Colonial Court
Why it's listed
Colonial Court is a bungalow court at 291-301 North Garfield Avenue in Pasadena, built in 1916 on about 0.2 acres. It consists of six separate one-story units with wide clapboard siding and jerkinhead roofs. The middle and rear pairs of facing units have matching porch pediments supported by brackets, triangular in the middle and segmental at the rear. Craftsman-style extended window lintels add a second stylistic layer. A narrow courtyard with a central walkway and lush landscaping separates the rows, and there is no building at the rear. The court was designed by Cyril Bennett, described as one of the dominant figures in Pasadena architecture from the teens until the Second World War. It is considered an early example of a Colonial Revival style court. Its closeness to downtown and the Civic Center keeps it desirable. Each unit is individually owned, which the nomination sees as a workable model for keeping such courts in existence.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as an early example of a Colonial Revival style court, designed by Cyril Bennett, a leading figure in Pasadena architecture from the 1910s until World War II. It is close to downtown and the Civic Center. Each unit is individually owned, which the form describes as a precedent for the courts' continued existence.
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 83001185, listed July 11, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 291-301 N. Garfield Ave., Pasadena |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | July 11, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001185 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Cyril Bennett (architect) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, with Craftsman-style extended window lintels |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The form states that all the courts in the thematic group are fully inhabited, and that each unit of Colonial Court is individually owned. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 34.15105, -118.14497 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 83001185.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14681773
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.