Healthy Dose of
Eclectic
TERA’s Home Tour
Coming To Oxy Area
Is
it true that Eagle Rock residents have unusually wide-ranging ideas about home
and hearth? Find out for yourself! TERA’s second annual Eclectic Eagle Rock
Home Tour will take place on Sunday, May 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Last year,
the inaugural Eclectic Eagle Rock Home Tour featured a collection of six
wonderful homes in the Hill Drive area. This year, the event moves across town
and highlights the eclectic (what else?) architecture to be found in the
environs of Occidental College. Seven stops on this self-guided walking tour
will provide something to delight every film buff, historian, foodie, or
looky-loo you know. This year’s event promises to be the best ever, and we urge
you not to miss out. Grab your tickets NOW!
The
tour will begin on the Oxy campus with the President’s House located at 1852
Campus Road (at Escarpa Drive). The two-story, balconied Monterey-style home
was designed by architect Myron Hunt, who also planned the original Occidental
campus, the Central Pasadena Library, the Huntington Library and one-time
Huntington residence in San Marino, and many other local treasures. Only a
short walk from the President’s House, and the second stop on the Home Tour, is
another Hunt-designed campus structure, Thorne Hall. This building is reputedly
the site of a scene from the Marx Brothers’ classic “Horsefeathers,”
Moving
off campus, the tour next visits an Asian-influenced Craftsman bungalow owned
by restaurateur Fred Eric, proprietor of the highly successful Fred 62 and Vida
restaurants in Los Feliz. Eric has lovingly restored original detailing and
installed exciting new additions, such as a meditation garden and master suite
with an authentic Japanese bathing area, complete with a furo or traditional
wooden tub. Rounding out the tour are an unusual stone house with a
19th-century sawmill on the property and owned by the screenwriter of “Starship
Troopers” and “RoboCop,” a beautiful Mediterranean residence, and a quaint
hillside cottage. And finally, a once-in-a-lifetime bonus: a generous Hill
Drive homeowner has agreed to allow a rare glimpse inside “MaCastle,” a
landmark Romantic Revival mansion filled with original murals and quirky detailing.
This
year’s tour offers another invaluable bonus: two authorities on Los Angeles
history and culture, Occidental Professor Robert Winter and Nancy Dustin Wall
Moure, will greet tour participants at the college bookstore from 11:00 a.m. to
1:00 p.m., signing books and answering questions about Los Angeles art,
architecture and history.
Eclectic
Eagle Rock will also be celebrating the plein air movement, a form of landscape
painting that has historic roots in the Eagle Rock community. Each home on the
tour will exhibit impressionistic California landscapes (on loan from Oxy and
other private collections) that are characteristic of the plein air style. To
add to the festivities, several painters will set up working canvases along the
tour route throughout the day. Following their walk through the Occidental
College neighborhood, visitors will be encouraged to make one additional stop:
“Plein Air: Past and Present,” a free exhibit surveying traditional and
contemporary landscape painting. The show features such masters of the form as
turn-of-the-century Eagle Rock resident Hanson D. Puthuff, whose 1913 Craftsman
bungalow was featured in last year’s home tour. “Plein Air: Past and Present,”
runs from April 22 to May 25 at the Eagle Rock Community Cultural Center (Eagle
Rock and Colorado)
Tickets
for the Eclectic Eagle Rock are available for $12 in advance ($10 TERA members)
or $15 on the day of the tour. Tickets can be purchased at Beaujolais
Boulangerie (1661 Colorado Boulevard; (323)255-5133) or online at www.restorationcentral.com/orgs/tera.
Day-of-tour sales will occur at the tour’s starting point, the Occidental
College Hillside Theater (just above the President’s House at Campus Road and
Escarpa Drive). For more info please contact Eclectic Eagle Rock Home Tour
chair Tracy King, (626)844-2256 or e.mail tracyking5@cs.com.
The Birds, the Bees
and the Message
Joanne Turner
What
is it that inspires TERA and our approach to land use and planning in Eagle
Rock? The fact is the positions we have taken in support of or opposition to
various local development proposals over the years are based on a careful
weighing of all circumstances involved. We strive to make land-use decisions
with discernment and prudence, based upon established law, fact finding, and what
would be the best solution for as many community members as possible,
businesses and residents alike. We understand that Eagle Rock will succeed only
by recognizing the interdependence of our businesses and residents and making
our decisions accordingly.
Some
in Eagle Rock defend an ironclad patronage of the business sector's right to do
whatever it wants without regard to the impact on the community at large, but
this viewpoint is misguided and wholly impractical. Business owners and
commercial property owners, of course, have every right to make a profit,
because they have made a considerable investment and justly expect a return on
that investment. It must be emphasized, however, that residential property
owners, who also have made a sizable investment (which investment collectively
is far greater than that of the business sector), have an equal right to a
return on that investment in the form of stable neighborhoods, sustained
property values, and high quality of life. As such, those who own residential
property are owed at the very least an equivalent voice when it comes to any
development project in their community, whether it is commercial or
residential, because all development in Eagle Rock affects their neighborhoods.
This
is why TERA was created 15 years ago, and it is why we endure: to voice the
needs of our residents while working with the business sector to guide
development so that it will benefit all stakeholders in our community and thus
provide a secure future for our town. We are therefore committed to the spirit
of reasoned compromise and a balanced approach to the solution of development
problems while holding a strong and positive vision for what Eagle Rock's
future can bring.
Our
ever-growing membership is diverse in many ways, such as our political
leanings, income levels, ethnic backgrounds, occupations, interests, and
hobbies. What is most important, however, the glue that binds us tightly
together, is that we are Eagle Rock residents and business people who share an
outpouring of optimism about our town and who are united by a steadfast will to
work hard to make things better for our community now and in the future. Please
join us.
TERA Wants You
Board Nominees Sought
The
TERA Board of Directors consists of at least five but not more than 15 members,
all of whom serve a renewable three-year term. The TERA membership votes every
year for one or more new Board members, depending on the number of positions
open. The annual addition of new Directors promotes a fresh exchange of ideas, and
it encourages new and creative solutions to problems. These conditions are
vital to the health, welfare, and advancement of a well-run civic organization.
Directors
must pledge to uphold TERA's mission and purposes (stated below), and they must
have been TERA members for at least one (1) year prior to election. Directors
shall be residents and/or property owners in the Eagle Rock community. No
member may be elected Director who holds a federal, state, county, city, or
other public office representing Eagle Rock or be a salaried appointee of an
elected official representing Eagle Rock. No member may be elected Director
whose business consists primarily of land development, representation of land
developers, or activity in zoning or planning or land-use matters, which would
conflict with TERA's mission and purposes.
The
broad mission of this organization is to work for improvement of the quality of
life in the Eagle Rock Community in Los Angeles, California, by providing
research and education about Eagle Rock, participating in land-use and planning
activities, and promoting positive community growth and beautification
The specific purposes of TERA are as follows:
1.
Character. To work to retain the community character of the Eagle Rock area,
the Association's geographical focus, by participating in and initiating
activities suited to that end.
2.
Preservation. To encourage preservation of single-family low-density
residential land use, open space, ecologically important areas, cultural
resources, historical sites and landmarks, aesthetic integrity, safety, and the
high quality of life in the Community.
3.
Protection. To protect the entire Eagle Rock area from incompatible land uses
and encroachment upon its basic residential character and its best qualities as
a place to live.
4.
Development. To seek and abet harmonious development of land and buildings
within the Community that is consistent with the character and history of the
neighborhoods, and to foster harmonious relationships between Community residents
and developers pursuing those same ends.
5.
Cooperation. To promote cooperation among Community residents and Community
organizations concerning land-use, planning and zoning matters and other
matters affecting the quality of life in the Community, to disseminate data and
information on pertinent problems and issues, and to cultivate good
relationships with other communities in the Northeast Los Angeles District, the
surrounding cities of Glendale, Pasadena and La Canada Flintridge, as well as all
communities citywide
.6.
Knowledge and Understanding. To promote comprehensive knowledge and
understanding of the Community and its heritage, and of the need to protect the
area's "small town" atmosphere and character.
7.
Government. To work with the City and County of Los Angeles and the State of
California toward the implementation and enforcement of legislation pertinent
to the Association's objectives and welfare.
8.
Local Schools. To work with all parts of the community to improve local schools
within Eagle Rock.
9.
Education. To promote public awareness and education of issues affecting Eagle
Rock.
The
TERA Board generally meets the last Wednesday of each month except around the
holidays, and we hold public meetings at the Eagle Rock Community Cultural
Center approximately every other month. Attendance at public meetings is
preferred but not mandatory. It is highly desirable for Board members to be
computer-savvy or at least be computer-acquainted. All nominees are asked to
submit a biographical statement of 150 words or less explaining their
qualifications, experience, and what they can offer to help TERA reach the goal
of high quality of life for all who live in Eagle Rock
If
you know a TERA member who meets the foregoing qualifications and who would be
willing to devote a certain amount of time and energy furthering TERA's goals,
any TERA member may submit that individual's name for nomination. The
Nominating Committee, consisting of at least two but not more than five Board
members, excluding the president, determines a final slate of nominees. Please
call Kathleen Long at (323)257-8881, or e.mail her at ktln@aol.com with your
submissions. Deadline for submission of nominees and their bios is May 10,
2001.
One Committee, Two
Committee
An Opportunity for
Involvement
TERA
conducts business largely by committee, and many of our committees are open to
participation by TERA members. Some committees meet on a regular basis, and
others are more casual and, for example, do business electronically. Still,
others cannot be open to anyone other than Board members, or they simply don't
need more than a handful of Board members to carry out the purposes of the
committee. Most committee chairs do not need to be Board members. All of TERA's
committees serve at the pleasure of the Board and are subject to Board
oversight.
The
committees that are open to TERA members are listed below. Please feel free to
contact any one or more committee chairs if you would like to join a committee
and be involved in helping TERA make Eagle Rock a better place. Thanks!
Events Bob Gotham (323)255-7110, e.mail eaglerk@pacbell.net
Historic
Preservation Eric Warren
(323)257-1357, e.mail erickaren@earthlink.net
Michael
Southard (323)255-2123, e.mail lavalodge@earthlink.net
Home Tour
Tracy King (626)844-2256, e.mail tracyking5@cs.com
Land Use / Planning Hilary Norton Orozco (323)257-9961, e.mail
hnorton@ccala.org Dalila Sotelo
(323)257-9694, e.mail dalilas@mba-mbms.com
Local
Schools — position open Contact
Joanne Turner (323)259-8897, e.mail artburn@earthlink.net
Outreach Suzanne Prieur (323)257-7042, e.mail enchanted_wds@hotmail.com
Public Safety Betty Tyndall (323)258-9145, e.mail tyndallb@peoplepc.com
Meet and Greet a Cast
of Many
Mayoral Candidate
Gathering a Great Success
For
TERA’s April public meeting, a crowd of at least 150 Eagle Rock and Northeast
Los Angeles community members filled the Eagle Rock Community Cultural Center
on Tuesday, April 3, to personally meet and chat with the candidates running
for mayor of Los Angeles. The candidates who so graciously appeared are (in
alphabetical order) Xavier Becerra, Francis Della Vecchia, Melrose Larry Green,
Addie Mae Miller, Joe Shea, Steve Soboroff, Antonio Villaraigosa, and Joel
Wachs. Candidates and community members alike were very pleased with the
casual, reception-like atmosphere. The candidates were free to “work the room”
and discuss on a more intimate level a variety of issues with small groups — a
fresh departure from the contrived forum or debate format. TERA extends its
thanks to Colombo’s for so generously providing delicious hor d’oeuvres and
scrumptious chicken and sausage-and-pepper main dishes.
Suffragette City
Women’s 20th Century
Club and the 21st Century
"Dire"
is the word used to describe the state of the Women's 20th Century Club
building after a recent professional inspection. The beautiful Craftsman-style
building at 5105 Hermosa Avenue was completed and dedicated in 1914. Now, 87
years later, the old-growth redwood structure has been judged to be at “extreme
risk” to earthquake damage. But at least one local architect insists that the
old Clubhouse, if properly restored, could last until the next millennium. The
preservation of this historic building calls for the attention of all who care
about the Eagle Rock community.
What
is the Women's 20th Century Club? Founded in 1903 in the Parker home on Dahlia
Drive, the group was originally known as the King's Daughters Club. It first
met in private homes, the Congregational Church, and a storeroom above the old
bank building (the C. J. Murfield Block) at Colorado and Townsend, now home to
Tritch Hardware. In 1911, the club made history in the cause of women's
suffrage. Eagle Rock’s 20th Century Club was the sole choice of California
Federation of Women's Clubs to sign a petition to the State Legislature
requesting women's right to vote. The statute that resulted led to California
women being the first in this nation to cast ballots.
In
the years following, Women's Club members did extensive Red Cross work during
the World Wars, organized a Child Hygiene Clinic, and contributed financial
assistance to causes including veterans‚ hospitals and institutions for the
blind. On the local front, 20th-century women energetically championed the
Eagle Rock campaign for re-construction of Colorado and later fought
successfully for community clean-ups and an increase in city waste-removing
services. Additional information on and pictures of the 20th Century Club and
its good works can be found in the April issue of the Eagle Rock Valley
Historical Society newsletter. For membership information, call Pat Topping at
(323)256-4258 or Roe Muzingo at (323)255-4438.
How
can the beautiful and historic headquarters of this group be saved? Perhaps
Eagle Rock residents can take inspiration from an incident that occurred when
the building was dedicated in 1914. Construction had been proceeding on
schedule, but crisis struck as dedication day approached. Godfrey Edwards of the building team Edwards
and Wildey Company had left for holiday in England before completing work on
that structure’s side entrance! Needing to quickly raise $175 to purchase porch
bricks, the intrepid 20th Century ladies organized a benefit. According to
early resident Anne Hare Harrison, "A crowded audience gave hilarious
applause to the song hits, monologues and female quartette [sic] that sang
feelingly ‘The Bird on Nellie's hat’ [with new words about the vacationing
Edwards].”
Once
again the clubhouse finds itself in dire straits. Who will step up now and sing
“feelingly” for this grand old structure? The Women’s 20th Century Club needs
help from everyone interested in preserving Eagle Rock’s rich historical
heritage. Please contact Linda Allen at (323)257-2652 for more specific info on
this important issue and what you can do to help.