National Register of Historic Places

Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden

Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California
Listed
February 15, 2005
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
05000050

About this property

The Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden is a Japanese garden located at 270 Arlington Drive in Pasadena, California. The garden was designed and built over seven years starting in 1935 when Charles and Ellamae Storrier Stearns hired first generation immigrant, and Japanese landscape designer, Kinzuchi Fujii. The 1.45-acre (0.59 ha) garden took four years to construct once its design was complete and cost $150,000. The garden was designed as a Hill and Pond Strolling Garden, the "chisen kaiyu shiki" form, which traditionally includes water features and walking paths. This garden includes 25-foot (7.6 m) ponds with waterfalls, hills, bridges and paths. The garden's teahouse and many of its granite, bronze, and wood features were imported from Japan. The garden became a landmark for the Japanese community in Pasadena, and its teahouse served as a meeting place for Japanese cultural activities until it burned down in 1981. It was rebuilt to the original plans during the garden's recent restoration by Takeo Uesugi, FASLA. The garden is open to the public the last Sunday of every week during the pandemic. The garden was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 15, 2005.

Location

270 Arlington Dr.
Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California
34.12759, -118.15583

Categories

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden

This page lists Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Ware, Henry A., House
Industrial
0.3 mi
House at 574 Bellefontaine St.
Industrial
0.4 mi
Garfield House
Industrial
0.5 mi
Longley, Howard, House
Industrial
0.5 mi
Lower Arroyo Seco Historic District
Listed
0.6 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of San Gabriel (California 1847)
1847Mexican-American War
3.6 mi
Siege of Los Angeles
1846Mexican-American War
7.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden listed on the National Register?

Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 15, 2005.

What type of historic resource is Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden?

Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden?

The period of significance for Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Los Angeles County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Los Angeles County.

Explore Los AngelesCounty ›

More historic places in California

Browse all historic places in California.

View Californiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

California history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Californiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report