Bidwell Home

This is a Craftsman house. Craftsman style homes were deeply influenced by the English Arts and Crafts movement. It includes the use of natural materials, natural wood finishes, and simple detailing. It was the home of Rolfe Bidwell and his law office adjoined the property. It was built between 1901 and 1916.

This Craftsman home, built between 1901 and 1916, is one of many such Craftsman homes built in the city during the first two decades of the 20th century. It was the longtime home of Rolfe Bidwell, whose law office adjoined this property. Active in city affairs for over half a century, Bidwell donated a large sum of money in memory of his daughter Lillian for the construction of the Bidwell Forum as part of the Glendora Library.

When Rolfe Bishop Bidwell was born on 7 November 1876, in Gold Hill, Storey, Nevada, United States, his father, Thomas Jefferson Bidwell, was 43 and his mother, Frances Flora Viola Bishop, was 29. He married Robina Ann Munro on 7 November 1901, in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States. They were the parents of at least 1 son and 1 daughter. He died on 17 October 1960, in Glendora, Los Angeles, California, United States, at the age of 83.

A product of the Arts and Crafts Movement of the early 20th century, the Craftsman is epitomized by the work of the Green Brothers in Pasadena (Gamble House).These homes were generally built between 1905 and c. 1930.Again, there are many permutations of the craftsman but they have: low pitched gable roofs, wide eaves, a broad front porch/verandah, and wood siding (a mass-built version with stucco siding and smaller porches was built in the late 1920s and 30s and called California Bungalow).

Names in Perpetuity: Rolfe Bishop Bidwell. The Glendoran. 14.

Rolfe Bishop Bidwell 7 November 1876–17 October 1960. December 10th 2019. Accessed May 19th 2022. https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/M3TX-5Y2/rolfe-bishop-bidwell-1876-1960.

Craftsman Homes. The Glendoran. July 4th 1994.