CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL RESOURCES INVENTORY DATABASE
City of Pasadena
 
Home   |    Search   |    Help   |    Contact Us   |    Acknowledgements    |    Admin   |   
Resource Summary
539 E VILLA ST
DPR523A - Primary [print]
State of California - The Resource Agency
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION
PRIMARY RECORD
 
 
Survey #:
DOE #:
Primary #:  
HRI #:  
Trinomial:  
NRHP Status Code: 1S 
Other Listings:  
Review Code:    Reviewer:   
Date: -/-/-
 
 
*Resource Name or #:  
 
P1.  Other Identifier:  
 
*P2.  Location: not for publication   unrestricted
*a.  County Los Angeles 
and (P2c, P2e, and P2b or P2d. Attach a Location Map as Necessary)
b.  USGS 7.5' Quad:   YEAR:   T   ; R   ;   of   of Sec   ;   B.M.
c.  Address: 539 E VILLA ST City: Pasadena State: CA Zip Code:
d.  UTM: (Give more than one for large and/or linear resources)   Zone: 11  ; -118.139213  mE/ 34.154978  mN
e.  Other Locational Data: (e.g., parcel #, directions to resource, elevation, etc., as appropriate)
 
*P3a.  Description:  (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, setting, and boundaries)
Bowen Court is comprised of a series of 25 craftsman bungalows containing a total of 36 individual apartments that are arranged in an “L” formation, with a double row of bungalows along the longer north-south axis and a single row along the north side of the east-west staff. An open public courtyard is located between the double row of bungalows. The court is defined by a stone wall bordering its south and west sides and by a service drive paralleling its western side. Entry to the court is provided from both Villa Street and Oakland Avenue. The Villa Street entrance retains its original craftsman lights.

Within the court itself, the single-story frame bungalows form a coherent visual unit through the repetition of craftsman detail. Each structure is marked by a prominent front porch and medium or low gable roofs. Foundations of common brick, clinker brick, field stone or concrete are employed. Repeated detail includes the use of heavy projecting beams with wide overhands and medium overlap or square butt shingles of horizontal siding as an exterior material. Window boxes on the front of most of the bungalows repeat the pattern of the beams.

Floor plans of individual units vary, but each includes a living room, kitchen, bedroom(s) and closet space. Units are without corridors and entry is always made directly to the living room from an outside porch. Most units are provided with a living room fireplace.

Much of the courtyard is extensively landscaped with tropical and exotic planting, such as palms, camphor trees and jade. A large portion of the central courtyard is given to turf and each bungalow is also provided with its own small section of turf. A final feature of the court to be noted is a heavy timber structure that was originally the court’s tea or play house. The structure, which was built around a eucalyptus tree, is now glassed in.

The various bungalows comprising Bowen Court have undergone some alteration since their construction in 1910-1912. The units were originally stained but have since been painted. The beams supporting the projecting gable and porch roofs have been sawn back flush with the roof to arrest weather damage. In some cases, these beams have been reinforced with wood braces. On some units, small side additions were made, probably in the 1950s, to provide additional closet space. These additions are generally unnoticeable due to the skill with which the original exterior siding was matched. Kitchen and bathrooms have been modernized in all units, but the interior space is otherwise remarkably true to early twentieth century design and method of construction.
 
*P3b.  Resource Attributes:  (List attributes and codes)  
 
*P4.  Resources Present:
Building Structure Object Site District Element of a District Other
 
P5a.  Photograph or Drawing
additional photos (Photograph required for buildings, structures, and objects.)
P5b.
Description of Photo:
 
*P6.
Date Constructed/Age and Source:
Historic PreHistoric
Both Neither
Year Built: 1911 - Documented
 
*P7.
Owner and Address:
Name:  
Address:  
,  
 
*P8.
Recorded By:
 
*P9.
Date Recorded: 08/25/2008
 
*P10.
Survey Type:
Survey Title:
 
*P11.  Report Citation: (Cite survey report and other sources, or enter "none.")
 
*Attachments:
NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet
Building, Structure, and Ojbect Record Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record
Milling Station Record Rock Art Record Artifact Record Photograph Record
Other:
[print]