1985 HERITAGE AWARD RECIPIENT
Redlands Area Historical Society
710 The Terrace (1883)
On January 7, 1883 the Second Congregational Church of San Bernardino, located on the corner of Church and The Terrace was dedicated. It cost $2.800.00 and had a seating capacity of 150. The style was Gothic with flying buttresses. It remained a church under a number of names, all Congregational until 1899. On October 30 of that year it was sold to Harry Gregory a local businessman. Mr. Gregory used the year 1900 to convert the church to a home. On January 1,1901 he married Katie Clark and brought her to the new home. Gregory was a native of Ontario, Canada, who, with his family settled in Redlands in 1885. His brother was Arthur Gregory.
In the reconstruction the foundation and exterior walls of the church were saved and the floor plan of the house made to conform to the dimension of the church. The church roof was raised to create the second story. In doing this three dormer porches were built and a wrap-around porch was constructed. The frame of the church was not tall enough when the second floor was added so the studs were lengthened with extenders. This made the second floor rooms full-ceilinged for most of their width. In framing the church in 1882 square-headed nails were used; in 1900 the carpenters used round-headed nails so the work of each period can be distinguished. The dentils on both the first and second floor fascias are unusual. The entry is capped by a monumental plaster frieze on the pediment.
The Gregory family left Redlands about 1913 and there have been several owners and renters in the house since then. Happily none of them blemished the beautiful wood in the interior or the windows. A small section of the west porch was enclosed as a room and a carriage entrance on Church Street blocked off with a fish pond. It is believed the wall on The Terrace and the cut stone curbs were done during the church years. The east wall was added in the 1900’s and the fish pond in 1912.
In 1976 James and Janet Landfried purchased the home and have done a great deal to restore and embellish this fascinating part of the heritage of Redlands.
The Redlands Area Historical Society is proud to honor this unique example of Redlands’ heritage and to commend the stewardship of its present owners.