{"nrhp_refnum":"82002198","name":"Newcomb House","other_names":["Melsek House"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"675--677 N. El Molino Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Pasadena","county":"Los Angeles County","state":"CA","lat":34.157437300000026,"lon":-118.13714136299996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1982-09-02","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story shingled craftsman 'airplane' bungalow at 675-677 North El Molino Avenue on a prominent corner lot in Pasadena, California, built in 1914 by contractor Bert Williams for Dr. R. H. Newcomb.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the house is a rare, late and mature example of the craftsman bungalow style and a stand-out example of the 'airplane' bungalow, which was never numerous. It also relates well to its old Pasadena neighborhood, where it caps the earlier development of the bungalow form.","narrative":"Built in 1914 at 675-677 North El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, this two-story shingled house is a craftsman bungalow of the type called an airplane bungalow. Its low-pitched, multi-gabled roof with wide eaves suggests wings, and intricate strut and fretwork in the porch gables recalls the bracing of a biplane. Battered porch columns of cobblestone and clinker brick, a large stone chimney, and an open pergola over the driveway add to the craftsman character. Inside, a cobblestone fireplace, box-beam ceilings, built-in bookcases and buffet, Douglas fir trim and quarter-sawn oak floors survive largely unchanged. Alterations include an exterior stair added in 1937 and a bathroom enclosed in 1950. The house was built for Dr. R. H. Newcomb by contractor Bert Williams. It was listed as a rare, mature example of the style and of the airplane bungalow, and for its prominent corner position in one of Pasadena's oldest neighborhoods.","period_of_significance":"1900-","architect_builder":"Bert Williams, contractor","architectural_style":"Craftsman bungalow (airplane bungalow)","criteria":[],"status_note":"Occupied private residence in good condition with minor alterations; the upstairs, until recently a separate living unit, was undergoing interior restoration.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:27.914793-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/82002198.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/82002198/8b5772bf7c-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/82002198/8b5772bf7c-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Rschen7754","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Newcomb_House_1.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Rschen7754</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Newcomb_House_1.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123859349","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newcomb_House_(Pasadena,_California)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14683484"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/los-angeles-county/newcomb-house-82002198/"}