House at 1011 S. Madison Ave.
Why it's listed
This two-story house on the west side of South Madison Avenue in Pasadena was built in 1911 to designs by architect Sylvanus B. Marston. It is a California interpretation of the Prairie School, modeled on Frank Lloyd Wright's 1907 "A Fireproof House for $5000." The design is a low, horizontal square box under a hipped roof, with a deep north roof extension that doubles as a porte-cochere carried on large brick piers. Walls are covered in long wooden shingles, with a band of stucco holding rows of casement windows that read as a decorative frieze. A brick foundation supports the wood frame. Later changes include an enclosed front porch, a 1986 addition at the southwest corner, and interior alterations from the 1950s to 1980s. A three-bay garage is a contributing building, and a board-and-batten storage shed is not. The house was listed for its architecture, as one of the best Prairie School examples in Pasadena.
Significance in brief: The house is considered one of the best examples of the Prairie School style in Pasadena. It follows Frank Lloyd Wright's 1907 design "A Fireproof House for $5000" and reflects Arts and Crafts era residential design. It retains its character-defining features and integrity despite later additions.
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 98000959, listed August 6, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1011 S. Madison Ave., Pasadena |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | August 6, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98000959 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1911 |
| Architect / builder | Marston, Sylvanus B. |
| Architectural style | Prairie School |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently in use as a single dwelling, with a contributing garage; the storage shed is a non-contributing building. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.12893, -118.13828 (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 98000959.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16995936
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.