Event Descriptions

Event Type

All events are $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers unless otherwise noted. Purchase a package for all the events for $138 for members and $175 for nonmembers. Memberships can be purchased here.

Event Titles and Links

Click event title to be taken to the full event description further down the page.

Detailed Event Descriptions

Friday, November 6

6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Virtual Walking Tour of Prospect Park, Pasadena’s First National Register District

Prospect Park is Pasadena’s first National Register Historic District, listed in 1982. The district includes homes by Pasadena’s elite architects and master builders, including Charles and Henry Greene’s Bentz House, Arthur and Alfred Heinman’s Hindry House, Sylvanus Martson’s Hinds’ House and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Millard House, to name a few. Pasadena Heritage docents will describe each of the homes, as well as provide a history of the neighborhood. The beautiful, tree-lined streets have changed little over the years and the neighborhood continues to be one of the city’s most desirable districts.

Saturday, November 7

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

The Asian Roots of Pasadena’s Arts & Crafts Architecture

In this illustrated lecture, Pasadena Heritage researcher and docent David Nufer explores the history, culture and architectural contributions of one the city’s largest minority communities. The influence of Asian architecture on the houses of Greene & Greene, vernacular Craftsman bungalows, and Mid-Century Modern houses of Buff & Hensman highlight why Pasadena has perhaps the best examples of Arts and Crafts architecture in the Western United States. This lecture highlights the connections between ancient Chinese and Japanese wooden architecture and these 20th Century building styles.

5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Greene & Greene Meet Post-War Modernism

Greene & Greene, Pasadena’s fine-art architects of the Arts and Crafts era, were already being forgotten by the 1920s. Ted Bosley, director/CEO of The Gamble House, will tell the story of their re-discovery after World War II, when homes designed by the the Greenes were being sold to the public by an influential magazine editor, a bombastic writer, and an enterprising photographer ultimately led to a professional recognition so richly deserved.

Sunday, November 8

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Hispanic Influence on Pasadena and California Architecture

Hispanic Influence on Pasadena and California Architecture focuses on how the Spanish/Hispanic/Latino architectural design vocabulary evolved over a thousand years, across four continents, and how it has flourished here in Pasadena. Pasadena Heritage researcher and docent David Nufer examines venerable examples, such as the San Gabriel Mission, Castle Green, Caltech campus, Civic Center, and 1920s Spanish Colonial Revival houses designed by George Washington Smith, Wallace Neff, and many others. Also studied are more recent Hispanic-influenced projects, such as the Del Mar Station.

5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

The Legacy of Architect John Parkinson

Author and TV producer Stephen Gee will explore the legacy of master architect John Parkinson. Parkinson’s buildings have provided memorable backdrops for Hollywood blockbusters, played center stage for two Olympic Games, and welcomed presidents and royalty. Among the more than four hundred Parkinson-designed buildings in Los Angeles are City Hall, the most iconic building in California, famously “destroyed” in the 1953 film War of the Worlds; Union Station, the last great train station built in the U.S.; the Memorial Coliseum, site of both the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games; Bullock’s Wilshire, a 1929 Art Deco masterpiece, as well as many structures on the USC campus. Stephen Gee’s books include Iconic Vision: John Parkinson, Architect of Los Angeles, Los Angeles City Hall: An American Icon and Los Angeles Central Library: A History of Its Art and Architecture, co-authored with Arnold Schwartzman.

Monday, November 9

6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

200 Years of Black Pioneers in Pasadena and Los Angeles

Presented by Pasadena Heritage researcher and docent David Nufer, 200 Years of Black Pioneers in Pasadena and Los Angeles explores the stories — some little known — of six pioneering African American individuals and communities. Featured are: The Pobladores, the original, 1781 settlers of the Pueblo of Los Angeles, over half of whom had some African blood; Pio Pico, the last Mexican governor of California, of African and Mestizo ancestry; Biddy Mason, a midwife who, in 20 years, went from newly freed slave to one of the largest commercial landowners in Los Angeles; Paul R. Williams, the first licensed African American architect west of the Mississippi, responsible for almost 3,000 buildings throughout Los Angeles and Pasadena, among them mansions for Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, and Barbara Stanwyck; and Jackie Robinson, who starred in four sports at John Muir High School, PCC, and UCLA, before going on to break the color line in major league baseball.

Tuesday, November 10

Social: Meet and Greet the Artists and Experts

Pasadena Heritage invites you to meet creative craftspeople and experts from around the country who specialize in antique and contemporary furnishings and decorative arts in the spirit of the Arts & Crafts Movement. Informal and festive Tuesday and Thursday events are offered; attend one or both, making sure to bring questions for the artisans you’ll meet. Also occurring Thursday, November 12, at 5:00 with different presenters.

6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

A Century of Stickley at The Gamble House

The Gamble House is noted for its priceless collection of furniture designed by Greene & Greene. Stickley furniture, however, was always present to supplement these pieces, and plays an important role in the presentation of the house’s interiors today. This commercially available

furniture seems right at home in the highly customized surroundings of the Gamble House. Where did the early bungalow dwellers of Pasadena buy their Stickley furniture? How did Stickley furniture come to be used in The Gamble House, both in the historical period and today? This insider’s look will be presented live from The Gamble House by Jennifer Trotoux, the Director of Collections and Interpretation.

Wednesday, November 11

Pre-recorded event. Link active for entire day.

A Woodworker’s Journey: Discovering Sam Maloof

In this 90-minute, pre-recorded, online exploration of the life and times of America’s most famous woodworker, the not-for-profit Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation for Arts and Crafts team of presenters share the journey of a uniquely American craftsman.Viewers learn of the essential role

played by Pasadena-born artist Alfreda Ward who, as Mrs. Maloof, first advocated establishment of the Maloof workshop, which she shaped and managed for nearly half a century. On a path that intersects with mentors, including potter Maria Martinez, artist Millard Sheets and famed industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss, the Maloofs would later be welcomed to the White House by Ronald Reagan and would host Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter at the Maloof home in Rancho Cucamonga. The program includes rare photographs, drawings and art, a walk in the Discovery Garden, and a video visit behind the scenes at the Maloof Historic Home, where Resident Artist Larry White will explore the lineage of Sam’s famous Maloof Rocking Chairs. The Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation for Arts and Crafts is a Smithsonian Affiliate, and part of the Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios consortium established by the National Trust. Link to view the video is only available with the purchase of a ticket.

Thursday, November 12

Social: Meet and Greet the Artists and Experts

6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Historic Playgrounds: Letting the Future Play on the Past

Join Pasadena Heritage for a presentation that will change the way you look at playgrounds and public space. In the post-World War II era, parks were designed to provide a reprieve from a culture of increasing mobility and isolation. Playground design created “destination” parks that drew communities together to

relax, celebrate, and play. As a result of changing playground guidelines, few historic playgrounds remain intact. Preservationists and educators JC Miller and Senya Lubisich will discuss the works of architects and artists who created enduring play-experiences and the efforts of communities to protect them.

Friday, November 13

6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Neutra Movie and Discussion

Description coming soon.

Saturday, November 14

10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Sunset Magazine Panel

Description coming soon.

5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Martinis with The Raymond 1886

The Dr. Robert Winter Memorial Lecture pays tribute to the legacy of Dr. Winter, affectionately known as “Bungalow Bob,” for his passion and contributions to the Arts & Crafts Movement and the bungalow. Bob was also known for his love of a great martini. In his honor, we invite you to gather for a fun, social virtual Happy Hour where you will learn from a professional bartender from the historic Raymond 1886 bar how to make the perfect martini – dry, wet, shaken or stirred. Interspersed throughout the evening will be fun and challenging trivia questions about the old Raymond Hotel, Dr. Winter, and our featured speaker for this year’s Dr. Robert Winter Memorial lecture, John Brinkmann, founder and publisher of American Bungalow magazine.

6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Dr. Robert Winter Memorial Lecture featuring John Brinkmann

American Bungalow’s founder and publisher, John Brinkmann, will be the featured speaker at Pasadena Heritage’s second-annual Dr. Robert Winter Memorial Lecture. Mr. Brinkmann, another pioneer in the revival of the Craftsman Movement, presents his thoughts as a continuing tribute to the late Dr. Winter, known to many as “Bungalow Bob,” renowned architectural historian, critic, author and teacher. Tickets for this event are $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers.

Sunday, November 15

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Smithsonian

Description coming soon.

5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Neutra’s Experience in Japan: Finding Common Ground

The final event of Pasadena Heritage’s Preservation Pasadena will be a presentation by architectural historian Barbara Lamprecht, M.Arch. Ph.D., the author of three books on Modern architect Richard Neutra. She will relate Neutra’s experience in Japan when he visited there in 1930; how he and other Southern California Modernists discovered an approach to design, materials, and landscape that resonated with and confirmed their own; and how that resonance can be seen in Neutra’s interpretation of Modernism.

All events are $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers unless otherwise noted. Purchase a package for all the events for $138 for members and $175 for nonmembers. Memberships can be purchased here.