Agnews in Santa Clara in Santa Clara County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Superintendent's Residence
Agnews State Hospital
— Erected 1915 —
Photographed By Joseph Alvarado, April 5, 2023
1. Superintendent's Residence Marker
The Superintendent’s Residence is a blend of the Arts & Crafts and Prairie School styles popularized by Frank Lloyd Wright. Arts & Crafts features include the exposed rafters and purlins on the front porch and porte cochere along with natural and textured materials such as the rough stucco walls, half-timbering and knee braces under the eaves. The low horizontal building massing, triangular-arched windows and projecting eaves are typical of the Prairie School style. The interior features stained wood paneling, geometric patterns and boxed beams which are also characteristic of this style.
The Superintendent’s Residence served as Dr. Leonard Stocking’s home from its construction in 1915 until his death in 1931. The prominent foyer, library and drawing room are typical of large houses of this period. Also included in the design are servant’s quarters and special overnight quarters for the California State Governor who was required to visit the hospital once each year.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Architecture. A significant historical year for this entry is 1915.
Location. 37° 23.594′ N, 121° 57.346′ W. Marker is in Santa Clara, California, in Santa Clara County. It is in Agnews.
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Administration Building (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Life at Agnews: Change Over a Century (about 300 feet away); Early History of Agnews (about 400 feet away); Recent History of Agnews (about 400 feet away); Agnews: A Century of Service (about 400 feet away); Auditorium (about 400 feet away); Agnews Today: The Legacy (about 400 feet away); Clocktower Building (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Santa Clara.
Also see . . .
1. Looking Back: Agnews State Hospital. San Jose Public Library
"The hospital is most famously known as the site of the greatest loss of life in Santa Clara County after the 1906 earthquake. Eleven officials and over one-hundred patients were crushed when the main treatment building collapsed. But the history of Agnews is more interesting than this grim memory."(Submitted on April 14, 2023, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California.)
2. Agnews Insane Asylum. National Park Service
"The treatment of the(Submitted on April 14, 2023, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California.)insane in California dates from the earliest days of the Gold Rush. The first provisions for the insane were to lock them up with criminals in the ship Ephemia, purchased in 1849 by the City of San Francisco, and later to house them at the San Francisco marine hospital in 1850, used primarily for ailing seamen. In 1885 the Agnews Residential Facility was established by the California State Legislature as a neuropsychiatric institution for the care and treatment of the mentally ill."Photographed By Joseph Alvarado, April 5, 20232. Superintendent's Residence MarkerThe exposed porch rafters and purlins are visible in the background.
Photographed By Joseph Alvarado, April 5, 2023
3. Superintendent's Residence's Porte-cochère
Photographed By Joseph Alvarado, April 5, 2023
4. Superintendent's Residence
Photographed By Joseph Alvarado, April 5, 2023
5. Superintendent's Residence
Photographed By Joseph Alvarado, April 5, 2023
6. Superintendent's Residence
7. Superintendent's Residence c.1920
Photographed By Joseph Alvarado, April 5, 2023
8. Agnews Campus Map
Credits. This page was last revised on April 14, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 14, 2023, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California. This page has been viewed 73 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. submitted on April 14, 2023, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California.
