Phillips Mansion
Why it's listed
Completed in 1875 in the Spadra section of Pomona, this twelve-room brick mansion was built for rancher Louis Phillips at a cost of $20,000. Pioneer brick maker Joseph Mullally of Los Angeles made the bricks on the spot, and the house is described as the first brick residence in Pomona Valley. It features a shingled mansard roof with dormers lighting a third-floor ballroom, and it was lit by gas manufactured on the premises. Architect Amos W. Randall called it a rare Southern California example of Second Empire design in brick. Phillips helped bring the Southern Pacific Railroad to Spadra by donating right-of-way land. After passing through several owners, including a period as apartments, the house faced demolition for a factory until the Historical Society of Pomona Valley bought it in 1966 to restore it. A porch added around 1900 was slated for removal to recover the original front. The grounds include an avocado grove and the old railroad right-of-way.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the first brick house built in Pomona Valley and the oldest house there apart from four adobes. Its Second Empire mansard design is described as extremely rare in brick in Southern California. It is also tied to Louis Phillips, a valley leader who helped bring the Southern Pacific Railroad to Spadra, and to the Historical Society's 1966 rescue of the house.
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 74000525, listed November 6, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2640 W. Pomona Blvd., Pomona |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | November 6, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000525 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (1875 construction) |
| Architect / builder | Joseph Mullally (brick maker); built for Louis Phillips |
| Architectural style | Victorian; Napoleon III Second Empire French Renaissance mansard roof design |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the City of Pomona and used as a museum. Admission is restricted to special events, and restoration by the Historical Society of Pomona Valley is planned. Condition is checked as altered and the site as original. |
| Acreage | 2.8 |
| Coordinates | 34.05605, -117.79632 (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 74000525.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7185916
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.