Crank House
Also known as: Fair Oaks Ranch
Why it's listed
Set on a wooded one-and-a-half acre lot at 2186 Crary in Altadena, this two-and-one-half-story wood-frame house was built in 1882 for James Fillmore Crank, a New York manufacturer who moved west and became a leading figure in Pasadena's economic development. It was designed in the Queen Anne style and remodeled around 1906 in the Colonial Revival style, with a 20-foot western addition, Tuscan columns, a wraparound porch and a porte cochere built around an old oak tree. A fire in 1944 damaged the upper story and roof, and later work added a cupola, dormers and a Palladian window. Fish scale shingles, narrow sash windows and much of the interior, including oak floors, fireplaces and built-in cabinets, survive. The house is considered important as a rare example of Altadena's 1880s gentleman-farmer estates and for its largely intact setting amid much smaller, later houses. A c.1906 garage also remains on the property.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance under Criterion A for the house's association with Altadena's early development and the 1880s "gentleman farmer" phenomenon. It is one of only two remaining properties linked to that phenomenon and one of the few turn-of-the-century residences of such scale and quality in Altadena. It retains more of its historic setting than the other surviving example.
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 97000751, listed July 23, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2186 Crary St., Altadena |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | July 23, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000751 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1882-ca. 1925 |
| Architect / builder | William Curlett of San Francisco is credited with the design, though the form says no reliable primary sources verify it. |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne; Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a single dwelling, both historically and currently, according to the function section. |
| Acreage | 1.6 |
| Coordinates | 34.17279, -118.10480 (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 97000751.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5182173
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.