Clark, Dr. George C., House
Also known as: Heritage House
Why it's listed
Heritage House is a redwood and fir Victorian residence built in 1894-1895 for Dr. George C. Clark, Fullerton's pioneer physician. Clark hired A. D. Porter and H. A. McWilliams to build a house that would serve as both his home and his medical office. He later became county coroner, school trustee, a member of the first city council and president of the first Board of Health. The house stands out for its Eastlake details, including a steep shingled roof, ornate gables, spindle and fish-scale ornamentation, and beveled and stained glass. When Lemon Street was slated for widening in 1972, the city planned demolition, but community members arranged to move the house to the Arboretum at California State University, Fullerton. There it was refurbished, with a reconstructed roof, a new foundation, and porch details copied from an 1899 photograph. It now serves as a museum and office beside an old Valencia orange grove.
Significance in brief: The house is one of the oldest surviving homes on Fullerton's original townsite and the most significant surviving structure tied to Dr. Clark, the town's pioneer physician and civic leader. It is also cited as a fine example of Eastlake-style Victorian architecture, praised by an AIA preservation officer for its proportions and ornamentation.
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 76000506, listed December 12, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | California State University campus, Fullerton |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | December 12, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000506 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1895-Present |
| Architect / builder | A. D. Porter and H. A. McWilliams |
| Architectural style | Eastlake |
| Areas of significance | Health/Medicine, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Moved in 1972 to the CSUF Arboretum, refurbished and used as a museum and Arboretum office; the form lists it as occupied and work in progress. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 33.88734, -117.88396 (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 76000506.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q133325046
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.