Photo By Jordan Raiff | A standing chimney that is due to be knocked down has it's Batchelder tiles removed...... read more read more
When the Southern California wildfires began to rage on Jan. 7, many in the Altadena and Pasadena areas tuned in to their TVs to watch the flames live from the Palisades and Malibu on the other side of Los Angeles. Never in their wildest dreams did they imagine they would be battling blazes of their own.
Burning faster and hotter than fires before, the flames left many residents returning to find nothing standing but their chimneys. From these remaining chimneys, it was discovered that historic tiles from the early 1900s had survived the fire.
It was this discovery that sprang forth a grassroots movement called Save The Tiles.
According to Save the Tiles Chief Operating Officer Maura Hudson, “The idea of the mission to rescue tiles started the day co-founder Eric Garland and his daughter, Lucy, walked their neighborhood—maybe about a week after the fires started—when Lucy pointed out and asked, ‘What about the tile?’”
That’s when the Save the Tiles movement was started by Garland and co-founder Stanley Zucker.
As their website explains: “In truth, these tiles may be the only surviving link between Altadena's historic homes and our town's future. Well over a hundred years ago, Altadena began as a dream for the future that rejected much of the modern convention of the day. The people who architected, designed and built our community were artists, engineers and naturalists. Altadena rose up inextricably bound to the arts and crafts movement in America. In reaction to mechanization and industrialization, these first Altadenans prioritized harmony with nature, simplicity of design and the beauty in handcrafted things.”
When Hudson spoke at a community event on March 22, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Emergency Field Office–Eaton Commander Col. Sonny Avichal was in attendance.
Recognizing the importance of the tiles, Avichal connected Hudson with USACE Archaeologist Chris Stanton. As Stanton explains, the goal was to “work with them to try and save some of these historic tiles from the debris removal program—or at least get in front of the program.”
“We’re making sure the tile masons have a chance to get in there and properly remove them before the debris removal team,” Stanton said. “This means we are working in tandem with the debris removal team to get ahead of them by knowing where they will be heading next, so the team can get there first and not disturb the flow of debris removal. If we need to move around properties, we coordinate that to not disrupt the flow of debris removal.”
For Stanton, this is also an opportunity to connect with homeowners. “I’ve contacted just about every homeowner who has these historic tiles—essentially trying to connect with them and see if they are interested in saving the tiles. Along the way, I learn more about the history of the house, the homeowners, and the significance of these tiles to them. Essentially, these may be the only things that are left after the fires.”
Homeowners who can be reached have free rein to do with the tiles as they please. Some plan to use them in the rebuilding process. Others have chosen to donate them, and some may opt to sell them to help cover rebuilding costs. Stanton added that the fires brought out the colors even more, and that the tiles have become even more remarkable as survivors of the fire.
Largely designed by Ernest A. Batchelder, these tiles were first fired in a simple portable kiln back in 1910. Remarkably different from anything else available in the area at the time, local architects like Greene and Greene began buying up everything Batchelder could make to incorporate into their designs.
Naturally, their craftsmanship and design led to their appearance in various cities across the U.S. Their longevity is one of the most iconic connections back to historic Los Angeles.
| Date Taken: | 04.19.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.23.2025 21:57 |
| Story ID: | 496039 |
| Location: | ALTADENA, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 20 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Preserving the Past: USACE Supports Mission to Recover Fire-Surviving Artifacts, by Jordan Raiff, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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