Bard, Elizabeth, Memorial Hospital
Also known as: Bard Hospital
Why it's listed
Perched on a hill at 121 N. Fir Street, Bard Hospital is a two-story Mission Revival building with stucco over lath and plaster, a red tile roof, a bell tower on the east wing, a second-floor veranda facing the ocean and a 52-foot porch. It opened on January 1, 1902, founded by Dr. Cephas Little Bard in memory of his mother, Elizabeth, and financed by his brother, Senator Thomas R. Bard. Dr. Bard, Ventura County's first doctor, was the hospital's first patient and died there that April. He also researched anthrax in livestock. The building held 14 private rooms and two wards, with rounded interior corners and antiseptic tiling intended to limit dirt and dust. A retaining wall of Sespe brown stone borders the property, and a circular drive surrounds the building. Local newspapers called it a landmark and a monument to its founder, and it represents the Mission Revival style that grew popular in California during the 1890s.
Significance in brief: The building is one of Ventura's most prominent visual landmarks and is associated with Dr. Cephas Little Bard, Ventura County's first doctor, who opened it in memory of his mother. It is also argued to be a good example of Californian Mission Revival architecture, a style that emerged in the 1890s.
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 77000361, listed November 11, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 121 N. Fir St., Ventura |
|---|---|
| County | Ventura County |
| Listed | November 11, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000361 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architectural style | Mission Revival (pseudo-Spanish Mission style) |
| Areas of significance | Health/Medicine, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, privately owned and in deteriorated condition, with restricted public access; used for educational purposes. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 34.28237, -119.28932 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 77000361.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5362376
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.