3: Bear Harbor Landing Historical and Archaeological District. Photo courtesy of Denise Jaffke. Photo 4: Wolf Store and Vail Ranch Headquarters. Photo courtesy of Cheryl LeAnne Dalton.
Source: CA, State Parks
