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1994 Holiday House Tour: Professorville

 

1994 ticket          

Homes on tour:

 

 

944 Bryant Street — 1905

This house was originally built as a photographer's studio for Alice Kelly who lived next door at 940 Bryant with her mother. Alice had been appointed deputy postmaster after arriving in Palo Alto in 1892. On September 1, 1906, Alice and Maude Jay Wilson opened a "Bungalo Photographic Studio" here. The present kitchen was originally the dark room. The tree in the back yard is reputed to be one of the oldest in the area, approximately 400 years old.

       944 Bryant  

 

918 Cowper — 1895

A remodeling of this house replaced the original siding with stucco. Nina Parkinson, a prominent member of the Women's Club of Palo Alto and the widow of Dr. Benoni Parkinson, the co-founder and president of the Bank of Palo Alto, lived here in the early 1900s. Later residents, Robert Henry and Nettie Harcourt, made this their family home from 1927–1940 during which time he was a teaching specialist in forge practice at Stanford.

        918 Cowper 

 

1336 Cowper Street — 1925

Pettigrew House

George Washington Smith, one of the foremost architects of the Spanish Colonial Revival style, designed this house for Perce L. and Laura Pettigrew.

L–shaped with a red tile roof, it follows the Spanish tradition of a private shelter from the public. The home's limited exposure to the street contrasts with the opening of numerous sets of French windows to a garden in the rear. The Pettigrews enjoyed this home from 1925–1970.

          1336 Cowper

 

235 Embarcadero — 1906

"The house was built before, during, and after the earthquake," according to J(ohn) Pearce Mitchell who had Gustav Laumeister build this shingle-style house for him and his new wife, Helen. Then, every time a child arrived (four of them), he enlarged the house. Mitchell, professor of chemistry at Stanford, lived in this house until his death in 1974. He also served on the Palo Alto City Council from 1930–1961, including serving as mayor from 1951–1953. Across the backyard is the house built by his mother, Lydia Mitchell, at 252 Kingsley.

          235 Embarcadero

235 embarcadero

 

601 Melville Avenue — 1905

This shingle–sided Craftsman-style home is noted for its combination of triple gables, gambrel–roofed wing, and front side tower. It was built by Gustav Laumeister for Theophilus and Ila Land Allen. Soon after its completion, it was "considered by many to be the most attractive home in Palo Alto." The house interior contains built-in furniture, unusually copious storage space, redwood paneling and beams, as well as a cantilevered stairway in the entry hall. A separate apartment on the ground floor, entered at 1261 Webster, was originally occupied by Mrs. Allen's parents.

          601 Melville

side entrance

 

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