Historic Homes

Historic Home Detail | 348

Back to Search Results

Historic Name

Frank Van Natta House

Address

1561 N Euclid Avenue
Upland, CA 91786

Evaluation

Building
5/8/2007

Construction Date

1901

Current Owner

John R. & Virginia E. Shannon

Current Owner Address

1561 n Euclid ave
Upland, CA 91786

Description

A wealth of detailing enriches this two-story, American Foursquare residence. Finials cap the hipped roof and the hipped roof dormers centered over the front and side elevations. Tripled brackets accent the boxed eaves of the principal roof while single brackets appear in the dormers. The dormers are further embellished by "mini pilasters" which frame a decoratively paned window set between latticed vents. Beneath a denticulated cornice the house is sheathed with narrow clapboards and banded by a pair of string courses between stories. Two widely spaced double-hung sash windows are located on the upper level facade; they are adorned with drip moldings rising from knobs on each side of the openings. The porch projects from the north half of the facade and is defined by a pent roof sitting on piers with stylized capitals. A scrolled frieze circles the space which has been screeened.

This fine example of the American Foursquare oeuvre demonstrates through its detailing why the type is sometimes known as the "classic Box." It was built in 1901-02 according to the assessment record for lot 427 of the Ontario Colony. F. H. Conger was the lot owner from 1895 to 1901. N.W. Hawkinson was assessed when the improvement first appeared in the books in 1902. Hawkinson was apparently an architect; he had built a house on West Arrow around 1896. A.B. Shaw purchased the property from Hawkinson in 1905-06 and lived there, according to the 1907 directory. He was a rancher. Shortly thereafter, around 1908, Isaac C. Baxter bought the parcel and moved in. Baxter was the president of the First national Bank. Apparently he passed away around 1919; Lillian Baxter is shown as the sole owner in that year. The next year the property was sold to Frank and Nancy Van Natta.

To the left (south) a three-sided bay is topped by a bossed frieze and features a leaded glass transom over the central window. Other details are hidden by lush vegetation. The house appears to be substantially unaltered and in good condition.

Like most of his neighbors, Van Natta was heavily into citrus. The house stayed in the family's possession at least until the 1940s. It is significant for its architectural qualities and for its association with the development of Euclid Avenue.