City Landmark Nomination Filed for Philomathean Hall! |
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On October 17, the Conservancy filed a City Landmark nomination for a 65-year-old meeting hall built and owned by the Philomathean Charity Club, Inc. The organization, which is still in existence today, is one of the oldest African American women’s clubs in Southern California. Founded by seven African American women in 1921, the Philomathean Club has supported a wide range of social services, given financial support, and provided educational opportunities in the community for over one hundred years. |
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Club members made a wise investment in 1958 when they built a meeting hall that included two retail spaces, allowing them to engage in community building while paying their mortgage. The rental income has been directed into a college scholarship program for Black high school students since the mortgage was paid in the 1970s. Known as Philomathean Hall, the mid-century commercial building is located at 1810 Broadway, in the heart of what was once a thriving Black community before construction of the 10 Freeway in the 1960s severed the neighborhood and displaced many residents. Once designated, Philomathean Hall will become the first landmarked building along this historic stretch of Broadway to celebrate Santa Monica’s African American history.
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In recognition of the club’s deep significance to the local community, the Conservancy worked closely with Philomathean officials and the Quinn Research Center (QRC) to prepare the Landmark application. The nomination is supported by all current members of the Philomathean Club and will be submitted for review and approval by the Landmarks Commission next year. In the meantime, the Conservancy has made the full site history from the application available online. Click here to access the document.
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“This structure visually represents a century of charitable deeds provided to people in Santa Monica and other communities. It will tell the story about seven ladies who had a dream that has multiplied over the years and is still being carried on by current members,” said Carolyne Edwards, Conservancy Board member, Philomathean Club member and co-founder of the QRC, an archive of local Black history. “Soon people will see the corner of 18th and Broadway in a more meaningful way, and future generations will have the opportunity to know this history.” |
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Image credits from top to bottom: (1) Women and girls pose at a Philomathean Charity Club Inc. social event in the 1950s. Credit: Quinn Research Center. (2) Philomathean Club Building, October 2022. View of Broadway elevation. Credit: Nina Fresco. (3) Founding members of the Philomathean Club. Credit: Quinn Research Center. (4) Philomathean Club Building Dedication Plaque, October 2022. A stone plaque commemorating the dedication of the Philomathean Club building is installed on the southeast end of the Broadway elevation. Credit: Nina Fresco. |
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Executive Director to Host New Program Series |
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Site Specific is a new series of free lunchtime conversations hosted by Conservancy Executive Director Kaitlin Drisko. A preservation architect with over thirty years of experience, Kaitlin invites her colleagues to discuss the nuts and bolts of their current work. Grab a bite and fire up zoom to learn about what it takes to rehabilitate, restore and reconstruct our historic places!
Join Kaitlin on November 10th as she welcomes the team responsible responsible for the current repair and restoration of the Church in Ocean Park! Guests include project architect Mario Fonda Bonardi, AIA, historian Nina Fresco and Reverend Janet McKeithen. The link will be shared closer to the date.
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The Civic Auditorium - Know your Facts! |
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This week we've added information on three more of the Civic Auditorium's most significant events to our webpage dedicated to the building's historic and cultural significance. Click the link below to read more about The T.A.M.I. Show, sold-out screenings of Endless Summer and the student concert series Stairway of the Stars, which is still in production today.
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Click
to watch
The
T.A.M.I.
Show
on
YouTube!
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Conservancy Tours & Events |
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Image credit: Santa Monica Daily Press |
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Save-the-Date!
Final Mosaic of 2023
Tentatively scheduled for
December 10, 5-6 p.m.
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The Conservancy's Santa Monica Mosaic series concludes this season’s exploration of our diverse founding families with an episode dedicated to Donald and Vernon Brunson. These pioneering African American brothers commitment to faith, family and community in the early 20th century left an enduring legacy across the city. Presented in partnership with the Santa Monica History Museum, the program will offer a preview of an upcoming Brunson exhibit in the Museum's Quinn Gallery.
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Holiday Celebration
December 2 from 3-5 p.m.
Church in Ocean Park
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The Conservancy has an exciting afternoon in store for our annual Holiday Celebration! We hope you will join us to connect with your fellow members and community partners, as well as to toast the close of our successful 20th Anniversary Campaign. During the festivities our Preservation Next affinity group will share a new video that showcases how the next generation is shaping the philosophy and practice of historic preservation. Registration link coming soon. |
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Friday-Monday, from 12-2 p.m.
October 20; No tours October 21-23; October 27-30; November 3-6; 10-13;
17-20; 24-27
415 Pacific Coast Highway
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Enjoy a free tour led by Conservancy docents and learn about the rich history of the Marion Davies Guest House, which was built by William Randolph Hearst for actress Marion Davies. The hottest spot on Santa Monica’s Gold Coast during the 1920s, guests included Charlie Chaplin and Greta Garbo. The 20-minute tours are available on a walk-up basis. Learn more
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First and third Saturdays
of the month at 10 a.m.
October 21; November 4 & 18
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Discover the architectural gems and rich history of Downtown Santa Monica on our highly rated guided tour. From Art Deco to Victorian and Romanesque Revival, you’ll explore the various styles that fill the streets of our city. Tours are approximately two hours and cover six blocks. Free for members and $10 for the general public. Register
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2520 2nd Street
Open during "Open Main Street" on Saturday & Sunday, October 21 & 22
Wednesday, October 25
Open from 12-2 p.m.
Live Virtual Tour
November date tbd
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Come and visit the last intact shotgun house in Santa Monica this weekend! Discover the journey of this incredible little house, which was saved from demolition and moved – on wheels – three times before being adapted into our modern-day Center. Learn more
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Open Main Street
Howl-O-Ween Festival
October 21-22 from noon to 7 p.m.
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Main Street will transform into a pedestrian plaza for the last time in 2023. Come and enjoy live music, a kid corner, beer garden, trick or treating, costume contest, pet parade, pumpkin decorating, local vendors and more! Details
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Church in Ocean Park
Re-Opening Celebration
October 21 from 4-6 p.m.
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Responsible stewardship on this 100-year-old building and the guidance of local experts required us to address many unexpected but related structural issues to the . We are now more than halfway toward our total Open the Doors Campaign Goal - enough to safely re-open our restored historic sanctuary to the whole community again. Join us to celebrate our Grand Re-Opening! Register
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Dia de los Muertos
at the Santa Monica Pier
Celebration on Oct. 28 from 12 - 9 p.m.
Altars on view until Nov. 4
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The Santa Monica Pier is thrilled to commemorate the cultural tradition of Dia de los Muertos with a vibrant and engaging celebration – Return of the Monarch. All ages are invited to join in the festivities that include face painting, live music, delectable food, spirited dancing, and much more. Guests will have the opportunity to explore altars designed by local families. More information
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Pleasure Gardens, Movies, and Malls: How Florence Yoch and Ruth Shellhorn Reimagined the California Landscape
Free online event
November 14 from 12 - 1 p.m.
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Ruth Shellhorn (1909–2006) and Florence Yoch (1890–1972) exerted a remarkable influence on both the physical and fantasy landscapes of Southern California. Yoch created Classical drama in Hollywood moguls' gardens. Shellhorn brought Modernist precision to campuses, shopping centers, Disneyland, and Santa Monica's Civic Auditorium. Kelly Comras, author of Ruth Shellhorn (University of Georgia Press, 2016) and Erin Chase, associate curator of architecture and photography at the Huntington, which houses Florence Yoch's papers, assess these masterful innovators of landscape in CPF's series on California women architects. Register
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Santa Monica Conservancy
310-496-3146
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