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FREE Zoom Webinar

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The ICC Housing project was an experimental development created in the late 1940's in the Arbol Verde neighborhood of Claremont as an attempt to address the problems of inadequate housing and segregation. Arbol Verde was located near a Barrio of Mexican American families who formed a community that included a church, stores and was near the citrus packing house where many were employed. Minorities at the time, could not own property in Claremont proper due to restrictive covenants. This innovative development could be one of the first HOA's in California.

The presentation will start with a short film produced by Claremont Heritage that offers new scholarship on a little-known, but groundbreaking cultural enterprise, that was way ahead of its time, the Intercultural Council Housing, and then a panel discussion of current and former residents of the ICC community will talk about their experiences.

Claremont Heritage nominated the ICC Houses to the National Register of Historic Places as an Historic District. The designation was approved in April 2015 and stands as a testament to forward thinking Claremont community members.

Phase Two of “Our House,” the campaign to restore the historic Garner House, home of Claremont Heritage in Memorial Park, is making great progress! After restoring the ground floor, including maids quarters, kitchen, adding a restroom and storage, and renovating the courtyard in the first phase, it was time to move upstairs and complete the second-floor restoration.

The restoration will include recreating the children’s wing bathroom that was removed when the house was used as city offices, restoring the children’s bedrooms, including replacing load-bearing walls that were removed, and renovating the bathrooms and rooms in the adult wing. All wall treatments, flooring and fixtures will be period appropriate to the look and feel of the home when Bess and Herman Garner and their sons lived there and entertained Claremont’s citizenry.

There are still a few naming opportunities available to help us complete this important project. Click below to find out how you can be a part of this important endeavor to restore Claremont's Historic Garner House!