Northside - City of Riverside

The residence was constructed for Emmet O. Petro, a foreman of the Claude P.
Hancock Brick Yard, a prominent local supplier of construction materials that was
located at First and Almond Street (now Fairmount Blvd.) just outside the survey
area. With others, Hancock invested in land around the newly dedicated Fairmount
Park (October 1897) and subdivided it in 1903 as the Overlook Ridge Tract. Petro
purchased four lots from his employer and constructed the first house in the tract in
1904, using inexpensive, imperfectly fired clinker bricks. The Hancock Brick Yard
was relocated to the corner of Ridge and Market near the residence from 1904 to
1927. From 1922 until the 1960s, the house was owned and occupied by Lillian and
Horace Kimball, who worked for the Southern California Fertilizer Company (Hall
2005:76). The property appears eligible for local designation as a City Landmark
under Criteria C and G as an outstanding example of an Arts and Crafts Period
Shingle Style residence with dramatic and expert use of clinker
brick. In addition,
the property appears eligible for the National and California
Registers under
Criteria C and 3, res pectively.
Two single-family residences from this period
convey the rural feel of the Northside at the turn
of the century. The large, one-and-a-half
story
Craftsman style residence located at 3676 Strong
Street in the North of SR-60 area is set far back
on a large lot that is planted with various trees,
including citrus and other fruit varieties. Though
no original building permit is extant for the
property, Assessor’s records estimate that the
residence was constructed in 1903, which
3676 Strong Street (1903)
appears accurate. The residence has been
determined eligible through this survey for
designation as a City Structure of Merit. Another
large home at 2379-65 Northbend Street in File’s
Island has been altered for multiple-family use on
a scaled down parcel, but once commanded a
large lot overlooking Fairmount Park. Little is
known about this first owners or occupants of this
turn-of-the-century Classic Box or the two others
in the Spanish Colonial Revival style likely
constructed on the property in the 1920s. The
entire property is recommended for further 2379-65 Northbend Street (ca.1900)
study.
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