Oak Knoll in Pasadena in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

The Freeman House

Photographed by Craig Baker, August 12, 2024

1. The Freeman House Marker

Inscription.
The Freeman House, built 1913, has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.

Erected 2005.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Architecture. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1913.

Location. 34° 7.482′ N, 118° 7.903′ W. Marker is in Pasadena, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Oak Knoll. It is at the intersection of Hillcrest Avenue and Kewen Drive, on the left when traveling south on Hillcrest Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1330 Hillcrest Ave, Pasadena CA 91106, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los Angeles

and in the Transverse Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Blacker House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Cordelia A. Culbertson House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Thornton Gardens (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Picture Bridge (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Old Mill (approx. 0.4 miles away); Tournament Park (approx. 0.7 miles away); George S. Patton, Jr. Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); 275 Marguerita Lane (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pasadena.

Regarding The Freeman House. The James Allen Freeman House is an Arts and Crafts period two-story house on a large corner lot at the southeast corner of Hillcrest Avenue and Kewen Drive. Its irregular plan and asymmetrical massing reflect the ideas of the designers, Arthur and Alfred Heineman, for a house that embodied the Arts and Crafts architectural philosophy. The design has a strong horizontal emphasis with an undulating roof eave line across the front elevation, a line that is echoed in architectural elements between the first and second stories. The recently restored wave-patterned wood-shingle roof, which wraps over the

The Freeman House and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, August 12, 2024

2. The Freeman House and Marker

eaves to mimic the look of English Cotswold cottage thatched roofs, further enhances the undulating horizontality in the design. Additionally, the horizontal design emphasis is presented in the use of groupings of up to five casement windows, a wide front entryway (door and sidelights) surmounted by a expansive, low-pitch hood, wide bay windows and a wide stucco chimney. Influences of the English Arts and Crafts movement are the flat stucco walls with pseudo half-timbering, an over-hanging second story on the projecting wing on the front façade and leaded glass casement windows, some with arched tops. The Heineman’s use of Batchelder tiles in their house designs is evidenced on the Freeman house exterior around the front entry and on the front wall stucco chimney where small tiles are placed in a linear pattern. The front entry is accessed by brick steps to a low-walled brick terrace with planters.
-from California Historical Resources Inventory Database

The Freeman House was selected by the Pasadena Arts Council in 1969 as one of the twelve most architecturally important “heritage homes” in the city.
The property was listed on

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the National Register of Historic Places on August 8, 2005 and was designated a City Landmark in September 2016.
Pasadena Heritage holds a preservation easement on the exterior of the house.
The Freeman house is one of the master-works of regionally significant architects, is associated with significant owners, is an outstanding example of historic preservation, and contributes to the architectural and historic significance of the Oak Knoll neighborhood which itself is potentially eligible for listing as a historic district on the National Register.
-from “The James Allen House - A History”

Credits. This page was last revised on August 14, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 13, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 427 times since then and 39 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 13, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.