Member Events
At Home Lecture Series
Signature Sponsor
Our popular At Home Series, reserved for Members only, combines presentations by outstanding speakers with visits to architecturally unique homes. Members are encouraged to enjoy one or more evenings of history, culture, food, and fun. All 2013 programs take place outdoors. In case of rain, please consider your reservation a donation. The programs begin at 6:30 pm and the cost per person is $30. Reservations must be pre-paid and may be made by calling 626.577.1660, ext. 10. Brochures have been mailed to all Members. Not a Member? For information regarding membership, visit the membership page of our website or call 626.577.1660, ext. 11.
A Year in the Life of a Tournament of Roses President
May 28
Join us as Sally Bixby, President 2012-2013 of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, tells us what it was like to be President of the Tournament of Roses, where she provided leadership for the 124th Parade and the 99th Rose Bowl Game. The culmination of twenty-three years as a Tournament volunteer, she’ll relate her adventures this past year as she and her husband, Harlan, traveled all over the United States, to Asia, Mexico and Central America visiting the bands that were in the Parade and experiencing other festivals. The program takes place at a lovely one-acre home and garden, lush with roses and cacti. Address provided upon reservation.
Researching House History
June 25
Tim Gregory (AKA The Building Biographer) researches the history of houses for realtors and homeowners. He will demonstrate for us how he sifts through evidence from paper and online sources to create histories of houses and neighborhoods. He will describe how he first came up with the Building Biographer idea while employed as PMH’s archivist and how this hobby became his full-time niche business. Tim will also share stories of some of the more unusual houses and colorful owners he has discovered in the process of preparing the over 2,500 histories he has completed since 1992. The program will be held in a charming 1901 farmhouse. Address provided upon reservation.
Historic Hollywood “On Location” in Pasadena & Environs
September 10
From the beginning of the 20th century, people around the world viewed films “made in Hollywood,” making Southern California famous world wide. But Hollywood is a generic concept, representative of much of the US film industry. The actual locations where films were shot were many; and among them, Pasadena was an early and lasting favorite. Film historian, lecturer, and consultant Marc Wanamaker will present an illustrated program on historic filmmaking in Pasadena and its neighboring towns. This program will take place at the 1912 home that has been the location for more than 200 films since the 1960s. Address provided upon reservation.
Mary Lowther Ranney: Designer & Founder of Westridge School
October 15
Born in 1871, Mary Lowther Ranney was an extraordinary woman who worked as an architect in the office of Greene & Greene. She designed the Leffingwell Bunkhouse and participated in the design of the Mary Ranney House near PMH. The daughter of a successful Chicago family, she chose a life as a single, professional woman, a progressive educator and an advocate for women’s rights. In 1913, she founded Westridge School for Girls, which celebrates its Centennial year beginning in October, 2013. To learn more about her, join Fran Norris Scoble, former head of Westridge School, at the Mary Ranney house. Address provided upon reservation.
