Bailey, Jonathan, House
Also known as: Jonathan Bailey House and Park
Why it's listed
Begun as a 20-by-24-foot redwood cabin built before 1868 on a Homestead Law claim by Jacob F. Gerkens, this frame house in Whittier grew into a six-room ranch house with a fireplace and a covered front porch. Later owners, including sheep rancher John M. Thomas, added rooms and wings, and the pepper-tree-ringed property became known as the Mustard Ranch, a landmark visible from Los Angeles. In 1887 the Pickering Land and Water Company bought the surrounding acreage for a Quaker community named Whittier. Jonathan and Rebecca Bailey moved into the ranch house on May 11, 1887, making it the town's first building and first residence. The first Quaker Meeting was held on its porch four days later, and company officers were elected in the barn. The Bailey family stayed until 1973. Local residents then bought and restored it, and it was deeded to the city in 1975 as a park and museum.
Significance in brief: The house was the first building in Whittier and the first home of Jonathan and Rebecca Bailey, the town's first residents, who moved in on May 11, 1887. The first Quaker Meeting in the new town was held on its porch, and the Pickering Land and Water Company elected officers in the barn behind it. It served as the center of the town's business, social and religious activity in its early years.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 77000304, listed August 29, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 13421 E. Camilla St., Whittier |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | August 29, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000304 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Simple frame ranch house, described as reminiscent of a midwest farmhouse |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored and in excellent condition; owned by the City of Whittier and used as a museum and park. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 33.98485, -118.03232 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 77000304.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6272494
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.