Pederson House and Water Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pederson House and Water Tower |
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | American Craftsman |
| Location | 3201 Regent Avenue, Thousand Oaks, CA |
| Coordinates | 34°13′16″N 118°52′39″W / 34.22107°N 118.87755°W |
| Completed | 1923 |
| Owner | California Lutheran University |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Norwegian Colony |
The Pederson House and Water Tower stands on the campus of California Lutheran University (CLU) in Thousand Oaks, California. This historic house was once the home of the Norwegian Colony, a group of people from Norway who settled here. Members of the Colony built the house in 1913-1914.
It was built for Lars and Karn Pederson, who were Norwegian immigrants. They were part of the Norwegian Colony that first came to the Conejo Valley in 1890. The house is a classic example of a farmhouse from the early 1900s.
The house was originally built where the Ahmanson Science Center is today. Later, it was moved about 500 feet (150 m) to its current spot. This is at the corner of Regent Avenue and Faculty Street. When the university decided to build a science center, they thought about tearing down the house. Moving it would cost $125,000. However, former students of CLU quickly raised the money. They saved the house from being demolished.
About One hundred and thirty acres (53 ha) of the Pedersons' land was given by Lars Pederson’s son, Richard Pederson. This land helped start California Lutheran College in 1959. More land and buildings were given to the university in 1967. At that time, the buildings were carefully fixed up.
The Pederson House was the family's private home from 1913 until 1960. Since then, it has been used by the university in different ways. In 1961, it was the university president's home. From 1962 to 1963, it served as the dean's office. Today, the house is home to the university’s music department. The water tower worked until 1960, when modern plumbing was installed. It was moved and fixed up again in 1986.
A bronze statue of Lars Pederson was placed near the university's Soiland Humanities Center. It was dedicated on April 18, 2015. A nearby street, Pederson Road, is also named after the Pederson family.
Becoming a Historic Landmark
The Pederson House and Water Tower is recognized as an important historical site. It was named Ventura County Historic Landmark No. 45 in June 1978. Later, in November 1997, it also became City of Thousand Oaks Historical Landmark No. 3. These designations help protect and preserve the buildings for future generations.
