A new San Clemente landmarks list

[This list and information comes to me from the San Clemente Times and from Mike Cotter of the San Clemente Historical Society.]

On Oct. 2, the San Clemente City Council selected 22 of the City's historic structures to be included on a new City "Landmarks List." This list was established to highlight, enhance and encourage the preservation of the City's finest historic resources, not to provide additional legal protection or burden. The list is just part of a comprehensive new Landmarks Ordinance which includes the reaffirmation of 206 existing official historic structures, the identification of five new non-structure cultural resources, and the establishment of a comprehensive law specifically prohibiting "demolition by neglect."

List of Official San Clemente Landmarks:

• 304 Avenida Cabrillo, L.S. Frasier House, 1938. Built in 1938 for Thomas Loncono, this home is one of the few remaining adobe buildings.
• Avenida del las Palmeras, Cotton Estate Gate, 1928. This gate served as the entrance to the Cotton Estate on the south end of town. It's located inside the Cyprus Shores neighborhood.
• 114 Avenida Del Mar, Hotel San Clemente, 1927. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Hotel San Clemente was built as a three-story, 60-room hotel with a courtyard facing Avenida Del Mar. Today it serves as an apartment building.
• 415 Avenida Granada, Casa Romantica, 1928. A home built for city founder Ole Hanson and designed by architect Carl Lindbom, Casa Romantica is on the National Register of Historic Places and is today a cultural center and garden.
• 233 Avenida la Cuesta, Campbell House, 1941. This house was designed by architect Aubrey St. Clair in the Hollywood Regency style, which is rare in San Clemente.
• 243 Avenida la Cuesta, Goldschmidt House, 1928. Designed by architect Paul R. Williams for Adlai Goldschmidt, this house is on the National Register of Historic Places.
• 105 W. Avenida Pico, Ole Hanson Beach Club, 1927. Another structure on the National Register of Historic Places, Ole Hanson Beach Club was designed by Virgil Westbrook and Paul McAlister as a part of the city's original plan. It's one of three parcels that comprise a potential North Beach Historic District.
• 140 W. Avenida Pico, Casino San Clemente, 1936. This is also in the proposed North Beach Historic District. In the '30s and '40s, it served as a regional entertainment facility.
• 611 Avenida Victoria, Municipal Pier, 1928. Over the past 79 years, the pier has been rebuilt many times.
• 4100 Calle Isabella, Casa Pacifica (Cotton Estate), 1926. Originally built for Hamilton Cotton and designed by Carl Lindbom, this home is also known as the Western White House, as former President Richard M. Nixon bought the estate in 1969.
• 100 N. Calle Seville, Community Center (Ole Hanson Room and Site), 1927. The Ole Hanson Room is all that remains of the original structure that was destroyed in the early '70s by a fire.
• 412 Cazador Lane, Warner House, 1929. [See photo above.] This home was built for Judge Warner, founder of the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce.
• 100 S. El Camino Real, Bartlett Building, 1926. It's estimated that this was the second building constructed in town. Built for Edward Bartlett, it has multiple tenants including Schmid's Fine Chocolates, Hobie and residential space on the second floor.
• 101 S. El Camino Real, Easley Building, 1929. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, it was built for Oscar Easley and sits at the top of Avenida Del Mar.
• 104-118 N. El Camino Real, Administration Building, 1926. This building served as Ole Hanson's offices and now houses Gordon James and Baskin-Robbins.
• 1426 N. El Camino Real, San Onofre Inn, 1928. An apartment building, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.
• 408 N. El Camino Real, Old City Hall, 1928. This served as the civic center.
• 1209 Buena Vista, Moulton House, 1929. Virgil Westbrook designed this home for H.G. Moulton.
• 418 Cazador Lane, 1926. Some of the one-of-a-kind design elements of this house include a wood balcony, a Juliet balcony, a chimney and a tile stairway.
• 420 Cazador Lane, Ann Harding House, 1926. This home was built for actress Ann Harding.
• 230 W. Marquita, Swigart House, 1929. Virgil Westbrook designed this home for electrician Ralph Swigart.
• 202 Avenida Aragon, St. Clement's Church, 1930. This church was designed by Virgil Westbrook.

Proposed by Historical Resources Group, Landmarks Task Force, and Planning Commission but not yet approved as City Landmarks:

• 1700 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente Theatre, 1937. Known as the Miramar Theater, it was the city's first movie theater and is also part of the potential North Beach Historic District.
• 529-533 Avenida Victoria, Beachcomber Motel, 1947. This is believed to be the oldest continuously running business in town. It's one of few examples of Spanish Colonial Revival- style motels located on a coastal bluff.
• 402-404 Pasadena Court, Sea Cliff Villas (Robison House), 1927. Overlooking the Pacific and the pier, this home was built for Bertha and Emma Wierk.

Today's photo (above) of San Clemente's Hal Warner House comes from the Conference of Calif. Historical Societies, which has a great series of vintage San Clemente photos on their website.