Old Pasadena Historic District
Why it's listed
Old Pasadena is the historic downtown of Pasadena, California, made up of about 175 buildings erected between 1886 and 1930. Most are commercial, but the district also holds a large residential hotel complex, a train station, light industrial buildings, several churches and a park. Its streets show different periods. Fair Oaks reflects the 1880s boom, with brick Victorian storefronts. Raymond Avenue, which linked the resort hotels with downtown, took on buff brick and Classical ornament in the 1890s, and its two tallest buildings are concrete towers in a Chicago-influenced style. Colorado Boulevard carries the Spanish Colonial Revival facades added around 1929 and 1930, often when the street was widened. Alleys behind the main streets keep the simple brick service character of the older buildings. Modernization was mostly limited to storefronts, so the area remains a recognizable enclave of early Pasadena, and rehabilitation work was under way when it was listed.
Significance in brief: The district is Pasadena's historic downtown core, and its buildings document the city's economic and social booms. Its streets show distinct stylistic eras: Victorian on Fair Oaks, Beaux Arts and neo-Renaissance on Raymond, and Spanish Colonial Revival on Colorado. It conveys the aspirations of the city's early residents.
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 83001200, listed September 15, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Pasadena, Fair Oaks, Raymond Aves., Arroyo Pkwy., Del Mar Blvd., and Corson St., Pasadena |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | September 15, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001200 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Marston & Van Pelt; Frederick Marsh; Hudson & Munsell; Bennett & Haskell; Wendell Warren; Leo Bachmann; and others named for individual buildings |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival predominant, with Victorian, Beaux Arts, neo-Renaissance, Classical and Art Deco buildings |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Mostly good to fair condition; extensive rehabilitation was under way using the Investment Tax Credit. The district is predominantly commercial, with some residential, industrial, religious and park uses. |
| Acreage | 54.4 |
| Within district | Old Pasadena Historic District (Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 34.14572, -118.15095 (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 83001200.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7085297
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.