Gamble House to Show Servants Quarters For First Time Ever

Pasadena's prime example of Craftsman architecture, the Gamble House, will be opening up its servants' hall and rooms for the first time in its history from August 1 to August 18.

Accesible only on the organization's hour long tour, visitors during that period will see:

• Tour areas of the House never before opened for our public tours
• Have up-close views of special furniture pieces designed by Greene & Greene that are usually too far behind the velvet ropes to see in detail
• See the original laundry sinks and coal room in the basement
• Witness the careful ways the Greenes’ designed the servants’ spaces in the house
• Learn how the Gambles lived in, maintained and used the house, and many more unique findings

The Gamble House in Pasadena, California, is an outstanding example of American Arts and Crafts style architecture. The house and furnishings were designed by Charles and Henry Greene in 1908 for David and Mary Gamble of the Procter & Gamble Company.

The house, which is a National Historic Landmark owned by the City of Pasadena and operated by the University of Southern California, is open for public tours.

The architects worked closely with the Gambles in the design of the house, incorporating specific design elements to complement art pieces belonging to the family. Drawings for the house were completed in February 1908, and ground was broken in March.

Ten months later, the house was essentially completed, the first pieces of custom furniture delivered, and the house became the home of David Gamble, his wife Mary, and two of their three sons: Sidney and Clarence. In addition, Mary’s sister, Julia Huggins, also lived with the family. By the summer of 1910, all of the custom-designed furniture was in place.

David and Mary lived in the house until their deaths in 1923 and 1929, respectively. Julia lived in the house until her death in 1943. Cecil Huggins Gamble and his wife Louise Gibbs Gamble lived in the house beginning in 1946 and briefly considered selling it.

They soon changed their minds, however, when prospective buyers spoke of painting the interior teak and mahogany woodwork white! The Gambles realized the artistic importance of the house and it remained in the Gamble family until 1966, when it was deeded to the city of Pasadena in a joint agreement with the University of Southern California School of Architecture.

The Gambles realized the artistic importance of their house. It remained in the Gamble family until 1966 when it was deeded to the city of Pasadena in a joint agreement with the University of Southern California School of Architecture.