National Register of Historic Places

Muckenthaler House

Fullerton, Orange County, California
Listed
May 30, 1980
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
80000829

About this property

The Muckenthaler House, renamed the Muckenthaler Cultural Center, is a large Spanish Colonial Revival style residence built in Fullerton, California, in 1925. The mission of the Muckenthaler Cultural Center is to conserve the heritage of the Muckenthaler estate while offering exhibitions, performances and stimulating educational programs. Commissioned at an original cost of $35,000, the Muckenthaler home was built by Walter and Adella Muckenthaler in 1925 atop a hill in Fullerton. The 18-room mansion on 8.5 acres was donated to the city in 1965 by Harold Muckenthaler, who wished to see his childhood home used as a cultural center. In 1999, the Muckenthaler House / Muckenthaler Cultural Center received designation by the National Register of Historic Places. In 1965, the Muckenthalers donated the home and grounds to the City of Fullerton with the condition that it be developed into a cultural center. In 1966, The Cultural Groups Foundation of Northern Orange County was founded as a nonprofit organization to work with the City in operating the center. In 1967, The Center Circle Guild was founded to provide additional support and volunteers for the programs of the center. They also ran the gift shop, sponsored the annual Florence Arnold Young Artists Festival, the Holiday Home Tour, and support exhibition related and education programs. In 1980, The National Register of Historic Places recognized the Muckenthaler home as a historic site. A complete renovation of the site took place from 1981 to 1984. 1984, saw the creation of the first Master Plan outlining the future of the Muckenthaler. 1990–1993, held the construction of a new outdoor amphitheatre. In 1990, the Foundation changed names to the Muckenthaler Cultural Center Foundation. In 1994, the Muckenthaler changed hands with the foundation managing the center and the grounds. The Jane Deming Endowment was established to promote, preserve and assist the Foundation in its mission. The wrought iron staircase railing in the home's entry was imported from Italy. The tiles that surround the fireplaces and cover the solarium floor were designed by the Ernest Batchelder Tile Company. The library and conservatory decor features period furniture including several heirloom pieces from the Muckenthaler family.

Location

1201 W. Malvern Ave.
Fullerton, Orange County, California
33.87580, -117.94401

Categories

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTUREAGRICULTUREARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Johnson, Hugh Edgar, House
Industrial
0.6 mi
Fullerton City Hall
Industrial
0.8 mi
Hunt Center and Library
Listed
0.8 mi
Fender's Radio Service
Industrial
1.1 mi
Masonic Temple
Industrial
1.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of La Mesa
1847Mexican-American War
12.4 mi
Battle of Rio San Gabriel River Crossing
1847Mexican-American War
13.2 mi
Battle of San Gabriel
1847Mexican-American War
13.2 mi
Battle of Rio San Gabriel
1847Mexican-American War
13.5 mi
Battle of La Mesa (California)
1847Mexican-American War
14 mi

Questions about this property

When was Muckenthaler House listed on the National Register?

Muckenthaler House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 30, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Muckenthaler House?

Muckenthaler House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Muckenthaler House?

The period of significance for Muckenthaler House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Muckenthaler House?

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