Enjoy Architecture?
Day 48 of 365 Things to do in Pasadena™ sends us to marvel the architectural beauty that is The Gamble House.
Not yet heard of the Gamble House? Here is a bit of history on the home.
Located in the Prospect Park neighborhood of Pasadena, the Gamble House was designed in 1908 by architects Charles and Henry Greene. This, one of the most famous, Greene and Greene homes, was commissioned to be built by David and Mary Gamble of Cincinnati, Ohio, as a retirement residence.
David Berry Gamble was a second generation member of the Procter and Gamble Company in Cincinnati, and had retired from active work in 1895. He and his wife, Mary Huggins Gamble, began to spend winters in warm and welcoming Pasadena,CA lodging in the area’s resort hotels. By 1907, the couple had decided to build a permanent home in Pasadena. In June of that year, they bought a lot on the private street of Westmoreland Place, passing up the more fashionable address, South Orange Grove, known at that time as “Millionaires’ Row” and home to the Wrigley Mansion.
Shortly after purchasing the lot they met with the Greenes, the Gambles immediately knew these were the architects for them.
The Greene’s worked closely with the Gambles in the design of the house, they wanted to incorporate specific design elements to complement art pieces belonging to the family. Drawings for the home were completed in February 1908, and ground was broken in March. Ten months later, the home was completed, and the first pieces of their custom furniture were delivered. By the summer of 1910, all the Gambles custom-designed furniture was in place.
David and Mary lived in the house until their deaths in 1923 and 1929, respectively. Cecil Huggins Gamble their son and his wife Louise Gibbs Gamble lived in the house beginning in 1946 and briefly considered selling it. They soon changed their minds when prospective buyers spoke of painting the interior teak and the mahogany woodwork white! The Gambles realized the artistic importance of the house and it remained in the Gamble family until 1966. The home was deeded to the city of Pasadena in a joint agreement with the University of Southern California School (USC) of Architecture.
The mission of The Gamble House and USC is to inspire the public’s appreciation and understanding of fine historic architecture through the example of the home, the most complete and best-preserved work of American Arts and Crafts architects Charles and Henry Greene.
For a complete history of the home please visit The Gamble House.org.
Interested in viewing the home? Head over for Brown Bag Tuesdays now through October 26th. Bring your lunch and meet at the rear lawn from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Docent-guided tours begin at 12:15 and 12:45.
Have you visited the Gamble House? What did you enjoy most about the home? We hope you will share your experience with us.
We would also like to thank Ms. Jennifer Giles for the suggestion on our 365 Things to do in Pasadena™ Facebook Page.
Visit 365 Things To Do In Pasadena® for more fun activities in Pasadena California and surrounding neighborhoods.
