Gamble House is resilient

The Gamble House in Pasadena is celebrating its centennial. A 10-month, $3.5-million restoration was completed in 2004.

Edward Bosley, director of the Gamble House, said the Greene brothers had the Great 1906 San Francisco earthquake in mind when they designed the home for David and Mary Gamble, of Procter & Gamble fame.

"The Greenes and other architects were thinking about seismic mitigation, although they didn't call it that," Bosley said.

McLeod said the house performed perfectly in the earthquake. "It moved with the movement, just the way it's supposed to. They used ship-building details in building this house. It's not so rigid that it breaks."

Breisch agreed. "It's solid and well built, obviously," he said. "It's resilient. It bends."

The old-fashioned way.


Windows in the dining room of the Gamble House in Pasadena.