Bristol-Cypress Historic District
Why it's listed
Cypress Avenue in Pasadena holds a compact neighborhood of late 19th and early 20th century houses, listed as a historic district covering about five acres. Thirteen of its buildings contribute to its character, mostly one- and two-story homes in Folk Victorian, Vernacular Hipped Cottage and Vernacular Gabled Cottage forms, plus a Colonial Revival house built in 1896. Dates of construction run from about 1880 to 1905. Typical features include wood drop channel siding, decorative porches, fish-scale shingles and mature oak trees along the street. Larger front yards and heavier landscaping distinguish it from the nearby New Fair Oaks district. The district is significant for its architecture and for its link to the settlement of Pasadena, as it represents the earliest subdivision of San Gabriel Orange Grove Association land by one of the city's founders. Some houses were moved, and several have newer rear garages or second houses, but the street still reads as a late Victorian neighborhood.
Significance in brief: The district is one of three Pasadena neighborhoods with a high concentration of adjoining, intact late 19th/early 20th century houses. It represents the earliest subdivision of the San Gabriel Orange Grove Association lands by one of the city's founders. It is listed for architecture and exploration/settlement, with vernacular house types described in a Pasadena multiple property study.
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 11000489, listed August 9, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 438-516 Cypress Ave.,, Pasadena |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | August 9, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000489 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1874-1906 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (builders named for individual houses include Charles Dixs and Karl J. Moller) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian (Folk Victorian, Vernacular Gabled Cottage, Vernacular Hipped Cottage); Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Historic and current use is single-family dwellings, with some multiple-dwelling use. Many contributing houses have minor alterations, and the form describes several as in good or excellent condition. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 34.15313, -118.15439 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 11000489.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q141750735
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.