Colony House
Why it's listed
Colony House is a two-story Victorian dwelling with a high gable roof, flush board-and-batten siding, bracketed eaves and molded window trim. It began as one of the pre-cut, partly assembled houses ordered by a group of Chicago doctors who planned a health resort in Simi Valley during California's 1880s land boom. The houses were shipped by rail to Saticoy in November 1888 and hauled by wagon to Simi Valley. Twelve arrived, forming the nucleus of the small town. This house stood at Second and Ashland Streets, sheltered several families, and later served as a church parsonage. It gained a large front and side veranda, a rear lean-to added in 1935, and interior changes over the years. In 1970 it was donated to the Simi Valley Historical Society and moved to Strathearn Historical Park to avoid demolition. Only two of the colony houses survive. It now serves as a museum, with restored upstairs rooms.
Significance in brief: The house is one of only two surviving pre-fabricated houses from the Simi Colony, a venture tied to California's 1880s land boom. A group of Chicago doctors planned a health resort and sold pre-cut Victorian houses shipped west. The house was moved in 1970 to avoid demolition.
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 78000824, listed September 18, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 137 Strathearn Pl., Simi |
|---|---|
| County | Ventura County |
| Listed | September 18, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000824 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1888 |
| Architect / builder | Chicago pre-fab (pre-fabricated house from a Chicago company; no individual architect named) |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Simi Valley Recreation and Park District and used as a museum in Strathearn Historical Park; second-floor rooms restored. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 34.27500, -118.80199 (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 78000824.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14681774
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.