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THE BLINN HOUSE

______

HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

of california

in the house of representatives

Thursday, March 9, 2006

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Blinn House in Pasadena, California. This year, the Blinn House will celebrating its 100th Anniversary.

Edmund Blinn, an Oak Park, Illinois native enjoyed Pasadena when visiting with his wife Kate and their four children. In 1905, the Blinns decided to leave Oak Park for the warm climate and beauty of Pasadena. They hired George W. Maher to design their California home in the Midwestern Prairie School Style in 1906. Maher designed the interior of the house using harmonious natural materials with a repeated theme of wisteria vines. In his design for the Blinn house, Maher used a segmental or broken-arch theme throughout the house. Tiffany inspired leaded-glass windows with a wisteria vine motif artfully border the broken-arch windows.

At the turn of the last century a group of prestigious Chicago architects led the world in the advancement of new ideas in the design and construction of commercial buildings. Their work is better known as the Chicago School of Architecture. One of the architects, Louis Sullivan, embellished his building designs to incorporate simple repetitive patterns taken from nature. Young architects such as George W. Maher and Frank Lloyd Wright admired Sullivan's work, and while working in a community with other Midwestern architects founded the Prairie School of Architecture. The Prairie School architects created a uniquely American style of architecture which brought natural elements of the countryside to the cities.

The Blinn House was designated a Pasadena Cultural Heritage Landmark in 1977. In 2001, it was placed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the California Register of Historical Resources. In 2002, the Blinn House Foundation was formed for the purpose of maintaining and preserving this Pasadena legacy. Home to the Women's City Club since 1945, the Blinn House continues to serve the Pasadena community as a meeting place for women's civic, cultural, and educational activities.

I am proud to recognize the Blinn House upon its 100th Anniversary and I ask all Members to join me today in honoring this historic house.

Copyright © 2006 - 2008 by Andrew J. Morris and Patrick C. Robbins