To: Steve Mizokami Senior Planner, City of Santa Monica 1 From: Christine Lazzaretto, Principal; Heather Goers, Architectural Historian Date: April 3, 2018 INTRODUCTION Per your request, Historic Resources Group has conducted a preliminary historic resource assessment of the subject property at 1437 6 th Street in the City of Santa Monica, California. This assessment represents a preliminary review of the subject property in response to specific questions raised by the Landmarks Commission: 1. Analysis of the subject property s architecture and integrity 2. Extent of exterior alterations 3. Association with the Boehme family, and their significance in local history This preliminary assessment is based on a review of existing historic contexts and relevant primary and secondary archival documentation, along with a review of previous survey findings, analysis of integrity thresholds as defined by the National Park Service, and current conditions at the subject property. The subject property is located at 1437 6 th Street in the City of Santa Monica, California. The property is situated on a residential block which primarily consists of multi-family residential development and is bounded by 7 th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, 6 th Street to the south, and Santa Monica Boulevard to the west. The property is improved with a single-family residence originally constructed in 1894 by George C. Boehme, son of pioneering Santa Monica resident George W. Boehme. The residence was converted to apartments around 1940 and was subsequently utilized as a commercial building following World War II.
Previous Evaluations Since 1983, the City of Santa Monica has commissioned several historic resource surveys or historic resource inventory updates. The results of these efforts were published in 1983, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2004, 2010, and in 2017 as part of the Downtown Community Plan update. Of these, the subject property was identified in three surveys: 1994, 1995, and 2010, with the following California Historical Resources Status Codes: 2 Santa Monica Historic Resources Inventory Phase III Final Report, 1994 Status Code: 5D1 The property was identified as a contributor to the Mid-City Late 19 th Century Thematic Grouping and was assigned a status code of 5D, which at the time was defined as eligible for local listing as [a] contributor only. Historic Resources Inventory Update, 1995 Status Code: 5D1 The property s status code of 5D was confirmed in this update, conducted following the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Santa Monica Citywide Historic Resource Inventory Update, 2010 The property was assigned a status code of 6L, or determined ineligible for local listing or designation through local government review process; may warrant special consideration in local planning. The survey findings noted that due to alterations the property was no longer considered a contributor to the thematic district. Alterations noted as part of the field survey included altered windows and doors, altered window and door openings, altered exterior wall cladding, altered façade, and altered landscape elements.
DEVELOPMENT HISTORY Development of 1437 6 th Street The land comprising the subject property was part of the initial subdivision of the town of Santa Monica, which was first recorded in 1875. The subject property represents Lot Q of Block 168 of this initial tract. George W. Boehme, one of the earliest residents of Santa Monica and a prominent local real estate developer, purchased many residential lots at the initial land auction in 1875, and it is possible that he purchased this parcel for future use. Real estate transaction records publicized in the Los Angeles Times note that Boehme transferred at least one lot in this block to his son, George C. Boehme, in 1892. 1 In 1894, George C. Boehme hired contractor W. L. Barker to construct two five-room cottages on Sixth Street, between Utah and Oregon Avenues (now known as Santa Monica Boulevard and Broadway.) 2 Sanborn Map Company fire insurance maps of the area, which were drawn in May 1895, confirm that a one-story residence which reflects the subject property s footprint and construction had been constructed on Lot Q by that date. 3 As a result, it is probable that construction of the subject property was part of the work undertaken by Barker in 1894, and that the residence was likely completed that same year. 3 While few public records or directories exist today which provide detailed location information for the early residents of Santa Monica, the 1900 United States Census indicates that by that date George C. Boehme was residing at the present-day 1437 6 th Street with his wife and children. Additional census and directory records confirm that the Boehme family remained in residence on Sixth Street until George C. Boehme s death at home in 1927. His second wife and widow, Eleanore Busch Boehme, remained in the home until 1930, when she moved to another residence in Santa Monica. Over the next decade the property changed hands several times, and by 1940 the single-family residence had been converted into five apartments. By 1952, the property had been acquired by Bulah Jones Hawkins (1894-1979), who resided at the home and opened the house to the public as a doll museum and doll hospital. Following Bulah Hawkins death in 1979, her son, John J. Hawkins, continued to operate the property as a doll museum. The museum was eventually closed and the 1 Real Estate Transfers, Los Angeles Times, March 3, 1892. 2 See The two five-room cottages, The Outlook, April 28, 1894, and W. L. Barker is completing, The Outlook, May 12, 1894. 3 Early Sanborn maps give the street address for the property as 224 6 th Street; by 1909 when the map was revised the street address had been changed to its present-day number of 1437.
property changed hands following Hawkins decision to settle out of state. Since the 1980s the property has housed a variety of commercial and retail operations. 4 The Boehme Family George Charles Boehme, who resided at 1437 6 th Street from at least 1900 until his death in 1927, was the eldest son of Santa Monica pioneer George W. Boehme (1829-1913). Born in France, the elder Boehme first emigrated to California in 1852, where he worked as a tinner, later establishing himself in the plumbing trade in San Francisco. In 1875, he came to Santa Monica in the first boat that touched at the first Santa Monica wharf, and purchased a lot at the auction sale of the first Santa Monica townsite. 4 He established a plumbing and hardware concern and soon became a prominent member of the fledgling community, serving as City Treasurer (a position which was later assumed by his son, Eugene). As contemporary historian Luther Ingersoll noted, the elder Boehme took an active part in the material advancement of his chosen home city, 5 dealing extensively in real estate acquisition and development throughout Santa Monica s earliest days. Following his arrival in Santa Monica, Boehme immediately invested in about $2,000 worth of city lots, also purchased at the inaugural land auction. 6 In 1887, he constructed the Boehme Block, a commercial block on Second Street near Utah Avenue (now known as Broadway). The elder Boehme also constructed his own residence, which, according to his descendants, was one of the first houses to be built in Santa Monica. 7 Initially constructed at the corner of present-day Ocean Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, the home was later relocated to the southeast corner of present-day 5 th Street and Broadway. George W. Boehme and his wife, Mary Kalgariff Boehme (1834-1911), raised four children in their adopted hometown of Santa Monica: George Charles Boehme (b. 1860), Henry Martin Boehme (b. 1866), Eugene William Boehme (b. 1867), and Mary Adelaine Boehme (b. 1872). George W. Boehme s eldest son, George Charles Boehme, was born in Sacramento in 1860 and was educated there. 8 He later continued in the family tradition by taking up the tinning and plumbing trades. He left home at eighteen years old and traveled first to San Francisco and then to Los Angeles and San Bernardino to pursue his trades. He met and married Adelaida Nandino (1852-1907) in San Bernardino in 1884, 4 Aged Pioneer Passes, Los Angeles Times, October 1, 1913. 5 Luther A. Ingersoll, Ingersoll s Century History Santa Monica Bay Cities (Los Angeles: Luther A. Ingersoll, 1908), 402. 6 Ingersoll, 402. 7 Information regarding George W. Boehme s residence and its subsequent relocation, along with a photograph of the house, was shared on Ancestry.com in 2015 by one of Boehme s descendants, Terry Brockert. 8 Biographical information for George C. Boehme has been derived from the sketch provided in Ingersoll, 455.
and the couple relocated to Santa Monica in 1887. George C. Boehme went on to open his own plumbing and hardware business, which he operated from 1887 until his retirement in1907. Following the death of his first wife that same year, George Boehme married Eleanore Busch (1869-1929) in 1908. Like his father, the younger Boehme was an active member of the Santa Monica community, acting as one of the original organizers of the City s first volunteer fire department, Santa Monica Fire Company No. 1 and later serving as its chief. George C. Boehme died on August 23, 1927, at his longtime home at 1437 6 th Street. 5 PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION The property at 1437 6 th Street is located on the east side of 6 th Street between Santa Monica Boulevard and Broadway in the Downtown neighborhood of Santa Monica, California. The property is bounded to the south by a five-story multi-family residential building; to the north by a one-story single-family residence and a two-story multi-family residential building; and to the east by a public service alley. The property is accessed from 6 th Street by a wide concrete driveway, and from the alley at the rear. The parcel is enclosed by metal security fences with automobile gates along 6 th Street and along the interior alley to the rear. The building is situated in the approximate center of the parcel; it is flanked to west and east by paved parking areas. The building has an irregular plan and complex massing composed of two elements: a one-and-one-half-story Queen Anne-style element at the front (west), originally constructed in 1894 as a single-family residence; and a two-and-one-half-story commercial addition to the rear (east). The front portion has a combination of hipped, gable and pyramidal roofs with composition shingle roofing; the rear portion has a flat roof with a parapet. Roof features include a hipped dormer, boxed overhanging eaves supported by brackets, decorative wood verge boards, and spindle roof cresting. The exterior walls of the front portion are clad in wood clapboard and shingle siding; the exterior walls of the rear addition are finished in cement plaster. The primary (southwest) façade is asymmetrically composed with a dominant front-facing gable and a central primary entrance flanked by bay windows. The primary entrance consists of a projecting porch with a wood spindle balustrade, and a flat roof supported by solid brackets. The primary entrance doors are a pair of French doors topped by a transom with divided lights. Fenestration on the front portion of the building consists of dividedlight, wood sash, double-hung or fixed windows with divided lights and plain or decorative wood surrounds. Some windows are paired or grouped. Fenestration at the rear addition consists of metal-sash, horizontal sliding windows.
Alterations The subject property has undergone substantial alterations since its original construction in 1894. These include: 6 enclosure of the original partial-width entrance porch as depicted on Sanborn fire insurance maps; major additions to the primary (southwest) façade, including a new projecting front porch and primary entrance; addition of a new non-historic turret at the southeast corner of the residence; additions to secondary façades, including a large two-and-one-half story addition to the rear of the original residence; replacement of some doors and windows, and alteration of openings; replacement of exterior wall cladding; and replacement of the chimney following the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Documented alterations to the building are detailed in the list of building permits below. Date Permit Number Work Described Architect Owner 2/26/1945 B8286 Repair roofing. None listed Beulah J. Hawkins 10/22/1952 B12340 Post sign. None listed Beulah J. Hawkins 3/23/1977 B49512 Construction/Enlargement: None listed Jas. Hawkins shop (1380 ft 2 ) & offices (1500 ft 2 ) in rear of existing building. 6/21/1988 B60133 Move front door & new landing & interior remodeling (add entry less than 300ft 2 ). D. O. Design Tom Barger 6/5/1995 C4914 Add turret, porch, wheelchair lift, interior partitions. 6/5/1995 EQR2352 Repair earthquake damage throughout building. Edward P. Skibitzke Edward P. Skibitzke Chip Goodman Chip Goodman
HISTORIC INTEGRITY Historic integrity is the ability of a property to convey its significance and is defined by the National Park Service as the authenticity of a property s historic identity, evidenced by the survival of physical characteristics that existed during the property s historic period. 9 There are seven aspects or qualities that comprise integrity: location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. These qualities are defined as follows: 7 Location is the place where the historic property was constructed or the place where the historic event took place. Design is the combination of elements that create the form, plan, space, structure, and style of a property. Setting is the physical environment of a historic property. Materials are the physical elements that were combined or deposited during a particular period of time and in a particular pattern or configuration to form a historic property. Workmanship is the physical evidence of the crafts of a particular culture or people during any given period in history or prehistory. Feeling is a property's expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular period of time. Association is the direct link between an important historic event or person and a historic property. 10 Evaluation of Integrity The property at 1437 6 th Street has undergone substantial alterations since its original construction in the late 19 th century. A detailed assessment of the property s integrity is discussed below. Location: The building remains on its original site. Therefore, it retains integrity of location. 9 National Park Service, National Register Bulletin 16A: How to Complete the National Register Registration Form (Washington, DC: U. S. Department of the Interior, 1997), 4. 10 National Park Service, National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation (Washington, DC: U. S. Department of the Interior, 1997), 44-45.
Design: While the building retains some character-defining features of its original Queen Anne design, it has undergone substantial alterations over time, including a large rear addition, addition of a new front porch and turret, alteration of the primary entrance, and replacement of doors, windows and wall cladding. As a result of these alterations, the building no longer reflects its historic character as a late-19 th century, Queen Anne-style, single-family residence. Therefore, it does not retain integrity of design. Setting: Sanborn Insurance Co. fire insurance maps indicate that the area was originally developed with modest one-story single-family residences. Since the property was first constructed in the late 19 th century, the surrounding area has been the site of substantial redevelopment and infill construction. Today, the subject property is surrounded by high-density, multi-family residential and commercial development. Therefore, it does not retain integrity of setting. Materials: As detailed above, due to substantial alterations over time, the building has retained few of the materials related to its original design. While some original woodwork and decorative elements appear to remain, original cladding, roofing material, windows, and doors have been replaced with largely incompatible substitutes. As a result, the property does not retain integrity of materials. Workmanship: As detailed above, due to substantial alterations, the building no longer retains sufficient physical evidence of period construction techniques. Therefore, the building does not integrity of workmanship. Feeling: Because the property does not retain integrity of design, setting, materials or workmanship, it no longer expresses the aesthetic or historic sense of a late-19 th century residence dating from the early period of development in Santa Monica. It therefore does not retain integrity of feeling. Association: Integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, and feeling combine to convey integrity of association. Due to extensive alterations, a lack of extant original character-defining features, replacement of original materials, and an incompatible addition, the building no longer conveys its historic character as the late 19 th century residence of the Charles W. Boehme family. It therefore does not retain integrity of association. 8
CONCLUSION The property at 1437 6 th Street was constructed in 1894 by George C. Boehme, son of pioneering Santa Monica resident George W. Boehme. However, based on primary and secondary source research, a site visit to document existing conditions, and a review of building permits and Sanborn maps, the property retains only integrity of location and no longer reflects a late 19 th century single-family residence associated with the Boehme family. 9
BIBLIOGRAPHY City of Santa Monica Citywide Historic Resources Inventory Update: Downtown Community Plan Area. Prepared for the City of Santa Monica Planning and Community Development Department by Architectural Resources Group and Historic Resources Group, April 10, 2017. 10 Digital Sanborn Maps, 1867 1970. ProQuest. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb (accessed March 2018). Historical Los Angeles Times, 1881-1987. ProQuest Historical Newspapers. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb (accessed March 2018). Ingersoll, Luther A. Ingersoll s Century History Santa Monica Bay Cities. Los Angeles: Luther A. Ingersoll, 1908. National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation. Washington, DC: National Park Service, 1990; revised 1991, 1995, 1997. National Register Bulletin 16A: How to Complete the National Register Registration Form. Washington, DC: National Park Service, 1997. Santa Monica Outlook, 1875-1937. Imagine Santa Monica, Santa Monica Public Library Digital Collections. http://digital.smpl.org/cdm/ (accessed March 2018). U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995. Digital images. Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/ (accessed March 2018). U.S. Federal Census Collection. Digital images. Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/ (accessed March 2018).
EXTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHS 11 The subject property at 1432 6 th Street, view looking northeast, shown here around 1982. Santa Monica Public Library. The subject property, view looking northeast, March 2018.
12 Primary (southwest) façade, view looking northeast from 6 th Street. Rear (northeast) façade, view looking southwest.
13 Primary (southwest) façade, view looking north. Façade detail and primary entrance, primary (southwest) façade, view looking north.