Cosby, James Fielding, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1893 to designs by architect William O. Merithew, this two-and-a-half story wood house is an elaborate example of Queen Anne architecture. It first stood near downtown Los Angeles, was moved in 1902 to West 30th Street near the University of Southern California, and was moved again in 1982 to Locke Haven Street in Pasadena. Its exterior combines clapboards, sunken panels, patterned shingles and carved friezes, with an irregular plan, steep intersecting roofs, a small belvedere, and an ornate entry porch with a keyhole-arched screen. Some art glass transoms, porch elements and the foundation have been replaced, and a rear addition and a garage/studio date from the early 1980s. The house was listed for its architecture under Criterion C. It is considered a rare and notable local example of high-style Queen Anne design that retains most of its ornament, and its mature setting and neighborhood scale suit its historic character despite the moves.
Significance in brief: The house is locally significant under Criterion C as a rare, high-style example of Queen Anne residential architecture. It keeps an extraordinary amount of its ornamentation, wall materials, windows and roof forms. It is also an important work of regional architect William O. Merithew.
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 11000490, listed August 9, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 510 Locke Haven St., Pasadena |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | August 9, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000490 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1893 |
| Architect / builder | Merithew, William O. (architect) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single-family dwelling. It was moved in 1902 and again in 1982, and has a non-contributing rear addition and a non-contributing 1982 garage/studio. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 34.13818, -118.16129 (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 11000490.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q133289607
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.