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Palo Alto Historic Buildings Inventory

1020 Bryant Street

Professorville Historic District

1978 photo 1020 Bryant
Inventory photo taken 1978 Photo taken June 2015.

The following is from the Historic Buildings Inventory as revised in 1983:

Physical appearance:   This two–story shingled Colonial Revival house carefully juxtaposes fenestration and solid wall areas to create an unexpectedly massive facade. The broad horizontal mass is enlivened by the broken roof lines, squared–off bays flanking a central dormer at the upper level, molded cornices, heavy brackets, and delicate dentil lines. The entry and the balancing bay at the left are linked by the small diamoned–pane windows in the center.

Significance:  The carefully–handled facade makes this a fine example of the Colonial Revival, freely interpreted.

It was built for the Ford family, Julia, Georgiana, and Cornelia, who occupied it until 1906. From 1911–1921, Andrew C. McLaughlin, a geologist, was its occupant. He had charge of the oil developments of Southern Pacific, and became the Executive Director of Associated Oil Co. In the early years, also, Catherine Harker, principal of the girls' school, briefly lived in it, along with some of her pupils. For almost 35 years in mid-century (1925–1959), Colonel and Mrs. M.L. Brett made it their home. Rental flats were developed during the tenure of David A. Jackson (l960–mid-seventies).

location map 2010 photo
Location map 2010 photo

This house was built in 1901 and is a Category 3 on the Historic Buildings Inventory. George Mosher was the builder. The property measures 50 by 105 feet.

Sources: Palo Alto City Directories; Palo Alto Times 8/16/01, 1/3/02, 1/4/05, 10/8/46; San Francisco Chronicle, 5/21/51. 1/8/52; Dallas E. Wood, History of Palo Alto (P.A., 1939), p. 285-6.

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