In the Aftermath of Altadena: The Recovery Continues

compiled by Kate Nixon

 

As we continue to watch the recovery of Southern California neighborhoods from last month’s devastating fires, another update has come in. A figure in the Arts & Crafts collector community tells his story and informs us on how we can help.

According to Bryan Mead of Hammered & Hewn, who runs an online Arts & Crafts gallery in their home in Altadena, the community of Altadena has suffered devastating losses including thousands of homes and community buildings — the damage even included a number of Mead’s favorite historic neighborhoods.

Altadena is the definition of a strong & diverse community filled with artists, musicians, trades people and craft workers.  Everyone has rallied around one another offering immeasurable amounts of support and kindness. – Bryan Mead of Hammered & Hewn in Altadena, CA

The tile fireplace of a home burned to the ground. A group is currently documenting tile fireplaces and working with home owners to have them properly removed, saved and stored for a future home.  Photo courtesy of Bryan Mead.

“We’ve lived here for over 20 years and have been through major wind storms and began some preparations for the evening of January 7th yet nothing really prepares you, when you find yourself pummeled by 80 to 100 mile per hour winds relentlessly.  That evening we had packed some personal bags and I had set out a large bin to start putting a few favorite Arts & Crafts items in over the course of the evening but was struggling to start, where to begin?  Around 6pm I stepped outside to look at the winds and noticed a red glow just north of our home, then a siren, then I smelled the smoke instantly.  Running inside, I struggled to get the cats from under our bed and loaded in our car.  I quickly took 10 minutes to run through my house and gallery making decisions on what stayed and what would likely be gone forever.  Over the next few hours and into the early morning, we heard reports of homes around us on fire, watching places on the TV in flames blocks from our house.  I was convinced we had lost it all.  Early the next morning I drove up and stood shocked to find our little area still intact, but surrounded by nearby fires in many directions, hearing propane tanks exploding in the distance.  I spent the day cleaning debris away and wetting our home thankful we had a place to defend.  Little did we know that our community of Altadena was mostly lost, over 6000 homes gone and much of our beloved downtown – our post office, our dentist, our hardware store, favorite restaurants and coffee shops, grocery stores and thrift stores, schools and churches – obliterated in one night.   I drove around later that morning to check on my favorite neighborhoods which have stood for over 100 years; so many of my favorite Craftsman, Tudor, Spanish and Victorian homes were gone.”

Photo courtesy of Bryan Mead.

Mead says that the community is banding together to raise money for rebuilding, including the Pasadena Community Foundation. “Altadena is the definition of a strong & diverse community filled with artists, musicians, trades people and craft workers.  Everyone has rallied around one another offering immeasurable amounts of support and kindness.  We have years ahead of us to help our neighbors rebuild, yet we already feel it’s possible.  My wife dove right into action as she manages communications at Pasadena Community Foundation who support charities across Pasadena and Altadena, the established fund has raised close to $10 million so far with all proceeds to support local charities and their work supporting fire victims.  We will rebuild.  Fund Here:  https://pasadenacf.org/donate/

There were a number of Greene & Greene buildings lost, according to Mead.  “Aside from the human loss and displacement, the buildings lost included Wild Wood Park (https://www.historic-structures.com/ca/altadena/walter-d-valentine-cottage-b/) and the William Bowen house.  The William Davies Memorial Building (https://www.altadenahistoricalsociety.org/farnsworth-parks-davies-building/) was located at Farnsworth Park, a WPA era structure built to honor the Arts & Crafts architecture of Altadena.  The McNally Mansion (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_McNally_House) and the Zane Grey Estate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zane_Grey_Estate) are major losses.  The LA Conservancy has documented many of our lost places on their website (https://www.laconservancy.org/save-places/issues/disaster-relief-for-l-a-county-fires/). ”

 

“I also spoke to Jennifer Trotoux, the Gamble House Director of Collections who informed me they in fact packed up several major items from the house for fear the fire would reach them.   What is impossible to describe though are the streets of Altadena that we lost, one would turn a corner and see the most unique collections of Bungalows next to Spanish casitas next to adorable Tudor cottages, it is devastating to see them all gone.”

 

The Silent Auction at the National Arts and Crafts Conference and Shows displays gently used donations from the collections of others – donated in order to raise funds. This year, the first portion of funds raised will go towards victims of both natural disasters Tropical Storm Helene and last month’s wildfires in Southern California. Photo by Ray Stubblebine

Please take note: At the National Arts and Crafts Conference, additional funds will be raised for both Western North Carolina and the Southern California Red Cross. In the wake of the dual disasters which have devastated thousands of lives in North Carolina and in California, the advisory board for the non-profit Arts and Crafts Research Fund has decided to donate a portion of the Silent Auction proceeds raised at this February’s Arts and Crafts Conference to two certified relief agencies.            As Bruce Johnson, the ACRF director, has announced, “The first five thousand dollars raised at the Silent Auction will be donated to The Village, an assemblage of donated campers, placed on a church property near an Asheville high school, for families with students who lost their homes to Hurricane Helene. “With your support, a second five thousand dollars will be donated to the Red Cross in Los Angeles to assist families whose lives have been forever altered by the terrible wildfires.”

Bruce and Leigh Ann Johnson have also announced that they will match the amounts raised and contributed to the relief efforts through the ACRF.

Anyone wishing to donate an item to the Silent Auction or to make a tax-deductible cash contribution to the ACRF can simply contact Bruce Johnson at Bruce1915@gmail.com.

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