Spooner-Hight Home

2017 HERITAGE AWARD RECIPIENT

The Redlands Area Historical Society, Inc.

Spooner-Hight Home

  450 Grant Street

1906

In the winter of 1904, December 5th to be exact, an application for a building permit was submitted for the construction of a new home on Grant Street. Owner, Quig F. Spooner commissioned Frank G. Mc Lain to build 450 Grant Street. Mr. John P. Hight, Jr. was listed as a co-applicant on this project and was also listed as a co-owner on the service connection records along with C.C. Amis who built numerous homes on this street. It has been determined the date of completion is actually 1906.

The general dimension of this hipped Victorian cottage, single story home was slated to be 26’ x 46’, which would calculate to 1,196 square feet including the front porch. It was originally built as a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom with 6 rooms total and 928 square feet of actual living space. The estimated cost of the project was $1,525.00. Electrical and plumbing were included. In March of 1912 another significant building application was submitted for the addition of a detached garage at the rear of the lot measuring 14’ x 20’. Owner in 1912, L. E. Brant, commissioned J. A. Chilton to build the $175.00 structure. It still stands today.

Wildly popular in Redlands, this style of home could be built square or in a rectangular shape footprint. This is a perfect example of the rectangular version. It stands now much as the day it was constructed with wooden overlapping siding, open front porch with rounded tapered pillars supporting its roof, and a solid porch rail covered in the overlapping clapboard siding. The roof trim features a boxed cornice, and a painted plaster garland in green and yellow decorates the frieze. The medium hipped roof has two hipped louvered dormers at the front and rear of the home functioning as the cooling source for the attic area. The front entry door is slightly off center to the right and is dressed with a transom and side lights of small diamond shaped leaded panes. To the left of the door is a window with similar diamond shape leaded pane in the top panel and one large fixed pane. The North/West side of the home is adorned with an angled bay window which is located in the dining area of the interior.

The kitchen was remodeled to capture the feel of days past with antiqued finished cabinetry and false front dishwasher and refrigerator that blend seamlessly with the cabinetry. The stove and oven are retro styled with modern day convenience. During the kitchen renovation of 2007 the window was relocated and made to a bay window with small diamond patterns on each side to mimic the existing bay in the dining room and accent windows at the front of the home. To finish the look, a bead board back splash and antiqued brass fixtures were used. A perfectly quaint rear yard and garden with brick patios and walkways surround the garage creating a sense of tranquility.

At some point in time the rear porch was enclosed to create another bedroom, bathroom, and laundry/mud room. There are no records of permit which is why it is still legally recorded as a 2 bed 1 bath of 928 sq. ft. Some of the original features include a lovely built in hutch in the dining room and a clawfoot tub in the original bath.

Nestled between West Fern and West Home Place, Grant Street, Lot 37, is in the Loma Vista Tract also now known as the Historic and Scenic District Smiley Park Neighborhood. The homes in this district take great pride in maintaining and fostering their character and heritage. When the Loma Vista Subdivision began in 1902 the houses on the West side of the street backed to an orange grove which was there until the 1950s. Most of the homes were developed without driveways or garages. Garages were added and the cars used the orange groves to access the rear of the homes.

In the 1907 directory, the first recorded residents are Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Taylor. From 1910 to 1912, the Shirey Family made it their home. Reba Shirey bathing a small child in the kitchen is pictured in Redlands Revisited: A Pictorial History and posing outside the home in October of 1910. Her husband, Mr. Harlan M. Shirey, owned a store downtown that stocked household goods, crockery, silverware, and hardware. There was a tremendous amount of turnover in the early years until 1929 when Mr. Augustus J. and Martha Adams moved in. Among other things, Mr. and Mrs. Adams practiced as attorneys until 1954 when Augustus is listed as retired. They were there until 1961, making 450 Grant Street their home for 32 years. They are buried together at Hillside Memorial Park.

Fast forward to 1995 when Mr. David and Lisa Figueroa bought the home from Rudolf “Rolf” and Therese Hahn for $126,500. The Hahn couple lived there for a 9-year span and lovingly cared for it which was apparent to the Figueroa’s. This was the only home the Figueroa’s ever looked at. They happened upon it while shopping at a yard sale in the area. David and Lisa bought the home together but lived separately until their marriage in March of 1996. David relocated to Redlands from San Diego and Lisa was a longtime resident who attended Cope Middle School and Redlands High. Lisa remembers as early as the 9th grade that she would live here and raise her family. Mr. Figueroa currently works as the Vice President of Procurement and Sales with Family Tree Produce and has been with them for the last 12 years. Over the past 22 years they raised 2 outstanding daughters in the home and during that time have made significant maintenance strides and notable improvements to this sweet Victorian Hipped Cottage.

The Redlands Area Historical Society would like to recognize and thank the Figueroa family for the care and continued fostering of heritage in Redlands. Congratulations on your 2017 Heritage Home Award.

Researcher: Jill Huntsinger