Robson Historic District
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: June 30,
2003
The Robson Historic District is found within the original Mesa
town site limits. The district is roughly bound on the north by
University Drive; the south by Second Street; the west by Country
Club Drive; and the east by Robson Street. This district is composed
of commercial properties on the western and northern boundaries and
residential buildings throughout the rest of the district. North of
the district, across University Drive is the Evergreen Historic
District. To the east of the district lies the West Second Street
Historic District, and directly south of the district stands the
City of Mesa Police Department complex. Although the original
neighborhood has suffered from modern infill along its edges, in
particular, along Country Club Drive, and University Drive, it
retains a high degree of integrity at its interior.
Although this neighborhood dates to the original town site, the
earliest homes still standing today date from 1915-1920. The first
formal subdivision, Pomeroy Place, dates from 1911. The earliest
home in the district is the W.W. Read House built between 1915 and
1920. This Colonial Revival home marked the beginning of the first
twentieth century building boom (1905-1919).
After World War I an economic downturn discouraged housing
construction in Mesa until 1927 when prosperity returned, if only
for a short time. During this era of growth, the Bungalow style of
home was constructed in the Robson Historic District. During the
late 1920s and early 1930s, nearly half the homes in the
neighborhood were constructed. These homes were of the Bungalow
style of architecture. The scale and ornamentation of these homes
was modest, unlike the homes found in the West Second Street
neighborhood to the east.
The Robson Historic District in Mesa is significant for two
reasons. First, it is considered significant under National Register
Criterion A in the areas of Community Planning and development for
its relationship to broad patterns of community development in Mesa.
Second, the Robson Historic District illustrates important examples
of architectural styles common in Arizona during the first half of
the twentieth century. The Robson Historic District is considered
significant under National Register Criterion C for the
architectural styles and periods that it represent. The period of
significance for the district starts in 1911 with the subdivision of
the Pomeroy Place subdivision and continues until 1952, the end of
the 50-year period of significance for the National Register.
The Robson Historic District consists of portions of the original
townsite of Mesa that were later divided into smaller parcels and
small subdivisions. This process of subdivision within the original
townsite was an important factor in the change of Mesa from a Mormon
community consisting of large garden lots to a modern residential
community of small lots. This was a significant change in the
community development of Mesa and the Robson Historic District is
importantly associated with this process.
The Robson Historic District is significant for its association
with the development of a cohesive neighborhood of middle class and
upper class families in Mesa prior to 1950. development continued at
a smaller scale after 1950, but by this time most of the new
residential development in Mesa was in areas outside the original
town site.
With three exceptions, the portions of the original blocks which
encompass the Robson Historic District escaped a formal process of
subdivision common in other areas of Mesa. The large garden lots of
the early Mormon community were gradually split into smaller and
smaller lots over the years to allow for more intensive residential
development. The result of this slow, informal process is an
eclectic mix of building styles and construction dates.
The three exceptions to this pattern of development are the
Pomeroy Place, W.S. McMannon, and W.R. Stewart subdivisions. These
three very small subdivisions represent early attempts at converting
the garden blocks into residential lots.
Pomeroy Place, the largest of the three subdivisions, was platted
by Frank T. and S. Dora Pomeroy, early Mesa pioneers. They assembled
the subdivision which was owned by several other prominent Mesa
residents. These included John M. and Georgia E. Vance, D. Franklin
and Annie Johnson, Don M. and Julia A. LeBaron, and J. Erastus
LeBaron, a single man. Don M. LeBaron was another prominent Mesa
pioneer. He came to Mesa in 1879 and founded a bakery and general
store in 1986. Shortly after joining the Pomeroy Place development,
LeBaron moved with many other Mormons to Mexico. He returned to Mesa
in 1926 to continue a career in real estate development. His son,
Edwin M. LeBaron, had started his own real estate firm in 1905 as
the Edwin M. LeBaron Real Estate and Insurance Co. Edwin also
operated the Arizona Land Company in the twenties. The LeBaron name
is now memorialized in the Robson Historic District with LeBaron
Street, originally platted as Roland Street as part of the Pomeroy
Place subdivision.
The small W.S. McMannon subdivision in the Robson Historic
District is further evidence of the residential aspirations of early
Mesa pioneers. McMannon, a veteran of the Spanish-American war in
1898, platted several small subdivisions in Mesa. He operated a real
estate and insurance firm for many years. In addition to developing
his own subdivisions, McMannon also teamed up with the "dean" of
Arizona realtors, W.R. Stewart, to create the McMannon and Stewart
subdivision in 1919.
W.R. Stewart had a similar career, but one even more prominent
than McMannon's. He got his start as a real estate developer in 1914
and continued to subdivide and market Mesa real estate for the next
forty years. He was credited with building more than one hundred
homes in Mesa. Although W.R. Stewart platted many small subdivisions
in the early years of Mesa, he is usually remembered for several
large subdivisions he platted after World War II. He was called the
"dean of the state's realtors" at his death. In addition to his
career in real estate, Stewart is responsible for the design of the
Arizona state flag and financing of the Stewart Chapel at Mesa
Methodist Church.
LeBaron, McMannon, and Stewart were three developers who had a
tremendous impact of the growth and development of the town. While
the Robson Historic District contains only three of the many
subdivisions developed by these three individuals, it is typical and
representative of their vision for the conversion of the community
from large Mormon garden lots into a number of small residential
lots.
|
Mitten and Pomeroy Houses |
The Mitten House and Pomeroy House are significant historic homes
which have been relocated to the Robson Historic District in order
to avoid demolition due to the construction of the Mesa Arts
Center.
The Mitten House, previously located at 22 E. 1st Ave., is now
located at 238 W. 2nd Street. The new site was chosen based upon its
similarity to its historic setting. The Mitten House was the first
FHA financed home constructed in Mesa. Built in 1936 as a residence
for Charles Mitten, publisher of the Mesa Journal Tribune, the house
was built with funds from the FGA program and the Mesa Journal
Tribune as a demonstration to help encourage construction for
residential buildings in Mesa. The Mitten House was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places on December 29, 1988, because
of its historical association with a famous person and significant
event in Mesa's history.
Before
Mitten House located at 22 E. 1st Ave.,
before relocation |
After
Mitten House after relocation at
238 W. 2nd Street,
now located in the Robson Historic District |
The Pomeroy House, which was previously located at 27 S. Center
Street, has now moved to its new location at 213 N. Morris Street.
The Pomeroy House is significant for its architectural style being
one of the last Tudor Revival style homes in Mesa. Although the
house is not officially designated as a historic landmark, the City
will encourage the new owner to work with the City's Historic
Preservation Office to pursue local landmark designation.
The Pomeroy House is named for Clara C. Pomeroy, the daughter of
one of the first families that arrived in Mesa in the late 1800s.
Clara is most noted for being the mother of Rollie Pomeroy who owned
and operated the Waldorf Club for 30 years, was player-manager of
the former City of Mesa baseball team for 20 years, and served many
years on the Mesa Planning and Zoning Board.
Before
Pomeroy House located at
27 S. Center Street,
before relocation
|
After
Pomeroy House after relocation
located at 213 N. Morris Street,
now located in the Robson Historic District |