Shaffer, Charles A., House
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Why it's listed
Built in 1927 at 5610 La Crescenta in Rancho Santa Fe, this large Spanish Colonial Revival house was designed by architect Lilian Rice for Charles A. Shaffer, a representative of Dupont interests and manager of the Dupont Nitrate Company of South America. The U-shaped, one-and-a-half-story house has about 5,067 square feet of living space, stucco walls, a red clay tile roof, and a patio at the center rear. Its features include a rectangular bell tower reached by a stairwell reminiscent of California missions, an arched recessed entry, corbeling, exposed rafter tails, window grillwork, and an arcade running between the wings. Despite these details, the facades remain clean and uncluttered. The estate once covered 250 acres, and later homes and roads reduced the original tract. The house was built under the community's strict design guidelines and Art Jury review. It is considered an excellent example of Rice's large-estate work and of the planned community's architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an excellent example of Lilian Rice's domestic architecture in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. It also represents community planning in Rancho Santa Fe as part of a carefully laid out group of buildings in a large planned area. It was built under the strict architectural guidelines and Art Jury approval that governed the community.
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 91000944, listed August 5, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5610 La Crescenta, Rancho Santa Fe |
|---|---|
| County | San Diego County |
| Listed | August 5, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000944 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1927 |
| Architect / builder | Rice, Lilian Jenette |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single-family residence; the form notes a 1971 interior conversion, an early 1980s swimming pool, and a poorly built attached garage or storage area that could be removed. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 33.04103, -117.21592 (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 91000944.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q5754130
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.