California Points of Historical Interest
California historic-resource designation for locally significant sites
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
California Points of Historical Interest are buildings, sites, features, and events officially designated by the State of California for historical or cultural importance in a local context. The program is administered by the California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP), the State Historical Resources Commission (SHRC), and California State Parks. Unlike California Historical Landmarks, which are designated for statewide significance, Points of Historical Interest are evaluated for significance within a local geographic region, usually a city or county.[1][2]
A property cannot be both a California Historical Landmark and a California Point of Historical Interest. If a Point is later designated as a Landmark, the Point designation is retired.[1][3] Points designated after December 1997 are listed in the California Register of Historical Resources only if recommended by the State Historical Resources Commission for that listing.[1][4]
History
The Point of Historical Interest program developed from California's older landmark-registration system. The Legislature created the Historical Landmarks Advisory Committee in 1949. In 1965, the committee was assigned responsibility for evaluating California Points of Historical Interest, creating a new program for resources whose importance was primarily local rather than statewide.[5]
The State Historical Resources Commission has described the Point program as California's second-oldest state registration program. According to the commission's 2010 annual report, the program was proposed because many nominations reviewed by the Historical Landmarks Advisory Committee did not meet the criteria for Landmark designation but were considered important to local history. The report credits Dr. Martin Ridge of San Diego State College, a member of the commission, with bringing the issue to Assemblyman James R. Mills, who introduced Assembly Bill 2166 on April 1, 1965.[6]
Early Point nominations required approval by the local county board of supervisors before state registration. The program became more formal after the 1974 State Beach, Park, Recreational, and Historical Facilities Bond Act made local park districts eligible to apply for restoration funds for resources on one of the state registration programs. The commission then strengthened Point documentation requirements to include additional historical documentation, photographs, and local historical-society support.[6]
Eligibility
The criteria for Points of Historical Interest are similar to those for California Historical Landmarks, but they are applied in a local rather than statewide context. A nominated resource may qualify if it meets at least one of the following criteria:[1][3]
- It is the first, last, only, or most significant resource of its type in the local geographic region.
- It is associated with a person or group that had a profound influence on local history.
- It is a prototype of, or an outstanding example of, a period, style, architectural movement, method of construction, or notable work by a pioneer architect, designer, or master builder in the local region.
Because the program is intended for locally significant resources, a property that meets a higher standard of statewide significance may be nominated instead as a California Historical Landmark. A resource may not retain both designations; a Point designation is retired if the resource later becomes a Landmark.[1][3]
Nomination process
Nominations are submitted to the Office of Historic Preservation using the state's nomination forms and supporting documentation. OHP reviews each packet for completeness and consistency with the program criteria. Incomplete nominations, including those lacking required owner consent, are returned to the applicant.[3]
Owner consent is required for a Point of Historical Interest nomination. OHP also notifies affected local governments before a nomination is heard by the State Historical Resources Commission. The county board of supervisors, the mayor of an affected city, and other applicable local-government representatives receive notice, and local governments have a 60-day comment period before the SHRC considers the nomination.[1][3]
If the SHRC approves a nomination, the recommendation is forwarded to the Director of California State Parks for final approval. For Points designated after December 1997, California Register listing is not automatic unless the SHRC recommends the resource for the California Register under the applicable regulatory process.[1][4]
Effects of designation
The Office of Historic Preservation describes the effects of designation as limited but meaningful. A designated Point may receive limited protection under the California Environmental Quality Act, may qualify for a Mills Act historical-property contract, and may use alternative provisions of the California Historical Building Code. The designation is recorded on the property deed by the county assessor.[1]
Registered Points may also be marked. OHP states that a small directional sign, without interpretive text, may be approved through Caltrans or the relevant city or county. Property owners or local organizations may install interpretive markers or plaques, but signs are not required where they would create a traffic-safety problem, interfere with private property rights, or be impractical because of parking or access conditions.[1][3]
Selected examples
The following examples illustrate the range of resources designated as California Points of Historical Interest. The list is not exhaustive.
| Point | County | Registration date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bob's Big Boy Restaurant and Sign | Los Angeles | November 12, 1992 | The Burbank restaurant and sign were registered as a Point in 1992. Preservation coverage describes the site as the oldest operating Bob's Big Boy and as a notable example of mid-20th-century roadside commercial architecture associated with architect Wayne McAllister.[7][8] |
| Frenchman's Tower | Santa Clara | November 3, 1969 | The brick tower near Stanford was registered in 1969. Local-history accounts connect it to Paulin Caperon, better known in California as Peter Coutts, who developed a nearby estate before selling land that later became part of Stanford University.[9][10] |
| Frank Torres Marine View Hotel and Restaurant | San Mateo | May 14, 1998 | The Moss Beach property, now known as the Moss Beach Distillery, was registered as a Point in 1998. Local and regional accounts identify it with Frank Torres's Prohibition-era roadhouse and the coastside rum-running trade.[11][12] |
| Mount Rubidoux | Riverside | September 22, 1967 | Mount Rubidoux was registered as a Point in 1967. Local-history coverage describes the mountain's association with Riverside civic booster Frank A. Miller, the Peace Tower and Friendship Bridge, and the city's Easter sunrise tradition.[13][14] |
| Oceano Depot | San Luis Obispo | February 11, 1991 | The former Southern Pacific depot at Oceano was registered as a Point in 1991. Local-history accounts describe it as a major South County transportation and communications center, handling passenger, freight, telegraph, and mail service.[15][16] |
| Little Church on the Hill and Oakhill Cemetery | Madera | May 31, 1994 | The Oakhurst church and cemetery were registered as a Point in 1994. Local-history and preservation accounts trace the cemetery to the 1870s and describe later efforts to preserve the church building as a community landmark.[17][18] |
| Confusion Hill | Mendocino | 2010 | The SHRC approved Confusion Hill as a Point in 2010, finding it significant as a roadside attraction and gravity-house theme park along the Redwood Highway. Roadside-attraction coverage reported the designation shortly after the SHRC action.[19][20] |
