Bembridge House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Green-Rankin-Bembridge House
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 Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 953 Park Circle Dr, Long Beach, California |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1906 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, Victorian |
| Website | https://www.lbheritage.org/bembridge-house/visit/ |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000002 |
| Added to NRHP | February 10, 2005 |
Bembridge House is a special historic building in Long Beach, California. It's also known as the Green-Rankin-Bembridge House. This beautiful Victorian house was built in 1906. It stands across from Drake Park in the Willmore neighborhood. A musician and teacher named Dorothy Bembridge lived here for a very long time. She lived in the house from 1918 until she passed away in 1999. In 2000, the Long Beach Heritage group bought the house.
What Makes Bembridge House Special?
The Bembridge House is located at 953 Park Circle Drive in Long Beach. It is a Queen Anne style Victorian house. It was built in 1906 and has 18 rooms. The house still has its original high ceilings and beautiful woodwork. Many of the first furnishings are also still there.
It is known as the most fancy Victorian home in Long Beach. You can see hand-carved wood, colorful stained glass, and a tiled fireplace. In 1981, the Los Angeles Times newspaper called it "the city's only perfectly preserved Queen Anne mansion." They said it had turrets, pillars, and special Tiffany glass windows.
Long Beach Heritage believes Bembridge House is a very important example of this type of architecture. Many people think it is the most important historic home in Long Beach.
History of the House
The house was built in 1906 by Stephen and Josephine Green. Stephen Green was a rich businessman. He helped start the City National Bank. He moved to Long Beach from Seattle and Los Angeles. Mr. Green planted unique shrubs and flowers around the house. He also built a special place for his foreign birds, called an aviary. He even had a barn for his Shetland ponies.
After Mr. Green passed away, Thomas Rankin bought the house in 1918. The Rankin family owned the house for over 80 years. After Thomas Rankin died, his children, Dorothy Bembridge and Neil Rankin, inherited it.
Dorothy Bembridge was a musician and a school teacher in Long Beach. She lived in the house starting in 1918. Dorothy said the inside of the house was never changed. She felt the curtains and soft floors made the house perfect for piano concerts. She often held concerts there.
In 1969, the city of Long Beach wanted to make Drake Park bigger. This meant the Bembridge House might be torn down. People who wanted to save old buildings worked hard to protect it. Dorothy Bembridge hoped it could become a music center. She told a local newspaper, "I pray it can be saved. It's a wonderful old house." She also said the tower made the music sound amazing.
In 1981, the Long Beach Cultural Heritage Committee named Bembridge House a Long Beach Historic Landmark. It was one of the first buildings to get this special title. Dorothy Bembridge was very happy. She knew her home would be saved.
After Dorothy Bembridge passed away, Long Beach Heritage bought the house in 2000. They paid $325,000 for it. The group has worked to make the house look just like it did originally. Now, people can visit the house on tours.
In 2002, Long Beach Heritage received a grant of $72,000. This money came from the J. Paul Getty Trust. It helped them plan how to save the main house, the carriage house, and the aviary. They also used it to fix the landscaping and make the house safer.
The Bembridge House was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in February 2005. This means it is recognized as an important historic place across the country.
See also
In Spanish: Casa Bembridge para niños
